Patches, a 9-month-old Jack Russell Terrier, a.k.a. Reed-Eater!
He literally ATE up the cane pieces of my best reed, leaving a mess of thread and the staple behind. So, for all oboists reading this: keep your reeds away from your pet dogs!
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On being a piano accompanist…
Lately, Violin Teacher was looking for a piano accompanist for his Grade 4 student, and he called me one week before the exam to ask if I could play. I agreed, and, being his student before (long, long ago), I was expected to
- play accompaniment
- teach aural
- teach violin scales
- tune the student’s violin before his exam
- bring my own violin just in case student’s violin screwed up
Darn, I should be paid double or more. Pfffft!
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A Conversation
Yesterday I was sitting in the office, reading my book and waiting for my student when I heard a familiar voice say, “Hey, I’ve watched that movie before!”. I looked up, expecting to see violin teacher talking to some other teacher or parent or student, and I found him staring at the book I was reading (it was “The Unbearable Lightness of Being” by Milan Kundera). That started of a long conversation about Nietzche, Freud, psycho-analysis, indian philosophers and a little of Milan Kundera (after all, I had only read ninety-two pages of that book). He did most of the talking, and I was contented just listening, asking questions and hearing his views 🙂 He confessed that being a violin teacher rather than economist gives him loads of free time to pursue his interest in philosophy, psychology and the arts. Guess I’m really blessed to have such a teacher who has read so extensively and acquired a wealth of knowledge through years of learning and experience. (I should be grateful to my student too, who didn’t show up for his lesson, giving me the time to talk to violin teacher :P)
Snuffles the bear
Xiaole the girlfriend gave me an extremely cute brown bear last evening which we named Snuffles 🙂 That’s him sitting at the corner of my keyboard at the studio
and she wrote our initials on each of Snuffles’ feet with fabric paint, making me protect him with my life all through bible study until the fabric paint dried :S