Summer Festival

Back in February I mentioned that I took an audition and managed to screw it up quite fantastically.

Well, nonetheless, I've found out that I was accepted to the National Orchestral Institute for this summer.

All accepted participants get a scholarship for the program covering everything except room and board, which is only about $500. For a four-week summer music festival this is pretty good -- often these types of programs cost upwards of $4,000.

It means four weeks away from Nathan, and four weeks away from getting my summer garden going (the program runs for the month of June), but I think I'm going to go. I'm even a little excited about it. We'll be playing Mahler 1, Beethoven 1, Mozart 41, Brahms 2, and Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring, among many other things. There's be chamber music and un-conducted chamber ensembles in addition to the full symphony orchestra experiences.

And if nothing else comes of it, I at least get a T-shirt.