IDRS Day One

IDRS Conference Day One:  Impressions

It took me forever to get here.  No, mostly it took me forever to leave home in the morning.  Zoe is so snuggly and so much wants me to just stay and play with her all day. 

My directions to Miami University were great (thanks, iPhone!) but the directions on campus were at first very confusing and resulted in a lot of needless hiking around in 102 degree weather.  This conference is not spectacularly well organized - my Monday afternoon program is actually wrongly listed as starting at different times in different venues in various places in the program.

Officially, now: I will perform at 4:45 on Monday in the Art Museum here at Miami University in Oxford Ohio. 

I got in later than I wanted to, but still attended three recitals and one amazing gala concert, made two brand new friends, met up with several old ones,  practiced for an hour, and generally wore myself totally out in the process.  Tomorrow my schedule looks packed from dawn til dusk, between recital attendance and piano rehearsals.  My biggest challenge, I think, will be to find the time to reflect on what I’m seeing and hearing.

Today the biggest thing I am noticing is individual differences in sound.  I have thoughts.  I’d love to put them down.  Personal oboe sound is something I’ve been thinking about a ton lately.  But tonight is not the night to try to pull my thoughts together.  I need to sleep and regroup for another day.

My main goal while I’m here is to attend masterclasses.  I have been searching for inspiration in my teaching, and am ready to hear some of what other people say.  This is going to be the Year of the Student for me, and I want lots of new ideas to kick me off in the fall. 

I love the oboe.  This morning when I was at home I wanted to stay there, but this week is the time for me to make the most of my surroundings.  Go, Double Reeds!