I've just come back from another delightful two weeks with the Aradia Ensemble and COSI program in Sulmona, Italy.  We had a great time playing Puccini's Gianni Schicchi with conductor Joey Pietraroia and Mozart's Clemenza di Tito with Johnathan Berman. We had a fantastic run and bonded over great music and great friendships.
    One thing that stood out about our ensemble was our dedication and perseverance - we frequently ran into rain during outdoor dress rehearsals, which was damaging to the instruments. However, I truly realized the commitment of the ensemble to the music as we ran for cover and continued playing, with music propped on window sills, cases and wherever possible until the stage crew was able to reset. The orchestra barely missed a beat and rehearsals were able to go on!  Regardless of the rain, it was a great time, and I hope to return again next summer.   See you soon, Italy!

May was an exciting month for me, beginning with a successful audition for my new job as hornist for the Bay Street Brassworks.  I had less than one week to prepare for the audition, and it was a great experience to prove to myself how I could quickly prepare for high-level performance without the extended preparation time we were used to having as students.  I think one thing that solidified my successful audition was the fact that I stayed cool and welcomed anything that came my way! The group leader kept putting sight-reading in front of me, waiting for me to 'crack,' and though much of it was jazz (something I don't spend much time playing), I went for great music, style and and approached every moment with a positive attitude.  Throughout, my mind stayed calm, relaxed and focused on great music-making.  I think this mental clarity made it possible for me to perform at my best when it mattered. 
    Shortly after my audition, I headed back to Mexico for three concerts, including Mahler's 8th symphony.  It was a a wonderful two weeks surrounded by great musicians and people. In the second week, though I was only supposed to play one piece, I was asked to play the entire concert, receiving the repertoire at the first rehearsal. Again, this was an opportunity to exercise a clear mind and great focus to make wonderful music. Staying in the moment and focused on the right things allowed me to play with much more ease and accuracy than I could do before.  For me, it really clarified that we don't need to just work on timing and intonation, it is equally important to analyze how we react to potentially high pressure situations.  While this approach has been important to me  for quite some time, it was great to feel that hard work paying off.