La Celebracion!

So, I've raved in the blog so far about Russian Christmas Music. I've touted about The Irish Dragoon. If I haven't explicitly said it, I'm also stoked about the Shostakovich Symphony 5 Finale (which is the opener, by the way). The music on this program is great.

Just when I thought it couldn't get any better, it did. I saw John handing out parts to our oboe friends for ... wait for it... H. Owen Reed's La Fiesta Mexicana.

I thought I had heard John mention this (awesome) piece while he was hinting at what might be on the fall concert for 2009 (theme/name: Milestones, by the way). But, then it wasn't in the folders. Turns out this will be the smaller ensemble piece.

I will be playing on it, and am super excited and honored. But now I am seeing the massive amount of music in the folder and am realizing I need to work on my steel lip. Some of the concert is technically challenging, but I think overall it is going to be more of an endurance test. Which, if I were still in college, and practicing 2 - 4 hours a day anyway, would be easy peasy.

But alas, I'm a "big kid" now and a job, and an apartment to keep tidy, and a fiance to spend time with, and obligations, blah blah blah. I'm boring you. However, I did decide I am going to have to commit to 30 minutes of practice per day to ensure I'm "in shape". It's just like working out. Overtime you get stronger. :)

And again, I'm so excited to play this concert, I don't want to bring my "B" game. "A" game it has to be! Wish me luck.