Half-Term

So this week is the Half-Term break for all the schools that I teach at - which means I have about 15 extra hours of free time this week! Horovitz Movement 3 and Kovacs- R. Strauss Homage, watch out...

I am hoping to share pictures and video from Liverpool with you in the next couple of days but I'm not promising anything spectacular- In fact, let me remind you that I never promise anything spectacular. Ex. Typo at the end of my Berlin video... errr.

But in the meantime, here is a photo of me setting up the djembes at one of my schools last week. Yes, this is what I want to do the rest of my life :)

Harry Potter?

So alright, I was really going to put up the video from Bill's 2nd and 3rd walks tonight- REALLY! Except that it is taking much longer just to get the videos into iMovie than I realized and I also have to be at tomorrow's school S tomorrow morning at quarter to 9. Which means I have to be out the door by 8. At the latest. But it's alright, I like waking up early and doing things. Let's face it, if I didn't have anything until 1:45 (my first class) then I'd be waking up much later - and not getting anything done with my life.

So yeah- tomorrow night I'll post the video. Promise.


But as for now, I shall tell you that a young child at one of the schools said
"You know, you look an awful lot like Harry Potter!"
to which I replied:
"Yes, except I can't do magic unless you practice your violin..."

I also had my second lesson with Janet today and it was good. I'm playing the Manual de Falla Homage by Bela Kovacs, the Lutaslawski Dance Preludes, the Horovitz Sonatina, and for next week, apparently I am going to start learning the Stanford Intermezzi. So she is giving me a lot of stuff to do, that's a good sign, right? I enjoy playing though. I wish I had more time to practice now that the school thing is gearing up more though... I am usually out of here a little after 8 and don't bet back until after 8 at night. Oh well. I'm honestly not complaining. So far, my London experience is just great.

This weekend, going to Stonehenge amongst other things. I will have lots of videos and photos to share surely.

For now, check out this great tea blog I stumbled across ... Someday, I hope to try as many great teas as this guy has. Brilliant!

Things to keep me out of trouble...

Alright- so with a little more than a week under my belt here, my routine schedule is starting to flesh out a bit more.  I personally prefer to have things this way - too much time without structured events tends to lead to wasted time, for me at least.  

I met with some of the people with the music service that I am doing my internship with today.  I don't know if I mention this, but here, music isn't really taught at each school like it is in the states.  It is more like an outside group coming in to do the music classes. For instance, the company I work for provides music teachers and instruments etc. for a wide area of the city.  I don't know much more yet, but I'm sure I'll learn more about the similarities and differences as time goes on.

Anyways, it looks like I'll be going around to 6 different schools each week to assist/observe the music classes.  They are all primary schools so I will be working mostly with younger children, which I will surely enjoy.  Since this area is a bit south of where I am living, travel time to and from the schools will be a factor to consider.  But I think having a routine of being up nice and early to go to these schools will be good and help keep me from being a sloth.

Yesterday when I went for my lesson, Janet asked to see what music I brought with me.  Mr. Galván had recommend British repertoire while I am here.  I showed her the Horovitz Sonatina and mentioned that it was the piece that I would most like to play at some point this semester.  "Horovitz..." she said.  "I had lunch with him this afternoon."  I forgot that he is a professor at the RCM (Royal College of Music)

I'm sorry this was a bit random.  I feel as if I don't have any exciting travel-type things to tell you about but instead have given you the boring personal details that aren't much fun to read.  Okay, here are some tidbits:

* Garlic and onion powder here are called Garlic and Onion Granules instead.

* The slang for pounds is quid.  Hence  "Ay! You got 5 quid?" = "Yo!  You got 6.85 bucks?" (with today's exchange rate at least)

* Most of the front doors here have middle doorknobs instead of side ones, if that makes any sense.

Tomorrow will be my British Pop class which I've heard good things about, and Saturday and Sunday will be two more walks with Bill.  I hope to have lots of good stuff to share!