I just want to tell you guys that you rock.
Ethan very kindly sent me a package consisting of several recordings I’d ordered about a year ago which he picked up for me, and it came in today. I’ve listened to “Bohemians and Beatniks” (fall ’04–we did the Moldau, one of Dvorak’s Slavonic Dances, and Storm, from the Summer movement of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons) and just put in last year’s Concerto Competition recording. This certainly isn’t a perfect ensemble, but none of us are music majors and we were all there because we wanted to be there and play music and be a part of this group, and as a result, there’s so much heart in this music that you can totally hear, and I’m grinning from ear to ear–listening to these recordings we all got to make together has totally made my day!
(The really sweet and supportive letter Ethan included was icing on the cake, so to speak. I’d written my “homesick” entry around the time he put it together, and…I love my friends. I really love you all and feel so fortunate to have serendipitously come into contact with you all and struck up such strong relationships.)
(Oh, and Louise, you rocked the Barber. It’s gorgeous! All the soloists positively shone. I remember that it was a bit of a struggle for everyone to get there, but as it always went before every single concert we ever put on, it totally, totally came together on stage.)
The GTSO is just such a great group of people, and I’m happy that I was able to stick with you all for 11 semesters. I don’t know that I’d ever get a chance to visit home while school’s in session (unless I just get brutally homesick/miserable and spontaneously book a trip, the way Louise has done, since she’s currently back in Atlanta), but if so, I’d love to drop in and say hi.
(Yeah, this isn’t exactly Japan-themed, but oh well. There’s more I could say, but I’d like to actually get back to work off my lunch break on time for a change.)