Return to Bloomington

Bloomington once again!

Such an astounding amount of activity, concerts, traveling, and adventures have taken place in between last September and the present one, and yet it somehow feels as though no time has passed since I walked into the Jacobs School for the first time. I didn't realize just how much I had missed our campus until I started seeing all of the familiar faces of friends and colleagues and started to settle into the school routine once more. The IU opera, ballet, and orchestras have such a tremendously exciting year of programs lined up, and it is rumored we have the largest incoming class of freshmen yet. A quiet summer certainly has its charms, but I thrive on the excitement of such a bustling university!

I am very glad to say that I am performing with the New Music Ensemble again this year, and in addition to working on fantastic piano quartet chamber music with Cicely, Tim Kantor, and Kati Gleiser, I am also taking a New Music Conducting class; no doubt this last one will prove a challenging project, but what a great opportunity to learn something new - in more ways than one!

Since the semester has only just begun, this serves as more of an introduction to the year, so to end today's entry, I've attached a link to a very moving and exciting article I found from last spring; every time I hear of the success classical music has found in the lives of children, I can't help but feel more and more convinced this is an essential part of being an ambassador of art!

http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2011/mar/16/sistema-scotland-stirling-classical-music

All for now.

~Madalyn