Learning Chinese

Wow! Learning Chinese characters is so difficult. Thankfully, I already know most of the basic words by ear and can recognize them in ping-ying spelling. Each character is so different that it is confusing at times to differentiate between them. It is very unlike the alphabet system in the romance languages. I am on my second lesson, which will give me about 50 words in my Chinese vocabulary.

Check out my first letter in Chinese!
Stay alert for more weather letters!

--Annie

First Concert and Reception

I just produced my first concert tonight. It went very well, save a few little snags. I forgot to flash the lights first before the concert started, so when the house lights came down, several guests were still standing around and chatting. Also, the program had a typo, so we had the Festival Director go on stage and announce the piece and the program notes. The one great thing was that Jason, the Recording Engineer, got a very professional first recording. So we'll be set for next week's concert.

The next two weeks is the New Music Workshop, which will feature interesting music. It should gather a younger audience. Hopefully they'll enjoy the scenery of Norfolk.

That's it for now. See ya real soon!

--Annie

First Week at Norfolk

This is the view from my window. The building in the distance is called the Music Shed, the main concert hall. It is so beautiful inside. I will have to get pictures of it when it is finished. Right now, we're still refurbishing it for Saturday night's opening concert.

I live in a nice "cottage" though it really is just a three-bedroom house with a living room (+ piano), kitchen, and dining area. It's very livable and a nice place to come back to after a day's work.

I work about half the day in the Music Shed, though I will be working there all day starting next week. I have my own office, which is almost bigger than my bedroom! I was really hoping to get a couch in there so that visitors (the few that I would get) or the stage crew could relax during concerts. Who knows, maybe I'll find one lying around!

My job, when it becomes more regular next week, will entail setting up rehearsals and attending to musicians on-stage needs. Then during the concerts, I make sure set changes are timely and accurate to dress rehearsal markings. It should be fun getting to work a little with the guest musicians and seeing what goes on backstage for a professional artist.

The weather here has been less than exciting, as it has rained 3 out of the 4 days I have been here! The grass is very green and lush, which also means it's very prone to becoming near lakes and muddy mountains. Overall, though, when it is sunny out, I enjoy just strolling along the path and breathing in the fresh, not yet humid air.

My coworkers are all very nice. It's the Norfolk Chamber Music Festival conviction to hire people who have very warm and welcome personalities. They have all been fun to hang out with during work and otherwise, which is probably the more important aspect. Having to live with the people you work with can be difficult--the Norfolk staff proves its worth, as my coworkers are wonderful to live with, too. We have decided we need to go mini-golfing, which has previously been attempted as a company social (though they ended up getting rained out). I also kept talking about Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (6), and there are definitely a few people who want to find a theater at midnight on July 15. All this is to say, despite the isolation of Norfolk, the people make up for it.

Have I missed anything? Hm. Oh yea, I'm still working on those little Japanese rice crackers, Mom and Dad. Thanks!

Be back later!
--Annie

P.S. Here is a picture of the house across from my cottage, where I will move into in two weeks.