Daily Life-Autumn Style

I wake every morning at the same. I jump into the shower, and then proceed to find a decent outfit to wear to school. Some days I'll dress up, some days I'll just throw on a band tee shirt with my baggy jeans. I'll make a quick breakfast, and then pack my lunch if I'm eating in the office. I'll grab my instruments and books and walk to my train station.

The walk is a nice one. It's straight, and short enough to not get too tired and long enough to think. Sometimes I'll wear my Ibanez headphones, listening to my iPod selection on shuffle. I can be listening to Haydn's Trumpet Concerto in E-flat played by Tine Thing and Melissa Etheridge's "Beloved" will come on next.

I take the train in, meet my grandma for tea and then head to my classes. I get all my non-music courses out of the way first, and my late morning and afternoon classes are all music.

Twice a week I have jazz practice, once a week I have trumpet lessons, and once a week I have orchestra rehearsal. Sometimes I'll call a jazz sectional so we can beat out the heads together, or just fool around with our music.

Sometimes I'll stay late after work, and snag a practice room. I'll let the heavy doors shut me into the room and I'll pull out whatever instrument my fingers touch first.

I'll sit with my music in front of me, combatting the marks on the paper with new techniques I've learn. I'll never be able to fully erase them...no I'll never erase them. I'll play through my list of exercises, etudes, and pieces. Sometimes I'll do this at home, in my room.

But walking from the school to the train station last night was wonderful. The sun was setting, the air was actually crisp and I had my pack on my back with a trumpet at my side. I felt wonderful, despite my physical pains throughout the day. Despite the fact I only got in 20 minutes of playing because my head felt like it was going to pop.

I love the quietness of autumn nights. I like thinking bout situations. It's why I do it every day.

Monica Germino

Saturday night I attended a concert in my school's new Concert Hall as an audience member. I saw Monica Germino, a violinist who plays some pretty interesting music. At our concert, she played 3 instrumensts; a traditional acoustic violin, an electric violin, and an adapted violin.

Not only did she play the violin but she sang while playing. It was very interesting to watch, and even more interesting to hear. Monica's program is the kind of performance that you have to see in order to experience her music. She had visuals and soundtracks. She had a short film as she did one piece called "Bravery of Women". She starred in it as she sang and play on stage.

She is one of the leading artists to use electronics in her music. I've always been interested in electronic music ever since I heard Miles Davis' "Bitches Brew" where he played on an electric trumpet. The entire process of hooking up a pick up to an instrument that is normally used in a classical setting to the controls needed for the distortion and sounds.

After her performance, she gave a small Q&A session is which she answered her adaption of her aunt's violin into the instrument it is today. It involved an expensive process of hooking up a pick up, using viola strings, unquie tunings, guitar effects and controls. It was fascinating to hear about.

While the performance was unique and different, I'm not sure if I liked it. Some pieces I just didn't understand or just didn't like to sit through. However, it was an experience that I'm glad to have since I got to see music in a different setting.

My next concerts will be seeing some faculty members perform in a recital on Wednesday and a Musical Theatre concert on Sunday.