Summer adventures are long over…time for school year adventures! I just returned from a fabulous wedding in New Jersey where I was playing for, and partying with, my good friends Frank and Cristin. The piano was a 7ft Yamaha that was absolutely beautiful. After playing standards for about forty minutes as people entered the venue, I transitioned into the Jurassic Park Theme for the entrance of the wedding party. You might think that is an idiosyncratic juxtaposition…yes, but it fit the couple perfectly! We did the traditional wedding march, had a short service, then some Ben Folds after the bride and groom had exited. Then, the party started! Hors d’oeuvres and dancing was the theme of the evening…a movable party. Plus, I knew basically everyone at the wedding, even though they were all technically high school friends of my college roommate. However, most of them live in NYC, and we all hang when I go down, so I’ve been folded into the friend group. It was a blast!
Now my attention is turning back to school, both teaching at Pomfret and being a student at Longy! At Pomfret, we have a new headmaster, Tim Richards, who is a terrific guy. I’m excited to see his vision for the school! I just received word that a recording my students engineered last year was turned into an EP and just released. Oakes & Smith are good friends and great musicians, and I’m excited that this collaboration turned out so well. They have been recording in upstate New York recently, and I can’t wait to hear the full length! I’m teaching 2 classes, an independent study in Logic 9 certification, and trying to put together a faculty blues band…
If that wasn’t enough, I am travelling to Boston 3 times a week this year for grad school. One of my big goals is to practice more this year. I didn’t feel I put enough effort in that area last year, and I want to step it up. On the docket is a class in jazz composition and arranging, 3 ensembles, 2 lessons, and my department seminar.
Lastly, I am trying to keep up an active performance schedule! Well, right now it is more actively scheduling than performing, but that is the first step, right? My good friend Julia Chalfin is returning from Germany for a number of weeks and we are going to do a few concerts together, in Boston, Pomfret, and Pennsylvania! I have another gig with Big Jump at the Roots Cafe in Providence, Pomfret Candlelight, Longy ensembles, Pomfret Blues Band (tentative name “the short list”), Pomfret contemporary music. I *think* that’s it, at least for now!
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