Rocking Mozart... or the Attempt Thereof

On Sunday, Feb. 15th I accomplished one of my life goals... one of my "bucket list" items, if you will. I played a full concerto with an orchestra as the featured soloist in a concert with the Ozark Festival Orchestra, in Monett, MO. The concerto was one I've known for years, since I was a kid, really, but desired to bring it to a new level. I anticipated this concert for about a year and a half, planning at first for a different concerto, but ultimately deciding on the Mozart Concerto No. 5 in A Major. I love Mozart, and I love this concerto, so it was a joy to prepare. It's a brilliant, elegant, joyful, dramatic work. I had so much fun. Here's a picture of little Genevieve, my young student who came to the concert and brought me this pretty rose.


Now that I've done it, I hope to have many more opportunities to perform, although I know that orchestral soloing doesn't often come to single-mom-of-4/violin-teachers. I may have to work at promoting myself a little better to get the chance to do it again.

However, I walked through that door to find another door open today. I got a call from a girl who is planning her senior piano recital at the local university. She was looking for a violinist to play with her on a couple of piano trios and the violin professor at the university had referred her to me. She brought the music over today, and it's Piazzolla! A little edgy, exciting, emotive... I can hardly wait! It should be fun, and is yet another performing opportunity for me. I just want to keep stretching and growing in my own playing as I work to help my kids stretch and grow.