Everything Over?
After a long blogging break, I can finally sit down and write without having the feeling I should be doing 30 other things. The reason? As of last week, I am officially finished with my 2-year Master's Degree in Berlin! Only I don't know if I should be happy or sad yet; this is the end of 7 years of college and it's strange not knowing what the next step is going to be!
To receive a Master's Degree at the music school in Berlin, you are required to complete 2 recitals, one chamber and one solo recital examination. This calls for an incredible amount of preparation, and as the summer semester started in April and the recitals are in July, it goes by faster than the winter semester. For my chamber recital I decided on 4 pieces of music, a total of 9 people, which called for lots of rehearsals.
The weather up to the day of the concert was in the 80s, but the day of my recital it was in the lower 90s. And since the music school (along with most buildings in Germany) is not in the least air conditioned, the performance hall that evening was disgustingly hot. Even at 7 pm when I played it hadn't cooled down at all. It was all I could do to stand and play for an hour without fainting, but I certainly had to keep wiping off the sweat dripping down my face the whole time. Even those in the audience said they were sweating. Needless to say, it was uncomfortable and I was relieved when it was over!
The solo recital, which unlike how the chamber recital runs like a normal concert, is actually a repertoire examination where the jury can talk to you and ask for specific things to be played. I had to play 3 prepared pieces, plus one "required piece," which is picked out and given to you to prepare alone with no lessons a few weeks before the exam. In addition to that, you also have to put together a list of 10 orchestral excerpts and the jury chooses 5 of them for you to play. Only 4 days after the first recital, I felt rushed and stressed to finish preparing the 2nd recital, not to mention unmotivated to practice in the heat, but luckily it went pretty well and, though hot, was much more manageable.
During the course of the recital preparations, I was lucky enough to have 2 visitors, the first one being my friend Sam from college. He came during the World Cup madness and we enjoyed watching the matches at the outdoor seating at cafes. Every cafe and bar which wanted any business at all during the World Cup had outdoor seating with at least one, maybe more, tv's for ultimate viewing.
In addition to that, a "fan mile" on the long street leading up to the Brandenburg Gate was all blocked off and several massive screens were set up for the crowds, nearing a million people. I was there for 2 games, one including the USA versus Italy. Not usually a sports fan of any kind, it was hard not to get in the spirit watching the games in those atmospheres, not to mention finally being able to see what they're doing on a large screen! All in all, the fans behaved themselves very well and, though drunk, weren't nearly as roudy as they can get after the German Bundesliga games. It was fun to watch the victory parades in Berlin, too, and see hundreds of cars with flags go honking by and watching all the people cheering them on.
Sam stayed for about a week and it was fun spending time with him and showing him around Berlin a little, well, except for when I unknowingly led him into a dark, somewhat creepy lesbian bar... A few days after he left, my friend Jesse from Harvard (met during exchange year in Freiburg) came to visit before heading off to a month-long math conference in another German city. He and I took off for Hamburg for the weekend to visit our friend Bethany who has been in the hospital for a month after the onset of a rare nerve disease. In short, after coming down with a virus similar to mono, her whole body slowly went totally numb. After much testing, they found out she had this nerve syndrome but by that time she couldn't even walk anymore.
Not only was she bedridden, she was constantly nauseous and couldn't keep any food down. She lost 15 lbs., and as thin as she was already, the doctors have been very concerned that she gains the weight back quickly. It's been really hard for her, but after being in the ICU, then getting the treatments to build her nerves back up, she's making slow progress and is now at a rehab clinic. She is going through physical therapy to slowly build back muscle and learn balance so she can walk again. The good news is that the doctors expect full recovery. The problem is no one knows how long it could take.
Anyway, Jesse and I were more than happy to take a carpool (from the web-based carpool advertising network) over to Hamburg, even though the ride itself was terrible. After being squished 3 in the backseat plus some luggage in a tiny hatchback (she had her daughter and bunny with), I consequently got into an argument with our more-than-rude driver about how you cannot advertise the middle back seat and expect the money she did. Then to top it off she started smoking in the car which she also failed to mention on her web advertisement. That is a big "no-no," but by that point I had already wasted too much energy arguing with her about her lack of ethics on several other things things so I just opened my window and left it open the whole way. Once we finally made it to Hamburg, Jesse and I were at the end of our patience with her. But the next adventure proved to be actually finding the hospital.
The rehab hospital is in a little village south of Hamburg and not connected by a train, only bus, which drove about every 1 1/2 hrs. (but only a few times total on Sunday.) We stayed at Bethany's apartment in the city, and when all was said and done, it took us about 2 1/2 hours to get to the hospital each day. But once we finally got on the bus, it was an incredibly scenic drive through the winding county roads and several northern German villages. The village the hospital was in was also pretty and on the 20-min. walk from the bus stop to the hospital we even passed goats in pasture which I had to stop and feed.
As hard as it was so see our dear friend in the hospital, it was great to be there with her, as well as talk to her mom who flew from America to be with her and will stay for as long as it takes for Bethany to be self-sufficient again.
Now back in Berlin with no more recitals or auditions to prepare for, it really does feel like summer vacation. And what a great feeling to know I don't have to sit in the sweltering heat of one of those miniature practice rooms at the music school and play till it hurts! In fact, I haven't touched my oboe since the last concert. I think I'll be ready to play soon, but in the meantime I'm enjoying myself without it!
Coming up next on my schedule includes going to Bonn this weekend to visit Matthias and his family. And next week on Thursday one of my best friends Katy from home and her husband are coming to visit! After a few days in Berlin, we'll head down to the Rhine and perhaps Freiburg to show them some of my favorite corners of Germany. But in the meantime, I should be able to write a little more consistently again!
