So I told Mrs. Mullen about me being about to "hear colors" and she said that I have some rare thing. It's not like, a disability or something like that, but she couldn't remember the name of it. We both listened to the NPR thing about some pianist in Nashville who has it also. She said it's like, whenever she plays something it's like a stained-glass window in her head, which is kinda how it is to me. Mrs. M also told me that when she was younger, instead of hearing colors, she heard numbers. Like, D's were 2's and F's were 4's or something like that. I'm glad to know I'm not the only freak. She said it's really really good that I can do that though because it will eventually (after more training on musicality) help me with interpretation. Heather was playing her flute solo while we were talking (and she did an amazing job) about it and her piece was babyblue-ish and Mrs. Mullen was like "Wow, I wish I could do that."

Yay! So I won the concerto contest and I'm really exicted! (For those of you who don't know what that is, it's were people of different instruments pick out a concert [a solo selection for one instrument and orchestra] and play it for a panel of judges where they will pick one, two in this case, to play the piece in concert, with the orchestra playing with you. So basically I have to stand up infront of the stage and not enhale vigorously.) Hopefully, this will give U of Memphis more reason to write me a fat check.

Congrats to Elizabeth (aka my cello playing sister, aka my prom date) on winning also!

I have to call and see about my job tomorrow...

Who: Mrs. Polk and me

What: Concerto Contest

When: 2:45

Where: Wright Music Hall

With: Richard Strauss Horn Concerto No. 1 in E flat, Opus 11

Yay! Symposium was fun yesturday. Ruth's mom yelled at me for like 30 minutes because I was "15" minutes late getting to her house so we could go pick up Reese from Riverdale. Anywho, we got there and I saw a bunch of Governor's School people. I felt bad though, I didn't remember many of their names...but yeah, we had the master class and stuff. He randomly called on me, so I got to play part of the mid-state music for everyone, I think it was good. I found Saul at the last minute and was like "I'd love you forever if you took me to find Chinese food!" So he did, hehe. It was lots of food. We got back and got to listen to the studio ensembles, it was good. The trumpets played two movements of Carmina Burana, which was fun. Went back upstairs to do more horn stuff, and the concert. I hung out with Sara Todd like, the whole day and I LOVE HER! She's really easy to play with because we blend well. She turned around to me and was like "I wish we were going to the same college, it's nice having someone who blends and plays in tune with me." I was like "aww!!!" But yeah, I went and did my audition and it was good! My high Bb came out w/o a problem, all the rhythms were right, and I can sight read now! Mr. LaBar gave me a piece to read in 12/8 and I did it right! He said I did very well. Yay! 1 audition down, 3 more to go...

Horn ensemble and the master class was good. I don't think everyone was as in at as much as I wanted them to be...except for Jordan, which is always good. Well...

Horn ensemble and master class tomorrow! I'm excited!!

We didn't do anything at all during first period, and it was rather boring. We learned about intervales during music theory, and I feel that the class is moving much slower than everyone (except Lindsey Todd) wants it to, which inhales vigorously. In third period I didn't take notes, I just kinda read MacBeth because I'm really wanting to hurry up and read that book in English, even though we won't for a while, but she had us buy the books anyway. I kinda sucked in band today, I just wasn't in the mood. I copied parts during 5th again, and left with the early day ppl to drop them off at Central. I just haven't felt like doing anything today.

I'm waiting for someone to call me and let me know how things are...

Pretty sure that my English class yesturday was too funny. Does it bother anyone else when people don't want to do Angel Tree? It does me. I don't know...I just think it's kinda selfish that they don't want to give $2 or $3 to buy toys for a little kid but they don't mind spending it on a piece of candy. It really bothered me when we were doing to can food drive for the hurricane victimes and they didn't donate anything (and yes, it's the same people who don't want to do Angel Tree). I mean, yeah, maybe they don't have the money, but still- we have till like December, they can save a pocket change until then and buy a doll or something at the Good Will. I mean, I know that I'm going to go out and buy a few toys. I thought it'd be fun to take my lil cousin Jacob with me to help pick stuff out, because he falls in the age range of the little boy we're going to ask for, so he'd know what they might like, and at the same time teach him something about sharing. Gosh...I'm such a Sunday School teacher!

I have my job interview schedualed for Thursday at 4:00. I'm so excited!

