Swift Night Out

September 14, 2008 at 7:52 pm · Filed under Birding

I just got back from Swift Night Out with the Baltimore Bird Club. It was quite a sight: we saw 3,090 Chimney Swifts!

The evening began with thousands of swifts circling around the chimney at the Book Bindery. Then, at about 7:25 p.m., the first one dove into the chimney. Then, they went in spurts: a few hundred would dive in, they’d all circle around some more, then another set would dive in. I forgot to look at my watch when it was over, but I think they got into the chimney in less than half an hour. Pretty amazing!

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First Recital

September 13, 2008 at 8:55 am · Filed under Life

Some of you know that I started taking piano lessons back in April. I had taken lessons when I was a kid, but I hated them and stopped. Then, of course, I regretted quitting, so I figured that since I’m out of college now, I don’t really have any excuse not to start them back up again.

Anyway, this Thursday, my piano teacher hosted a recital for her students, and she wanted me to play some pieces for it. I’ve never played in a recital before, even when I took lessons in the past, so I was a bit nervous about the whole thing. I had decided to memorize the pieces, not because I’m awesome (though it did generate a few compliments!), but because I’m not actually good enough yet to both read the music and get my hands in the right place all the time. So, my main fear was that I would freeze up and forget where I was and just be incapable of completing the piece.

After a week of frenzied practicing, the day of the recital finally came. I did make some pretty bad mistakes (and even omitted a few measures altogether!), but all the practicing paid off, and I was able to just forge ahead. Based on what people said afterward, the mistakes must not have sounded as bad to the audience as they did to me, but I knew what I was trying to accomplish.

Since y’all weren’t able to attend the actual recital, I made some recordings of what I played: Ballade by Burgmuller and Color It Blue, a medley of Valse Bleue by Alfred Margis and Valse Bluette by R. Drigo. And bonus, these recordings don’t have the mistakes I made at the actual recital! (However, I did get to play a lovely old Steiff baby grand at the recital, and these are just from my Yamaha keyboard…)

I’ve definitely still got a long ways to go, but I’m pretty happy with what I’ve been able to accomplish in the last 5 months or so.

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