Happy 90th birthday today to my grandfather!
Saturday, January 27, 2007
Friday, January 26, 2007
My new friend Heidi
Something very exciting arrived in the mail today.
It was my new DRESSFORM!!! I am so excited!
It was my birthday present (THANK YOU MOM!!!) and it finally arrived, after a little delay in the mail.
I already have my first project planned - a dress - and I already have the fabric picked out. Tomorrow I start cutting!
(And I named "her" Heidi, in honor of Heidi Klum from Project Runway. She's currently "wearing" my MAKE IT WORK t-shirt.)
Friday, January 19, 2007
The audition is over.
Well, things are settling down here after the past few weeks. The office has been hectic, with class starting again, and new student orientation, but it is just starting to quiet down. People were also coming in to the office to give me their condolences! (About the Buckeyes) Chuck is back in classes and dealing with managing the Conductor's Orchestra again this semester. There has been more drama with that group than there should be, but he is managing it well.
My audition is over! I most of all am just relieved to have it behind me, and proud of myself to get my nerve up to actually take the audition. The two professors were there, and asked to hear almost all of the music I had prepared. My own personal assessment:
1) Ballade for Flute by Frank Martin - my strongest piece, written in the 20th century. They asked me what I wanted to begin with, so I chose this. It went very well, but right as I got to a point in the music where it changes drastically in mood and "color," they cut me off and asked for the next piece. I had practiced that change a lot, so I was disappointed I didn't get the chance to do it.
2) Mozart, Concerto in G - I played the traditional audition exposition of the first movement, and they also asked for some of the second movement. One of my comments during my mock audition last semester that my Mozart was too heavy, so I'd really been working hard to lighten my tonguing and tone. I think I achieved that, but I'm not sure enough musicality and phrasing came through. The same with the second movement - it was boring.
3) Sonatine by Pierre Sancan - A French piece (another flute audition staple). The piece is in three connected movements, with a cadenza stuck in after the second. The two most challenging elements of this piece for me were the cadenza, which made no musical sense to me, and the first movement, which was a very tricky mix of technical playing and mixed articulation, while trying to achieve a light and floating tone. The last (fast) movement I had DRILLED into my brain - I had worked for hours on it with my metronome. So when they asked for this, the professor I want to study with said that he had always thought the cadenza was really boring, and asked me to start at the end of it (essentially the beginning of the third movement). So I avoided both land mines! It was a solid performance, not stunning.
4) Orchestral excerpts. I had chosen Debussy Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun (lyrical, also had good feedback on this from my mock audition), R. Strauss - excerpt from Salome, and Stravinsky - Firebird. So I learned the hard way to never select the Firebird excerpt to do voluntarily on an audition! I had rehearsed it the same way, slowly with the metronome, and had achieved a decent level of playing, but it was just a disaster in the audition. It was embarrasing! But they asked for Salome after that, and I achieved some effects that I had been struggling with in practice, which I was pleased about. They didn't ask for the Debussy.
And that was it!
I happen to know that the Admissions Committee meets next Tuesday (the conference room where they meet is in my office), so I hope to hear something relatively soon, in the next few weeks. I really feel like I have no idea whether or not I will get in. I keep convincing myself one way or the other, and re-hashing everything in my brain. Regardless, I'm lucky that I will still have the opportunity to attend the flute masterclasses and orchestral repertoire classes next year if I don't get in to the program.
We need some suggestions on some new tricks to teach Lenny! He has a hard time with anything that involves his back legs (sitting is even still difficult), but I think he's a little bored with the old tricks.
My audition is over! I most of all am just relieved to have it behind me, and proud of myself to get my nerve up to actually take the audition. The two professors were there, and asked to hear almost all of the music I had prepared. My own personal assessment:
1) Ballade for Flute by Frank Martin - my strongest piece, written in the 20th century. They asked me what I wanted to begin with, so I chose this. It went very well, but right as I got to a point in the music where it changes drastically in mood and "color," they cut me off and asked for the next piece. I had practiced that change a lot, so I was disappointed I didn't get the chance to do it.
2) Mozart, Concerto in G - I played the traditional audition exposition of the first movement, and they also asked for some of the second movement. One of my comments during my mock audition last semester that my Mozart was too heavy, so I'd really been working hard to lighten my tonguing and tone. I think I achieved that, but I'm not sure enough musicality and phrasing came through. The same with the second movement - it was boring.
