what dreams may come...

 I haven't yet blogged about the musician in me because, well, I like to read blogs about DIY home projects, or food or sewing or something along that creative line, and therefore that's what I like to blog about. But here's a post about the fun I get to have as a musician--with a twist..


I get to play with the Teton Chamber Orchestra.  It is certainly a privilege for me.  I play the viola and orchestras seem to be in need of violas and so sometimes they take what they can get. *wink wink*

So I've played with the orchestra for, well, a few years now.  Before that I played with the Idaho Falls Symphony and way before that, I played with the SouthWest Symphony.  TCO is by far the best gig EVER!  Why you ask?  Well I'll tell you.  It's a combination of our awesome conductor, Eric Wenstrom, and the stars we get to play with.  Now if we had a sucky conductor and still got to play with cool stars, then I don't know if I would want to travel 900 miles to play in the concerts.


I've had a reoccurring bad dream for years now.
My bad dream is that  I show up to a performance unprepared. I don't have my instrument, or parts of my instrument like strings, or the bow, or nothing at all.  I don't have my music or don't know the music or am not on time and have to sit out of the performance or try and sneak in while the concert has already started.  Trust me when I say that this is a bad enough dream that I wake up in a near cold sweat.  That being said, I want to tell you about the concert I got to play in this last week.

enjoy!

I showed up to dress rehearsal and realized I had forgotten my shoulder rest.  At home.  450 miles away. BAD DREAM. PARTS MISSING.
 I know that I can't just go out and buy a shoulder rest that fits my extra large viola. I have to order them online.  So I bought a cheap sponge and rubber banded it on.  Viola voila!

I tried at home to practice some of the more difficult music, but only had it a week prior to the concert and I'll be honest, I just need more time than that.  I only had half the music anyway and so the night before the concert I was seeing most of the music for the first time.  We ended up having another "real" dress rehearsal with Richard the afternoon before the concert because the high winds knocked out the power. This is one time I am thankful for high winds... 

I just wasn't feeling like I was on top of my game.  I was praying for a miracle that I'd not screw up the whole concert, or the very least embarrass myself.
I thought for sure that all those bad dreams were coming true right before my eyes except that, you know what?  I did fine. Fear can be a powerful motivator.  Adrenaline was my best friend that night.
 I can put that bad dream...wait for it...

to rest.

loved playing this concert!!!

Let me assure you that I'm not tooting my own horn--I couldn't, I don't play one--but that I feel like the luckiest viola player ever.  I've been able to play with Sara Hickman, Acoustic Eidelon, Collin Raye (3 times), Jim Brickman, Kurt Bestor, David Wilcox, Randall Williams,Jon Schmidt, Mindy Gledhill, Jenny Oaks Baker, Solas, and Richard Marx.  See why this is the best gig ever?!
I'd better knock on wood so I don't jinx my spot in the orchestra.  ;)


Here are some other performances...

Acoustic Eidolon

Fun on stage...