travel
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Out of sorts
Do you every find yourself in a state of irritation that is wholly out of proportion to the irritant? Yesterday morning at the airport I was standing in a long baggage drop line, and after 15 minutes of waiting I was almost at the counter. An airline representative walking by told me that I’d need to go to the Special Services counter (I’ll spare you the long story involving an airline policy change I wasn’t aware of), and further that I’d need to go to the end of that (equally long) line. This information was offered to me with a dismissive “oh, there are only a few people ahead of…
- adventure, balance, California living, mental health, mindfulness, musician life, running, self care, travel
Reboot!
Did you know that America is the only advanced economy that doesn’t guarantee paid vacation? Think of what most European countries get – 20-something days in addition to national holidays, so a total around 34 days – and you realize what a raw deal we get. For those of us who are independent contractors, however, it can be a different story. While I try to maximize my work (given that I have no guaranteed assurance of future gigs), it conversely also gives me some flexibility in my own time off. Those of you who follow my various social media that I’ve had a particularly busy season, often on the road…
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Tick Tock
I was in Dublin a few weeks back working with the RTE National Symphony Orchestra. An afternoon off afforded me a few hours to take in St. Patrick’s Cathedral and Trinity College and a handful of other highlights. Although the major sights were nice, it was a chance encounter that ended up being the most meaningful visit of the day. Searching for a caffeine hit I turned down a promising road but instead of a coffee shop I found the National Library; a sign told me that it housed a free W.B Yeats exhibit. I love Yeats and I love free stuff, so I wandered in. It was a beautifully…
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Small gestures
Pinkerton and I see a lot of Starbucks. It’s a reliable place for a cup of caffeination and a portable breakfast, and if there’s one close by wherever I’m staying (and there always is) we’ll be there every morning, pre-rehearsal. The Starbucks we frequent the most is one attached to a hotel in downtown Minneapolis, where I conduct monthly. Your typical hotel Starbucks is usually a scene – long lines of customers with their complicated custom orders (“sugar-free no-whip half-caff mocha with soy milk”) and harried baristas with barely a moment to look up from the register. This one is different. A few years ago, a new barista started working…
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The glamorous life
I was in Belgium a month ago conducting concerts with the Antwerp Symphony. I’d never been to Antwerp before, and was delighted to discover a city of beautiful architecture (Central Station), exquisite art (Rubens) and delectable food (moules frites and waffles). The orchestra was great, and their schedule was such that I had enough time to make the hour long trip to Bruges, which was utterly charming, if overrun by tourists. On a sunny Saturday morning I set out for a run in the brisk autumn air of Stadtpark. And on the afternoon before my last concert I had time to troll the city for the best chocolate boutiques to…
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Taking ownership
Last week I made my debut with the Cleveland Orchestra. For those of you familiar with the orchestra scene, you’ll know that the Cleveland Orchestra, along with the Boston Symphony, Chicago Symphony, New York Philharmonic and the Philadelphia Orchestra, are one of the Big Five – historically the largest and most prestigious ensembles in the country. They were, as expected, fantastic, and it was an immense pleasure working with them. During the break between dress rehearsal and concert at the Blossom Music Center I was chatting with one of the musicians about the variety of music which takes me all over the world, and he asked me, unironically, if I…
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Positive payback
When I started my career as a conductor, I was fresh out of conservatory and newly married. I was teaching part time at Curtis and working for a small regional orchestra near Philly and doing the odd little gigs that came in. Paul and I made maybe $25K between the two of us, didn’t have health insurance and barely had two pennies to rub together. We were starving young musicians in all senses. I remember throughout those very lean early years that though money was tight, I didn’t want to completely curtail my social life, particularly the relaxing ritual of the post-concert drink. And on many occasions, after a cocktail…
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Solo adventure
As I’ve mentioned in a previous post, I travel a LOT. Often at the butt crack of dawn, or overnight, or whenever I need to get on a flight to make it to the next gig. I have platinum status on multiple airlines, which should give you an idea of how much of my time is spent on the road. Very occasionally I’ve been lucky enough to take someone with me on my journey, particularly if it’s a longer jaunt, and to a desirable locale. Husband Paul spent two weeks with me on a Japan tour a few years back. And my dear friend Lilly accompanied me on a memorable…
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Some trees would do you good
There has been quite a bit written about forest bathing in the last several years – and, no, it’s not about plunging into an outdoor spring (although that’s actually pretty awesome), but rather bathing in the atmosphere of a forest. A Japanese movement that began in the 80’s, shinrin-yoku is a timely reminder for us city dwellers of the importance of connecting to the natural world. Time spent in nature has shown to boost the immune system, decrease stress and blood pressure, and to contribute to a better overall sense of wellness. Wellness is something I could use these days. As you’ve probably gathered from my previous post, I’ve been…
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25 and Counting
I just returned from my 25th college reunion (yes, for those of you who recognize the large banner in the background, I did my undergrad at Harvard) and it was eye-opening. I can think of few other gatherings where everyone is basically of the same age and shares a powerful common experience. I had forgotten the sense of kinship and community this can create, and while we may have been clique-y during our college years, the passage of time and a certain maturity have softened the edges. Harvard puts on a great show for 25th reunions – 3 1/2 full days of barbecues, panels, cocktail parties, memorial services, fancy dinners…