Today I'm in Boston, where I have been the last few days, rehearsing Bach's B Minor Mass with a group of up-and-coming singers here in the city. Such wonderful new friends and talented fresh faces in the Boston scene. I have only seen the Boston singing scene in my periphery and only with a tell-tale knowledge. To finally make a 'debut' of sorts here vindicates me to no end...it can only get better from here.
It is Saint Patrick's Day and all the city is a flurry of green: scantily clad women suggestively strutting through Quincy Market, the smell of street car vendors and international franks, the over-powering waft of beer and, perhaps, urine. Kilts. Hats. Everything is green. Everything.
I checked into the Hyatt around two o clock when all the madness was happening downtown. I met with baritone friend and old school chum Will and had a nice Italian lunch at a joint called La Summa; Fleet Street on the North End. Authentic Italian bread and a nice plate of Pappardelle e Melanzane. The eggplant...the highlight of the dish. Our waiter, a member of the family owned cucina, was incredibly friendly. It was nice to catch up with Will, who seems to be killing it here in Boston. He is a part of the new guard of inspired early music singers who came to Boston to find his way. I am excited to sing with him in April and possibly in May for a rock and roll project we'd talked about last month. Very talented man with a great passion for art. That is what I like about my friends. They keep me learning and in check.
Pappardelle e Melanzane at La Summa Cucina Italiana; 30 Fleet Street Boston MA [www.lasumma.com]
This whole entire two weeks has been hard work and good eating. Aside from the fact my workout schedule is not as consistent I am walking around a lot and thus not putting on so many pounds! My first race is next weekend so I better take it easy! In the meantime I've enjoyed some fabulous dishes around Chicago and Boston.
The plane to Chicago yet again awakened me.
We Americans are the founding fathers the 'work hard, play hard' way of life. This truism is seen in the family gatherings in agrarian towns across the Great Plains to bars in outskirts of the tired industrial cities which float next to the Great Lakes. The concept is that of reward; should one be industrious it is only just that one deserves the right to be frivolous whether it be with food, frenzy or fortune. Or booze. There are those out there who love their jobs and prosper greatly from them and so to maintain a certain party lifestyle is simple. Others are stuck in the rut and routine and heavily abuse substances on their time off to achieve their own Saturday (or Tuesday night) nirvana. But 'work hard/play hard' is just that- each bearing equal weight but likely not equal preference.
But...if one wants to be an authority one needs to take authority.
Work hard and play hard to me is a system that keeps me in balance. I used to not play at all and do nothing but work. There are days where I play around too much and not get anything accomplished. But trying to find the right balance is a struggle as it is for all of us, but the harder the work the more rewarding the play.
I've experienced some great things over the course of two weeks and have really familiarized myself with two great American cities. I attended the American Choral Directors Association's National Conference last week in Chicago. Let me tell you, the state of choral singing in America is very strong. China also has an incredibly strong, in-tune (harmonically and spiritually) choral scene. I will never forget watching this one Chinese perform a Kodaly composition with its zen-like movement. Powerful. More about the conference later.
More updates on these trips very soon. There is much to tell.
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