3) Sonatine by Pierre Sancan - A French piece (another flute audition staple). The piece is in three connected movements, with a cadenza stuck in after the second. The two most challenging elements of this piece for me were the cadenza, which made no musical sense to me, and the first movement, which was a very tricky mix of technical playing and mixed articulation, while trying to achieve a light and floating tone. The last (fast) movement I had DRILLED into my brain - I had worked for hours on it with my metronome. So when they asked for this, the professor I want to study with said that he had always thought the cadenza was really boring, and asked me to start at the end of it (essentially the beginning of the third movement). So I avoided both land mines! It was a solid performance, not stunning.
4) Orchestral excerpts. I had chosen Debussy Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun (lyrical, also had good feedback on this from my mock audition), R. Strauss - excerpt from Salome, and Stravinsky - Firebird. So I learned the hard way to never select the Firebird excerpt to do voluntarily on an audition! I had rehearsed it the same way, slowly with the metronome, and had achieved a decent level of playing, but it was just a disaster in the audition. It was embarrasing! But they asked for Salome after that, and I achieved some effects that I had been struggling with in practice, which I was pleased about. They didn't ask for the Debussy.
And that was it!
I happen to know that the Admissions Committee meets next Tuesday (the conference room where they meet is in my office), so I hope to hear something relatively soon, in the next few weeks. I really feel like I have no idea whether or not I will get in. I keep convincing myself one way or the other, and re-hashing everything in my brain. Regardless, I'm lucky that I will still have the opportunity to attend the flute masterclasses and orchestral repertoire classes next year if I don't get in to the program.
We need some suggestions on some new tricks to teach Lenny! He has a hard time with anything that involves his back legs (sitting is even still difficult), but I think he's a little bored with the old tricks.
Thursday, January 11, 2007
Sunday, January 07, 2007
Happy New Year!
We had a great time over Christmas break relaxing at the Latshaws' house in Toledo, Ohio. (I did a lot of practicing too - my audition is on SATURDAY!) We got to see all of Chuck's side of the family, including our 6 nieces and nephews.
Santa came to visit the day before Christmas Eve and brought all sorts of goodies for everyone!
As you can see in the picture, Chuck grew his traditional "Christmas Beard," but a few days after shaving it off, decided to also shave his entire head.
I gave Chuck a remote-controlled airplane for Christmas. He flew/crashed it several times before getting the hang of it. Due to its many repairs, it was named after me - "The Tape Queen!"
On Christmas Day, Chuck's parents left for New York City, so we had the house to ourselves. We just vegged, relaxed, crashed the airplane, and practiced. It was great. I felt really well-rested after it was over, which I needed! I was sick at the beginning of vacation but got over it after about three days. Lenny also had a great time relaxing, as you can see from his grin. I just found him lying on the couch like that, with that expression on his face. It was really funny!
We did miss spending time with the Russells, though. And look how much fun they had without us!! They are all getting ready for the big Buckeye national championship game tonight. Dad is wearing his new Jim Tressel sweater vest, and Walter his new Buckeye shirt. Even the Christmas bear has Buckeye spirit!
For Christmas, my parents gave us a couch! We were thrilled! While we were still in Toledo, we went to the IKEA in Canton, Michigan to see if we could pick one out. We found one we loved, for the right price, but then of course had no way to get it back to Bloomington.
So once we got back to Indiana, we checked every furniture store in town, to make sure the IKEA couch was definitely our favorite - it was. So we rented a mini-van and drove to TWO Chicago IKEA stores, and bought new furniture for our apartment! (Thank you to our respective grandparents, Bubs and Grumpy and Christel, for making the purchase of our entertainment center and coffee table possible!!!)
So our apartment looks completely different now - it looks great! I am going to make some blue pillow covers for the couch, to tie in the light blue on the walls. And of course Lenny has made himself right at home on the couch.
So the new year is off to a good start for us. Today is the first day of school - Chuck's last semester! I am also going to be taking TWO classes this semester - chamber music, playing in a flute duet with my friend Hyun Jung, and another orchestral repertoire class, taught by the other flute teacher at IU.