To receive a Master's Degree at the music school in Berlin, you are required to complete 2 recitals, one chamber and one solo recital examination. This calls for an incredible amount of preparation, and as the summer semester started in April and the recitals are in July, it goes by faster than the winter semester. For my chamber recital I decided on 4 pieces of music, a total of 9 people, which called for lots of rehearsals.
The weather up to the day of the concert was in the 80s, but the day of my recital it was in the lower 90s. And since the music school (along with most buildings in Germany) is not in the least air conditioned, the performance hall that evening was disgustingly hot. Even at 7 pm when I played it hadn't cooled down at all. It was all I could do to stand and play for an hour without fainting, but I certainly had to keep wiping off the sweat dripping down my face the whole time. Even those in the audience said they were sweating. Needless to say, it was uncomfortable and I was relieved when it was over!
The solo recital, which unlike how the chamber recital runs like a normal concert, is actually a repertoire examination where the jury can talk to you and ask for specific things to be played. I had to play 3 prepared pieces, plus one "required piece," which is picked out and given to you to prepare alone with no lessons a few weeks before the exam. In addition to that, you also have to put together a list of 10 orchestral excerpts and the jury chooses 5 of them for you to play. Only 4 days after the first recital, I felt rushed and stressed to finish preparing the 2nd recital, not to mention unmotivated to practice in the heat, but luckily it went pretty well and, though hot, was much more manageable.
During the course of the recital preparations, I was lucky enough to have 2 visitors, the first one being my friend Sam from college. He came during the World Cup madness and we enjoyed watching the matches at the outdoor seating at cafes. Every cafe and bar which wanted any business at all during the World Cup had outdoor seating with at least one, maybe more, tv's for ultimate viewing.
In addition to that, a "fan mile" on the long street leading up to the Brandenburg Gate was all blocked off and several massive screens were set up for the crowds, nearing a million people. I was there for 2 games, one including the USA versus Italy. Not usually a sports fan of any kind, it was hard not to get in the spirit watching the games in those atmospheres, not to mention finally being able to see what they're doing on a large screen! All in all, the fans behaved themselves very well and, though drunk, weren't nearly as roudy as they can get after the German Bundesliga games. It was fun to watch the victory parades in Berlin, too, and see hundreds of cars with flags go honking by and watching all the people cheering them on.
Sam stayed for about a week and it was fun spending time with him and showing him around Berlin a little, well, except for when I unknowingly led him into a dark, somewhat creepy lesbian bar... A few days after he left, my friend Jesse from Harvard (met during exchange year in Freiburg) came to visit before heading off to a month-long math conference in another German city. He and I took off for Hamburg for the weekend to visit our friend Bethany who has been in the hospital for a month after the onset of a rare nerve disease. In short, after coming down with a virus similar to mono, her whole body slowly went totally numb. After much testing, they found out she had this nerve syndrome but by that time she couldn't even walk anymore.
Not only was she bedridden, she was constantly nauseous and couldn't keep any food down. She lost 15 lbs., and as thin as she was already, the doctors have been very concerned that she gains the weight back quickly. It's been really hard for her, but after being in the ICU, then getting the treatments to build her nerves back up, she's making slow progress and is now at a rehab clinic. She is going through physical therapy to slowly build back muscle and learn balance so she can walk again. The good news is that the doctors expect full recovery. The problem is no one knows how long it could take.
Anyway, Jesse and I were more than happy to take a carpool (from the web-based carpool advertising network) over to Hamburg, even though the ride itself was terrible. After being squished 3 in the backseat plus some luggage in a tiny hatchback (she had her daughter and bunny with), I consequently got into an argument with our more-than-rude driver about how you cannot advertise the middle back seat and expect the money she did. Then to top it off she started smoking in the car which she also failed to mention on her web advertisement. That is a big "no-no," but by that point I had already wasted too much energy arguing with her about her lack of ethics on several other things things so I just opened my window and left it open the whole way. Once we finally made it to Hamburg, Jesse and I were at the end of our patience with her. But the next adventure proved to be actually finding the hospital.
The rehab hospital is in a little village south of Hamburg and not connected by a train, only bus, which drove about every 1 1/2 hrs. (but only a few times total on Sunday.) We stayed at Bethany's apartment in the city, and when all was said and done, it took us about 2 1/2 hours to get to the hospital each day. But once we finally got on the bus, it was an incredibly scenic drive through the winding county roads and several northern German villages. The village the hospital was in was also pretty and on the 20-min. walk from the bus stop to the hospital we even passed goats in pasture which I had to stop and feed.
As hard as it was so see our dear friend in the hospital, it was great to be there with her, as well as talk to her mom who flew from America to be with her and will stay for as long as it takes for Bethany to be self-sufficient again.
Now back in Berlin with no more recitals or auditions to prepare for, it really does feel like summer vacation. And what a great feeling to know I don't have to sit in the sweltering heat of one of those miniature practice rooms at the music school and play till it hurts! In fact, I haven't touched my oboe since the last concert. I think I'll be ready to play soon, but in the meantime I'm enjoying myself without it!
Coming up next on my schedule includes going to Bonn this weekend to visit Matthias and his family. And next week on Thursday one of my best friends Katy from home and her husband are coming to visit! After a few days in Berlin, we'll head down to the Rhine and perhaps Freiburg to show them some of my favorite corners of Germany. But in the meantime, I should be able to write a little more consistently again!
posted by Heidi at 10:04 AM
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