so I wrote silly answers, because we don't think he even reads the papers anyway. And I decided, hey, I'll make up a "famous" composer and see if he gives me extra points for knowing someone that he doesn't. So congratulations, you are our newest successful piano composer. I didn't get your email in time, sadly. I was going to title your "vigorous and energetic piano piece" which "encompasses the full range of the piano" the french word for "spatula", but sadly, the word is "spatule" and I thought it was slightly too obvious. Instead, I picked a rather arbitrary "abasourdie" which means thunder-struck. Congrats. You didn't know you were famous, did you? :)

(in case you want it, here's your paragraph: "There are those who are not so well-known yet. Syracuse's own Kim Archer, for example, has written several very successful pieces for winds, and a handful for string quartet. There is also the very little-known piano composer Robert Fishel, who studied at Reed College and whose works are highly energetic and virtuosic (such works include the vigorous "Abasourdie" (thunderstruck, French), which utilizes extensively the full range of the piano)." )

what's new with me? i am writing like mad; i have recently discovered the books of natalie goldberg, who is writing for writers. (woo! nice sentence there, jess). she has lots of writing prompts and ideas and encouragement and i spent most of my time writing in some form or another. Tonight I spent three hours with one of my friends-in-the-little-box (read: internet friend) writing to prompts we gave to each other. Very productive, fun, enjoyable. Therapeutic.

Finals begin next week. Woo. I don't want to come home. I'm having fun here. I will miss my coffeeshop. and my friends and my clarinet professor. I think I'm doing a recital in the fall. I have to pass my audition (may 8) but I think I'll be fine. Playing Brahms, but not the one you know. It's in minor, and much prettier (and harder for the pianist).

what I am learning: serialism, mostly. It's about that time in both theory and history. We've already covered it extensively in history and have moved on to very recent music. Reich and the minimalists, movie music, and so forth. I just wrote a serialist piece for theory. Performed it Monday. A clarinet/flute duet which I think I'm going to extend and possibly play on a recital that Tami and I may give during the summer. what else? I've been playing bass clarinet all semester in Wind Ensemble. That instrument hits a low C. it's the most powerful thing ever to blow that note out. It's been interesting -- but boring as all hell. Bass clarinet parts are like tuba parts. Generally easy. I'll be glad to be back on my main instrument.

I met Carey Bell, my clarinetist hero, a few weeks ago. He shook my hand :). Three of us -- Tami, myself, and our quintet oboist Kathy -- went to see the SSO woodwind quintet perform. Our quintet director is the oboist, and Carey Bell is the clarinetist. So after two years of hero worship, I finally met him. And he was very very nice and wonderful to us and I was extremely excited. :)

whatever else have I been learning? today I learned that within the first billionths of a second after the big bang, the universe was about 30 mm in diameter. Try that on for size :). I have been immersed in french film and I just saw Psycho (not french! hah. hurray for Hitchcock!) for the first time.

what are you doing this summer? i haven't got a clue. i miss my siblings but oy. a whole summer at home doesn't sound that appetizing, honestly. I'll be glad to see friends, but not for four months. I thought about living in Boston with Katie, who has an internship there, but I will want to be home for part of the summer. I think I'll feel better about it once I'm home. but i dread packing everything up here. I love my room so.

The weather here is beautiful and springlike. We were two-tenths of an inch shy of the all-time snow record for a season: 191.8 inches. There was snow on the ground every day in March and it never once reached fifty degrees. April has proven nicer -- almost 90 on Monday, and beautiful. The tulips outside the music building are blooming, and tomorrow is probably going to be their best day. It's my favorite time of year -- when the tulips outside crouse bloom.

I am having sinus trouble and my brain is shutting off. tell me more things. is that you in the picture? I can't tell on this screen. I like that sign. steal it for me.

sneezes,
jess