Santa came to visit the day before Christmas Eve and brought all sorts of goodies for everyone!
As you can see in the picture, Chuck grew his traditional "Christmas Beard," but a few days after shaving it off, decided to also shave his entire head.
I gave Chuck a remote-controlled airplane for Christmas. He flew/crashed it several times before getting the hang of it. Due to its many repairs, it was named after me - "The Tape Queen!"
On Christmas Day, Chuck's parents left for New York City, so we had the house to ourselves. We just vegged, relaxed, crashed the airplane, and practiced. It was great. I felt really well-rested after it was over, which I needed! I was sick at the beginning of vacation but got over it after about three days. Lenny also had a great time relaxing, as you can see from his grin. I just found him lying on the couch like that, with that expression on his face. It was really funny!
We did miss spending time with the Russells, though. And look how much fun they had without us!! They are all getting ready for the big Buckeye national championship game tonight. Dad is wearing his new Jim Tressel sweater vest, and Walter his new Buckeye shirt. Even the Christmas bear has Buckeye spirit!
For Christmas, my parents gave us a couch! We were thrilled! While we were still in Toledo, we went to the IKEA in Canton, Michigan to see if we could pick one out. We found one we loved, for the right price, but then of course had no way to get it back to Bloomington.
So once we got back to Indiana, we checked every furniture store in town, to make sure the IKEA couch was definitely our favorite - it was. So we rented a mini-van and drove to TWO Chicago IKEA stores, and bought new furniture for our apartment! (Thank you to our respective grandparents, Bubs and Grumpy and Christel, for making the purchase of our entertainment center and coffee table possible!!!)
So our apartment looks completely different now - it looks great! I am going to make some blue pillow covers for the couch, to tie in the light blue on the walls. And of course Lenny has made himself right at home on the couch.
So the new year is off to a good start for us. Today is the first day of school - Chuck's last semester! I am also going to be taking TWO classes this semester - chamber music, playing in a flute duet with my friend Hyun Jung, and another orchestral repertoire class, taught by the other flute teacher at IU.
Wednesday, December 13, 2006
Happy Holidays!
I understand that my mom has recently publicized my blog address, so to friends and family who are visiting the blog for the first time, welcome! If you have news or pictures you'd like to share, feel free to send them to me at klatshaw@gmail.com Usually I just report on myself, Chuck, and our dog, but other updates are a great way to keep up with everyone. So if you'd like to bookmark it (I try to update it every few days), point your browser to http://latshaw.blogspot.com!Considering that we haven't even put up our Christmas tree yet, it's looking doubtful that I'm going to be sending the Christmas cards anytime soon. So I want to electronically wish everyone reading a very happy holiday season, and give a little Latshaw/Russell Year in Review!
The highlights of our year were our visits with our family. My sister came out to Bloomington to visit us during March, which was great because I had been particularly homesick. She is doing very well in school, and will graduate in May with her nursing degree. During the spring semester she'll be working in the neo-natal intensive care unit in her hospital. (The picture is Annie with her boyfriend, John, who is a teacher in Connecticut.)In June, we got to see both sides of our family. First we traveled to my parents' new lake house in Maine, where we spent several days relaxing. From there we went to Holland, Michigan, to spend a few days on Lake Michigan with the Latshaw side. We got to see all six of our nieces and nephews and had a SUPER time.
My parents got to go to Turino for the Olympics, which inspired an invitation to the rest of the Russell family to participate in the "Slow Olympics" in Maine. The Games took place about a month after we visited, so we were unable to participate, but they had a great time.
As you can see a few posts down, we also met my parents in Columbus, Ohio for a Buckeye football game! We got tickets for the IU/OSU game and had a great weekend. It was a big highlight of a fantastic Buckeye football season! (We also managed to teach Lenny to growl at the word "Michigan!") We also spent Thanksgiving with the Russells in Connecticut (photos also below in previous post) - my favorite holiday to spend with my big family!
We are also looking forward to seeing the Latshaw/Boros/Cooper clan next week in Toledo, where we'll celebrate Christmas. I don't have to go back to work until January 3rd, so we'll have a nice long break to spend time with them, and maybe take a short little trip to Chicago. We haven't been able to go to a lot of our nieces' and nephews' birthday parties this year - I was especially disappointed we missed the Superman party - and I am looking forward to seeing all six of them. (And one more niece is on the way!)
