Singing Quote

A couple from church, Brother and Sister Harris, came to my recital last Sunday, and afterwards Brother Harris told me that watching my recital he was reminded of a quote that he would give to me at church the following Sunday. So Sister Harris gave me the quote in an envelope at church yesterday, and I thought it was very beautiful so I am writing it down here on my blog so I don't lose it or forget it.  Here it is:

Rabindranath Tagore
from Gitanjali

When thou commandest me to sing it seems that my heart would break with pride; and I look to thy face, and tears come to my eyes.

All that is harsh and dissonant in my life melts into one sweet harmony---and my adoration spreads wings like a glad bird on its flight across the sea.

I know thou takest pleasure in my singing. I know that only as a singer I come before thy presence.

I touch by the edge of the far-apreading wing of my song thy feet which I could neer aspire to reach.

Drunk with the joy of singing I forget myself and call thee friend who art my lord.  

China Town and Telegraph Hill

On Thursday I walked around Chinatown in the afternoon and then went up to Telegraph Hill in the evening, where the view of San Francisco was amazing.

Here are some sort of antlers for sale in one of the Chinese herb shops.

There were some amazing flowers hanging from trees in the gardens on Telegraph Hill. Sorry the picture is not very good. The flowers were so big and beautiful though.  It was like a roof of lilies overhead.

Here is a view of the Bay Bridge from the hill. It was so beautiful! 

A walk along the Seacliffs with Sister Fletcher

Earlier this week a very nice lady and friend of mine from church, Terri Fletcher, went with me to the art museum in San Francisco called "The Legion of Honor".  It was a very beautiful museum. Afterwards we took a walk along the seacliffs and then the beach.  I took a bunch of pictures on my phone (and Sister Fletcher took the ones of me for me). 

The Golden Gate Bridge in the distance...

The pathway along the cliffs:

I like this one through the trees:

Me on a big tree that is growing sideways.

With a sign that warns: Don't walk off the edge of the cliff.

On the beach.

Sister Fletcher and I.

A nice view of San Francisco from Hayes street.

A bunch of wind-surfers were out that day.

A painter

I was walking down Market street a few days ago and passed by this painter on the corner by the Zuni cafe... and snapped a couple of photos with my cell phone. His painting was very good.

Conservatory Goings-On

I got a new cell phone a few weeks ago and I got really behind on posting any pictures because I couldn't figure out how to get them off the new phone. But I just bought a micro SD card and now I have uploaded them all to my computer... So here come the picture posts!  This giant guitar ice sculpture was part of a festival for the famous guitarist, Pepe Romero, who received an honorary doctorate from the conservatory a few weeks ago. I heard Pepe play in his concert and it was really amazing. This ice sculpture was amazing too.  

Below is a picture from where I was sitting in the balcony of the recital hall at the conservatory, where Leon Fleisher was teaching a master class.  The student in the picture was playing the Beethoven 2nd Concerto, as I recall.  

Post-recital pic

My friend Dhivya took this picture of my Italian teacher congratulating me after my recital on Sunday- (he's just about to kiss both my cheeks). She thought it looked like a scene from an old black-and-white movie. And so it does... haha.

Recital Day!

I just finished my very first ever recital where I both play the piano and sing!!  It was so fun!  It went very, very well, for the most part. I am so happy!   I had the recording department tape it, so as soon as I can I will post some videos and/or audio from it!   I had a nice audience with probably about 20 people from church and ten or fifteen people from the conservatory.  I was lucky enough to have FOUR of my dear teachers there tonight -- my piano teacher, Paul, my voice teacher, Jane, my Italian teacher, Brioni, and my voice teacher who drove all the way from Los Angeles, Dennis.  I felt so loved!

      Now it is strange though to be all by myself again in my little room at the dorm. 

     Two very nice friends of mine from church gave me bundles of flowers too. I don't have a vase right now so I cut the top off one of my water jugs and put them in there. They are very beautiful. 

     Tomorrow I have my final jury for my Professional Studies Diploma at the conservatory, at 3:45 in the afternoon. Then I will be really finished with ALL of the requirements for my diploma!  Can you believe it?  This year has gone by soooo fast.

       I'm so excited to see what the future holds in store for me next. :-)

                              Goodnight! 

Concerto!!

I just got an email from the orchestra manager at the conservatory that the dates for my concerto performance have been set... I will have two performances of the concerto next year with the orchestra, on February 11th and 12th.  She told me that I need to plan to be available for two weeks ahead of the performance for rehearsals, which should work out nicely since Paul already told me that I could stay at his house and have lessons before-hand.   That will be so fun!! I'm so excited.   I'm really happy that I get two performances of it, instead of just one.  Usually I always play better on the second night...

Yaaaay!!

new poem

I just finished (I think!) a poem I started a few weeks ago on "Hear Me":

http://jacquelynwrites.blogspot.com/2011/04/darkest-hour.html

Finished!!!!!

I just finished my last final project/presentation for the year!!!  I am so happy!  I wrote a fable last night based on an Italian proverb, and today we all read our stories to each other, and discussed our plans with each other for the summer, and now I am done!  Now I just need to memorize my voice music for my recital, and practice and rehearse a lot. But that will be all I need to concentrate on for the next week. I'm so excited!

I had a voice lesson this morning with Jane. She has helped me so much this year... My coloratura passage-work is getting to be so much easier for me.

Tonight I have a lesson with Paul (Ack!  I need to practice!!), and then my friend Dhivya is giving her recital at eight o'clock.

I feel like having a party.... :-D

Hooray!!!


P.S... New post on my Reflections...http://jacquelynsreflections.blogspot.com/2011/05/happiness.html

Finals week

I am sitting here in the computer lab at the conservatory and decided to take a little break from working on my final project/presentation on the Brahms Requiem for Oratorio Workshop tomorrow morning. 

I've been feeling much better this week after I was able to get some very good and long nights of sleep.  Now I just have to make it through the next few days and I will be done with all my final exams except for my recital and my jury!!  Friday will be the last day of finals :-D!!!!!!!

Mr. Mack McCray (the chair of the piano department here at the conservatory and the director of the Zephyr chamber music festival in Italy) stopped me on the sidewalk today and told me that I have been accepted to the festival and that they want me to come, and that they have a scholarship for me.  I am not sure how much the scholarship will be, but he said to come visit him later this evening (he is going to call me), and let me know the details.  It would be fun to go to Italy this summer!  We will see what the scholarship ends up to be.

It will be so nice to be back in Montana this summer, too.  I miss the Rims and the mountains and big wide open spaces. 

My parents might be getting me some recording equipment this summer so I can start making recordings more easily.  That would make me happy!   It won't be anything super fancy, but recording technology (along with every other technology) is advancing so quickly that I think I'll be able to do quite well with some basics. Hopefully I can learn how to use the equipment well enough to get some professional-sounding stuff.

Anyway, lots to think about and plan for! I guess I should go get back to work.

Until later...