I had a rather eventful day. So I woke up and went to church like normal when I'm told that he (Mr. Kinney) needs the parts that I've been working on for a week that night. So I came home and pooped out a different part every 30 minutes. (I wrote each part off the score because I go much faster when I handwrite rather than use the computer.) So I got all the woodwind parts done and I still have to do the brass/percussion. But I can do that tomorrow at school. I went to the Cannon County Arts Center around 1:30 to see Annie and it was really really cute. I went back to church when I got back to give Mr. K the parts I pooped out and did some rehearsing for the Christmas production. Came home, watched The Object of my Affection and here I am now. It was a confusing movie...kinda. Lol.

Tomorrow? I have no idea...

Omg, today was AMAZING! So we did the little thing at Michel Nelson (sp?) and I got there and I went to the wrong one! They were like "the thing is tomorrow" and I was all "no, I was told to be here today.." "maybe you're supposed to be in the other building." So I went across the street, and sure enough, I was wrong. So we get there, warm up and stuff and are told to go outside and get ready. We were like "what? we were told that we were going to play in the gym." nope, they had us wait outside from him (the custodian [Mr. V.]) to pull in in a limo, so we could play the fight song. I was like WHAT?! And then, we were going to parade him around the school...and I did not have one parade type shoes, it was fun! So we get there and they give a long speech about being a US citizen and all this stuff, it was really cute. (Mr. V and his wife moved from Russia in 1995, they were so cute!) They gave him a flag (more like 3) and we playing the National Anthem. Afterward, they did a presentation from when he graduated from the Naturalization classes and, which then we play American the Beautiful...which is Mrs. V.'s favorite song. We played some pep-band stuff while all the lil kids went back to class. So we're packing our stuff up and the principle goes "hey, y'all want to go to IHOP with Mr. V and everyone else?" She paid for it all! The entire 5th period band class...and Andrew, Andrew's mom, Mr. and Mrs. V., their daughter and her husband, two of Mr./Mrs. V's friends, and herself. It was so good. I got to learn about Russia and stuff, it was interesting. It's talking to people who immigrate from a place like Russia, which is completely different from the US to understand how different we live our lives, and appreciate it better. Just thought I share that with you, because I don't want to take things for granted anymore.

Our field trip went well! The horn choir at tech was really good. I got to see Saul  and he said that he's thinking about going to UM for his masters. Anyway, I'm pretty sure that the people riding in my car are going to really get into practicing just because of seeing how much people can fall inlove with playing. Heh, Lauren and Erin told me that they want to stop taking lessons with Mike at start taking with me! That'd be cool...put money in my pocket. Lol. But time to go.

I had a good lesson last night. Good lessons make me happy. Omg, I really want to keep studying with Radu...only not at MTSU. If I knew that he would like stay there forever then I might just go to MTSU, cuz, ya know, he's amazing.

I made onion rings last night (homemade) and they were SO GOOD!!

Ok, so for you horn people who haven't braught Ruth or me your permission slips for our field trip tomorrow (Mady, Kaelen, Virginia, Lauren, and Jordan) if we don't get them TOMORROW you WILL NOT be going. But, we're going to meet at the Subway beside the school at 4 and eat there, then leave for Tech, so you can always bring the permission slips there. Ruth wants us to get there early so our babies can talk to Mr. LaBar about horn stuff.

Yay! I might have a job soon!

So yeah, pretty sure that I didn't learn anything during the brass festival the other day. We played some good music though, that was exciting. I went and ate lunch with Alex, Michelle, Ruth, Jordan, and Adam at Jade Dragon, it was yummy. I took a conducting class...only because I felt bad for falling asleep when Dr. Thomas taught it at Governor's School.

The LOTR concert was awesome. Dr. Loucky played in it, which was cool. There were soo many people there and it took like 30 min or so just to get through the traffic. It was good though. The only thing that I didn't like was how the themes in the music just kinda repeated themselves. There were some pretty English horn solos.

So I found a contest that I'm going to enter. It's a composition contest where I'll write a piece for a brass octet (3 trumpets, horn, 2 trombones, euphonium, and tuba). They said it has to be 3 movements long, 5 min max for each movement. So all together, it will be around 10-15 minutes long. I have till Febuary, so I have time. The first prize is like $1,000, 2nd is $500, and 3rd is $500. I might not win, but it will still be fun to do. And hey, who said I have to use it in that contest!

Today is a rather boring day. We didn't do anything in first period, so I sat on the computer. In 2nd, again...nothing. I went to practice. In 2rd we had a vocabulary test...I did "ok." In 4th period, Tech's trombone choir came and played for us. They're really good. I got to see Fred, Steven Polk, Perfect-Pitch Pete, and some others. We played a little bit, but not long. Lunch is really boring. 5th period, I didn't play much. I copied some music, worked on mid-state/Strauss a little bit. (High Bb's are dangerous!) 6th period, I'm pretty sure I feel asleep in Dukey's lap. Right now I'm just sitting here eating leftover Chinese food.

