This WONDERfilled Life...

I’ve thought about this topic for almost 6 months…more probably.  So many things we deal with as musicians (and a freelancer on top of that) are just really good life lessons and lately I keep coming back to the concept of "planning".   You have a goal, you have an end game, an end vision.   Maybe it’s a new patio for the backyard, or getting in shape before a certain event,  or the giving a recital with a certain theme.  No matter what the end "product"is you have to take certain steps to get there.  Decide on what style of patio you want, set a budget, hire a contractor or spend some serious time on the Googles learning a new skill set. Dreaming the dream, seeing that end goal is the EASY part.  I can create vision board of any and every success I can imagine but that doesn’t put that ball in motion toward that goal.   Looking back on what I would consider some of my greatest accomplishments I realized that the most successful mom...

I struggled at the end of last year trying to decide if I would continue with the #52wonderfilledweeks challenge in 2019.  That's to say, I couldn't decide if I wanted to hold myself to a weekly timeline for completing, photographing, writing and posting projects in 2019.  I thought I might continue on that timeline until reality set in and I realized that I have so many more things in my life I want to master...it just probably isn't realistic to add that kind of stress to another year of my life. The upside to this is that I could potentially post more often as smaller projects are often completed much quicker than in a week.  I have ton of ideas for this new year but before I thrown them out at you all I want to reflect on what I learned over the course of my #52wonderfilledweekschallenge of 2018. As of January 9th, 2019 my little blog has been viewed over 80,000 times!!! What??? Let that sink in...I'm flattered that people have found something of interest and val...

Comparison is the thief of joy - the struggle to keep your eyes on your own lane... Six weeks ago I took an audition.  That's such a big, heavy word.  It's full of opportunity and pressure, validation and rejection...and in many cases it can be the difference in job "security" (is that even a thing in the music business anymore?) and having to still piece together enough gigs to pay the bills for another year...or years.  I had a teacher long ago that said the worst thing you can do to yourself is have to win a job to write your next rent check.  There's just too much at stake, and he was right! But it's also detrimental to put so much credit in 'winning' a job as a form of validation of your success as a musician.  Easier said than done of course. For years when I first was out of school I was totally focused on winning a job...which is ironic because in school I had decided I would be perfectly happy freelancing my entire career...I...

A year ago I was sitting in my home anxiously expecting our second child.  Huge and uncomfortable I was recommended to stop playing my horn for fear of going into early labor...again.  I had to cancel two auditions, bail in the middle of an orchestra cycle and cancel another outright.  I managed to eek through Easter services but other than that I was in limbo and torn about my circumstances. Musicians (especially those of the freelance variety) pride themselves on having a full book.  Don't believe me? Just check out any freelancers Facebook page.  They are fraught with "humble brag" posts and vague status updates. It was so hard for me to sit and wait, knowing that once the baby came I still would be left fighting an uphill battle.  When a woman in the music industry gets pregnant I think one of the first thoughts that goes thru her head is "what will happen to my work?".  So many people start filling in the blanks for you.  You'd hea...

This week...this was a week.  So many highs and lows. On one hand I am super excited for my horn and organ concert later today.  I have wanted to do this collaboration for years, since I was first introduced to the Hermann Baumann Horn and Organ CD by my teacher Rick Menaul while in undergrad.  I had Bubba 10.5 months ago and I am just so proud of myself for setting this goal (if I do say so)! On the other hand it was a heart wrenching week as a friend lost his 36 year old sister to cancer in 27 days.  TWENTY SEVEN days.  Think about it. She leaves behind a husband, 7 yo and an 8 mo boys as well as her parents and siblings.  Life just seems so unfair.  19 years ago my sister was ripped from our lived in a freak car accident.  All the emotions from my family's loss came barreling back to me.  Needless to say it was a hard week to keep my focus and I was happy to have a project to meditate on and help to quiet my mind.  Ironi...

So this week started with me finishing up a Public Safety Survey that I put together with two other active members of my community. I had to learn how to put the information together so anyone could read it...it took a lot of time but I learned a new skill and I think the information is extremely valuable for the community.  It felt really good to have that done.  I don't do well with things "hanging" over my head.  I love a nice fat check mark next to things on my list.  It felt great to not only help my community but check this off as done! Then I had some graphic design work to do for the Park Advisory Council I volunteer on.  I have been using these graphic design needs to challenge myself to do great work but in a limited amount of time. Both my husband and I can get lost in designing and while I love volunteering for my community I have started to realize I often put others first and I am trying to be more aware of that.  I've been taking advantage...

Did you hear? I am giving a recital! I think it's been over 10 years since I gave a recital. This program is really exciting to me because I am collaborating with Chicago Organist, Joe Burgio, to give an all horn and organ recital. I have wanted to do this recital since I first heard Baumann's Horn and organ CD back in my undergrad days. The CD is now out of print but can be yours for the low price of about $200! Joe and I have been researching pieces and have found so many we hope this will be the first of many horn and organ offerings! Preparing this week got me thinking about technology and how much things have changed since I gave my last recital. Technology has changed the face of not just everyday life but how musicians prepare and perform all over the world. I wrote the below blog post as part of a larger blog offering by the Über Horn Quartet in early 2016. I thought I'd share it with you now since I am utilizing all of these apps and devices as I prepare ...