Chuck has a great year at IU. A year ago, Chuck was just beginning his work with the Columbus IN Philharmonic orchestra. He's been very busy with that this year, conducting on two concerts, and running the youth orchestra program. He's done many other performances at IU, including his Master's recital in February and Beethoven 7 this summer. He also guest conducted with the Bloomington Symphony Orchestra for their summer pops concert, which included a lively Looney Tunes medley, complete with a carrot serving as Chuck's baton (what's up, doc!?). If you'd like to see any of his performances, he's posted them all on his website, charleslatshaw.com, and on YouTube. He's had over 40,000 hits on his conducting videos!Chuck will graduate from Indiana University in May with his master's degree. Job prospects are improving for him; he's had a few conducting applications where's he's made the semi-finals or finals for positions. Most recently, he was one of 4 finalists for an orchestra that had 140 applicants for the music director position.
Chuck had the big achievement of running a half-marathon this fall. I'm still working on finishing a 5K...one of my New Year's resolutions. My cousin Greg also just recently ran his first marathon - congratulations!
The dog, Lenny, had a bigger year than he probably expected to - and certainly had bigger vet bills than we expected! In February, he tore his ACL in his knee, which required surgery, and he had about a six-month recovery before he was using his leg fully. He's about 90% back to where he was before the injury, but no longer pulls me along when we go jogging together. It's also a little more difficult for him to steal anything off of the kitchen counter. Chuck has changed from disciplinarian to big softie since his injury. "No snacks! No people food - EVER!" has turned into daily reward treats. "No dog in the bed!" has turned into napping with Lenny next to him.
My year consisted mostly of working away in the advising office for the music school at IU. My mother-in-law June has been giving me a lot of great sewing advice and lessons, and I've actually made an article of clothing that I could wear in public! I got to play in a lot of performances, including a "tango opera" by Piazzola this summer, and some new compositions by IU composers. I also was incredibly lucky to take an orchestral repertoire class during fall semester with an amazing flute professor. Monday night class was the highlight of my week - it was really inspiring for me.However, at the end of the summer I played a couple of really bad auditions, mostly due to the fact that I didn't have enough time during the day to practice adequately to prepare for them. I was working 40 hours a week, practicing before work, at night, even during my lunch hour. So combining that frustration with the excitement from my flute class led me to a big decision - I've applied to start a "Performer Diploma" program at IU next year, with the professor who taught the class. Keep your fingers crossed for me - I'll play my audition in about 6 weeks.
Some other exciting things this year included my friend Jen's beautiful wedding, and my friend Amanda getting engaged! We've enjoyed having her here in Bloomington just a block away from us.
So with Chuck finishing his degree, and me possibly starting a new one, who knows what will be going on next time this year. I hope that the next year will bring lots of good times with family and friends again. Be happy and healthy, and come visit us in Bloomington anytime!
Thanksgiving pictures
Thanksgiving with the Russells!
The Big Kids Table
Bailey, hoping for a miracle
Thanks for the sweatshirts, Mom!
The Big Kids Table
Bailey, hoping for a miracle
Thanks for the sweatshirts, Mom!
Friday, December 08, 2006
Troy Smith for Heisman!
We had a great time celebrating the Buckeyes’ victory over M*ch*g*n a few weeks ago. We had several friends over, including Aaron and Amanda (who was one of my suite-mates back at OSU) and Renee, one of our fellow OSU School of Music alumni.
I made my famous Rice Krispie treats with a new twist. With a little food coloring, I made Buckeye-shaped krispie treats!
Thanks to my mom for sending me some cool scarlet-and-gray Nikes to wear for the big game! ☺
I was very relieved that Florida made it into the national championship game instead of M*ch*g*n. I also happen to be the biggest Troy Smith fan in the state of Indiana. I can’t wait for tomorrow night for the Heisman Trophy ceremony. ESPN ran a wonderful story about his humble beginnings and his “heroic” climb to the top.
