Welcome to Summer - Sort Of...

Well this week begins the long summer, finals having been finished at Sac State last week. You wouldn't think it looking at the weather. It's been abnormally cold and cloudy, really bizarre for late May. Don't get me wrong, I rather like it. The weather forecast calls for rain actually from Tuesday - Thursday and temperatures in the mid-60s. And it's May 24! Crazy.

Other than that, the signs of summer being upon us are certainly here at the university - it's been suddenly transformed from what was a bustling hectic environment to a virtual ghost town. And the squirrels are all out in force wondering where there food source disappeared to. But it's such a relaxing campus when it's quiet. Almost like you have a private park all to yourself. Too bad it can't be like this year round!

Wait - Where Did April Go?

It's May already? How did that happen?? I was sure that it was only yesterday that I was lamenting about how rough April was going to be, how we have 23 concerts in a two week period. And now it's over.

Well, April turned out to be not so bad after all, I guess. What I remember of it anyway.

Now we have just two weeks left before finals, so it's time for the final push of the semester. April had several concert cancellations, which really freed up chunks of time for me. This week - 12 concerts. Well 11 more I should say, since one was yesterday. I guess I will have to be resolved to driving in almost everyday these next two weeks, as I'll likely be here later than the bus runs.

We got through tech week and opening weekend of The Wedding Singer at Oakmont High School without many hitches. There's spots here or there where the singers aren't anywhere near the tempo (or location in the music) as the band, but all in all I think it went pretty well. It's actually a rather entertaining show, and has some good fun music to boot. One more weekend to go...

And then another week of school...

I suppose I should seriously start working on my final paper for my grad class. This is the last grad class I'll have in I don't know how long. Next semester I'm not enrolling in any classes, simply because there aren't any offered that I actually need for my Masters. Maybe there will be something in the spring of 2011 again, who knows. Wait and see, wait and see.

Other than that, things are well and moving along. Welcome to May!

Back to High School

So, these days, and at my age, it is pretty rare to find myself on a high school campus. But this week I have been, as I'm currently playing for The Wedding Singer at Oakmont High School in Roseville (and it opens tonight!).

It's been an interesting experience, to be sure. On one level, it's been a chance for me to work up my chops on electric bass, which I've not had many occasions to play on in the last decade. Which is good. On another level, it's been a little surreal being in a high school environment. It certainly isn't something I do on a regular basis, playing at high schools.

It all came about as a friend of mine from my Sac State undergrad days happened to be hired on as the musical director there. And for whatever reason, they elected to hire out most of the musicians rather than use the school's kids. Can't say I blame them really, the book is a pretty tough heavy rock show. I don't think I could have played this part when I was in high school. Heck, I can barely play some of it now!

But anyways, the tech week, such as it was, concluded last night with our very first full run through. It cam in at about 2.5 hours. I guess that should be so bad. It took 3 hours to get through one act two nights ago...

So in the end, a lot of progress has been made in a very short time, the actors have calmed down their talkative spirits enough to actually get some work done, people are now done pulling their hair out, and I think the sets are even (almost) done. We open tonight, for better or worse, and we'll see what happens...

First Day Back

So yesterday was the first day back to work after spring break, and the first time I can remember that I've spent an entire week - and two weekends - away from the music building at Sac State. Boy that was nice!

I tell you though, having a week off re-energizes your spirit, more or less. Before the break, I drove to work almost every day for two weeks straight. Sometimes out of necessity - I often stayed late to work concerts. But often times I just couldn't drag myself out of bed to make it to the bus stop on time.

Not that it was entirely my fault - the bus was actually showing up a couple of minutes early almost everyday, a clear indication that they were jumping their previous timetable stop a bit. I mean come on, if the timetable stop says you leave at 6:48 and you're arriving at the stop 2 miles further down the road at 6:48, something is wrong.

Still, I was pushing my luck by getting out of the door much later than normal, and then having to rush to the stop only to see the bus go whizzing by.

But after spring break - well, I got up early enough to enjoy my shower, actually have a respectable breakfast, and still get out of the door on time. No, not on time. Early even. I was ready on Monday - a nice leisurely walk to the stop, arriving there six minutes before the bus was scheduled to make it there. There's no way I was going to miss that bus yesterday! It could show up early and I was there! I was ready!

And then the bus was late.

Busy Time

Well yet another month has passed in 2010. Can you believe it? We're already a third through the year. Amazing.

Well I just keep getting older, having turned 35 last Wednesday. It was the first time I actually spent my birthday in Disneyland. And of course I got the complimentary Happy Birthday button to wear around the park, so complete strangers could congratulate me on successfully aging.

It's been spring break here, and for once it actually coincides with Easter as well. I must say it's been a relaxing yet rather productive week off. Though I'm still not looking forward to going back to work next week. I actually managed not to step foot anywhere near Sac State at all this week, which for me is quite an accomplishment.

But Monday we all start back, after having furloughed through our break. It's going to be a really busy month. I actually counted concerts and discovered that in one 13-day period we have 23 concerts scheduled. Yikes!

Just thinking about that makes me wish I had another spring break.

CMEA Conference

So I went to part of the CMEA state conference yesterday, thanks to Whitney who got me a discounted pass by listing me as a spouse...but it has been many years since I've been to one of those. It seems like they've really scaled back, just less stuff happening and, I would imagine, less people attending. Times aren't as good as they used to be.

But it was a very good day for me; I attended a session on Finale 2010, which was supposed to be geared towards using it in the classrooms but really it was a session on "here's all the ways you can enter stuff in now". Not that it was bad - my 2005 version was feeling more and more obsolete as the session wore on.

At the end though - they raffled off a new copy of Finale, and of the 15 or so people who were at the session, I won! That was exceptionally exciting. It left me speechless really. The software normally retails for, at the academic price, $350. Wow! I'm stoked. This will hopefully take my composing to a whole new level...

But now I need a new computer to run it. Ha! Well, it's a good enough excuse I suppose.

The day ended with a feature concert that began with our Sac State Vocal Jazz Ensembles. They never disappoint in a concert, and this was truly no exception. SPECTACULAR groups. They are completely deserving of all of their Downbeat awards and then some, and are clearly one of the best collegiate vocal jazz groups around.

Too bad the program is being cut after this year to the California budget woes. Well, really, it's technically because the director is moving to Colorado to pursue doctoral work - at least that's the convenient excuse for dropping a program that was already being cut down again and again. But can you blame him? No. One can only work so long - part time - at something like this, which should be one of the ambassador programs of the whole system and could EASILY justify a full time position.

Does the University seem to care that one of its elite ensembles is just unceremoniously being scrapped? Nope.