Tomorrow is brass festival. I'm excited, but I just hope there will be people there I know...but I'm sure there will. After that I'm going to see Nashville Symphony play the LOTR Symphony. I'm majorly excited about that. I have rehearsal on Sunday....

I just got an e-mail from some lady that is going to start a horn club in Memphis and she wants me to be in it next year. Having a simi-reputation is good.

The American Horn Quartet makes me happy. :-) It is funny though, they call themselves the "American" horn quartet...even though all four of them live in Europe and play professionally there. Lol. Yeah...Kyle's a little horn-obsessive...

I went job hunting Yesturday. I put in an application at the Music Stop and at the Music and Arts. The guys at the Music and Arts seemed impressed with my resume, which is a good sign. They said they'd call me when they want to interview me, which won't be long. I think tomorrow I'll go apply at Hastings and some food places...even though I don't really want to work at food places...

I went to go pick my mom up from her shop later and take her to her car...which is getting fixed. After that, I went to MYO! Fun (not really). I didn't get to leave till like 9:30 because I'll be doing chamber music until then, but it's ok...I get paid $10 to do it, which will go toward my hand-rest. Yay.

Next Wednesday Ruth and I are taking the horn section to the horn ensemble recital at Tech. I'm excited, it will show them what kinda stuff we'll be doing. We're going to eat Chinese food before we leave, I'm more excited about that...

I just love days in the music theory class when there is nothing to do so we sit on the computers in the back of the room and goof off. He.

Ok, so my bird was like, acting crazy last night. It all started when something in the music I was listening too (the bass drum hit, pro'lly) scared her and she just started flying around like crazy. But it was fun, I caught her in the air and she was all "AH!" Hehe. Next part, I turned off the TV so I could go to sleep (I was watching Ellen) and she got mad at me. How does a bird get mad at you for turning off the TV? She wouldn't shut up until I turned it back on. I wasn't happy...

Erin is complaining about freshman band while listening to a CD with a guy playing some hand-horn music. She's like "What?! No valves! I guess hand position really does matter..." I'm going to get one of those when I'm in college and play it in my recitals, pro'lly Mozart or something. In symphonic band today, Mr. Rhody just kinda complained with the percussionists the whole time. Pretty sure we didn't even get to measure 20 in a 3 movement piece. Yeah...I was bored. And then in 5th period band, we worked on the music we're playing at some ceremony next Thursday at one of the elem. school. Patriotic, my favorite (yeah right). In 6th period band, Emma helped me with some tosses for my guard audition for college next year...if I decide to do it. Then we played the toss game.

I have to work on my memory passage for tomorrow morning in English. And omg, I hate when I go into the bathroom and the people that use the toilet before me don't flush! It's so annoying.

MYO tomorrow night...blah. I hope we get new, more interesting music. Watered down March Slave is not gunna cut it...maybe I'll go to pep-band instead...but then I won't get home till like 12 tomorrow night.

So I copied off the music for the horn ensemble today. I'm going to shoot for Nov. 16th to be our first rehearsal and just read through some of the music. Ruth said she'd have somewhere for us to play in December, so that's what we are going to go ahead and prepare for. Mr. Medford's going to get Adam, me, Chad, and a trumpet player out of school to go play some patriotic music somewhere. I'm excited. I can't wait till I can get paid to go play and stuff.

Lord of the Rings Symphony Saturday night! I'm excited about that. It will be after the brass festival at MTSU, so I get a free bus ride and stuff. I do indeed like me some LOTR music. Radu said that in the music they've written in stuff like "kill me now" and "keep it up for 5 more minutes!" because it's really hard. Shoot, if I had to play a two-hour long piece of music, I'd be wanting to die also. They are supposed to have a screen behind the orchestra with sketches and artwork from the movie/book to go along with the music. I can't wait!

OMG, GREEN TEA IS AMAZING!

I'm happy to say that I've had my first lesson with Radu where I've walked out of the room smiling.

Ok, I'm going to remember to bring a movie for 5th period tomorrow because we've been planning a movie day for like two weeks.

I have a lesson at 4:30. I got lectured on scales last week and how I should play them more than I do, and how I need to do the etudes he gives me and not be like his college students who "forget." I don't forget...they just slip my mind.

Halloween is tonight. I was watching something on how it is really a pagan holiday that the church wanted to use as an excuse to get all the non-Christians in Ireland to convert. The same with Chirstmas, but we'll wait till December for that.

"So how about them smoke'n mellos?"