The class that he and Coach Tressel always put forth makes me proud to be a Buckeye!Don’t even get me started on Brady Quinn (QB Notre Dame). I can’t believe he won the Maxwell Award over my beloved #10 – and he’s so smug it makes me want to barf. I CAN’T STAND him. And the Notre Dame coach wears hoodie sweatshirts to games – a huge fashion faux pas compared to Jim Tressel’s nerdy-yet-cool sweater vests.
We've had a lot happen since the Big Game - I'll update you soon with some pictures from our Thanksgiving with the Russells.
GO BUCKS!
Monday, November 20, 2006
Friday, November 17, 2006
The Countdown is on!
In less than 24 hours, the Buckeyes and the Wolverines will be playing the BIG GAME!I'm not sure everyone here in the office appreciates my Buckeye enthusiasm. One of the ladies is married to the Marching Band director here at IU. They're no TBDBITL!
Lenny has been practicing his growl at the Wolverines and he is warmed up and ready to go for tomorrow! I'm not sure he'll be so happy in the Buckeye gear I'm going to make him wear, though.
Congratulations to Chuck - he passed his keyboard proficiency exam today - on the first try! This exam is the bane of many IU students' existence. It has delayed graduation for A LOT of people. But Chuck doesn't need to worry about it!
(No word yet on Holland.)
GO CHUCK!
GO BUCKS!
Wednesday, November 15, 2006
Less than three days left!
Lenny has been practicing his new trick for Saturday. If you say "M!CH$G@N" he growls! We're still working on "OH"-"IO" though.
Friday, November 10, 2006
Back again
Hi everyone!
As you can see from the pictures, we had a great time with my parents the weekend we spent in Columbus. (We cheered for Indiana just a little bit.) We went to skull session before the game, and one of the IU trumpet professors performed with the IU "Marching Hundred." It was also really interesting to see what a huge difference there was between the IU band and TBDBITL! We were proud to be Buckeyes. My mom got so excited that she started reminiscing how Chuck used to play in the marching band, when he didn't! We had good seats for the game, in the south stands and fairly close to the field. We could see really well. We couldn't tell if we were sitting in the Indiana fan section or not, but there were two or three other Hoosiers in our vicinity.
Lenny has made a return to doggie daycare. Over Thanksgiving break, he will be staying with "Bark'n Buddies" here in Bloomington. We had a tour of the facilities, and Lenny went through a behavior evaluation, and they seemed very nice. Apparently they get a lot of disgruntled ex-Canine Companions patrons like us! Our vet recommended them, so hopefully they will work out better for us.
We are going to have a very big series of weeks coming up. Next week we will find out the results of Chuck's Holland MI Symphony audition. That weekend is the BIG GAME VERSUS M*CH*G*N!!!! The next weekend is Thanksgiving, and then the next weekend I am going to the White House with my mom! We are going to a Christmas party with "W." (She gets to go every year, and this year she invited me instead of Dad to go along with her.) I of course will have plenty of pictures to post on the blog after that.
As you can see from the pictures, we had a great time with my parents the weekend we spent in Columbus. (We cheered for Indiana just a little bit.) We went to skull session before the game, and one of the IU trumpet professors performed with the IU "Marching Hundred." It was also really interesting to see what a huge difference there was between the IU band and TBDBITL! We were proud to be Buckeyes. My mom got so excited that she started reminiscing how Chuck used to play in the marching band, when he didn't! We had good seats for the game, in the south stands and fairly close to the field. We could see really well. We couldn't tell if we were sitting in the Indiana fan section or not, but there were two or three other Hoosiers in our vicinity.
Lenny has made a return to doggie daycare. Over Thanksgiving break, he will be staying with "Bark'n Buddies" here in Bloomington. We had a tour of the facilities, and Lenny went through a behavior evaluation, and they seemed very nice. Apparently they get a lot of disgruntled ex-Canine Companions patrons like us! Our vet recommended them, so hopefully they will work out better for us.
We are going to have a very big series of weeks coming up. Next week we will find out the results of Chuck's Holland MI Symphony audition. That weekend is the BIG GAME VERSUS M*CH*G*N!!!! The next weekend is Thanksgiving, and then the next weekend I am going to the White House with my mom! We are going to a Christmas party with "W." (She gets to go every year, and this year she invited me instead of Dad to go along with her.) I of course will have plenty of pictures to post on the blog after that.
Monday, October 30, 2006
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