SNOW!

This morning we woke up to a surprise - our first snow in Vienna! It was so beautiful, and it makes me want to buy a sled! Here are a couple of pictures from our apartment:

First Philharmonic Concert

Last night was my first Vienna Philharmonic concert, and I had to do a post about it because it was one of the most incredible and simultaneously surreal things I've ever experienced.

It was really great because Kristi and my parents were there for my first concert, although the tickets were scarce so they were in the very back row of the Musikverein. The program was Bizet Symphony No. 1 and Mahler Symphony No. 1. It was really special for me to begin with a Mahler Symphony because he is so important to Vienna and to the Philharmonic. Everyone really treats his music with such love and respect... with a little extra 'umph' if you know what I mean.

I think my parents really enjoyed the concert. They say it's quite far removed from my innumerable marching band performances for which they were always present. My dad especially enjoyed hearing real horns go to town on some great Mahler licks (as did I).

The feelings I had were really hard to describe. I think it was sort of like disbelief, sheer joy, and nervousness all wrapped into one. My thoughts kept alternating from "I can't believe I'm actually here playing this piece with this orchestra. I'm supposed to still be in Texas without a job and still sweating even though it's November" to "Listen to this! This is incredible! I get to just sit here and soak this up! This is my job!" to "Quit spectating and concentrate, you idiot! You're gonna screw this up and miss an entrance if you keep sitting there listening with a stupid smile on your face..."

These are all feelings I've been living with for the past two or three weeks. It's been a great time because I'm finally feeling truly settled into the orchestra, and there have been some great moments lately (more on that in a later post).

The view from the back of the hall in the middle of Mahler 1.

I really don't wanna get mushy... seriously. But... I have to say some things about my family, because it meant so much to me to be able to share last night with the people I love most. I know this is all gonna sound like some lame Oscar acceptance speech, but just humor me.

I cannot imagine a more supportive wife than Kristi. I cannot imagine more supportive parents than mine. None of them ever questioned my decision to be a musician. They have all sat through so many really bad performances... I mean REALLY bad performances... just so they could be there for me. They have all endured alot... bad weather during marching band season, long trips, weird musician people (you know what I'm talking about), me taking 6 years to finish my degree at UT, not to mention the fact that they just had to deal with ME for all these years (even though he couldn't come last night, all this includes my brother Jacob, by the way).

Kristi moved a continent away from everything she knew, and she never even flinched. Mom and Dad have a successful business, and when their first-born son basically turned his back on that opportunity to pursue music, they never even flinched. This is not the exception but the rule for all of them, and that is what you call true support.

All I can say is, "Thank you"

Musings and Mountains

Well, it's been three months since we made the journey to Vienna, and I must say, it's all been a little surreal. As some of you might know, my first time out of the country was to come to Vienna, so this is all very, very new. It definitely never crossed my mind that just a few years out of college I would be moving to Europe, yet here we are. God always likes to throw us curve balls, and I guess that's what life is all about...learning how to catch them. I have struggled off and on with the new found freedom of not working. I'm not a stay-at-home mom, I'm a stay-at-home woman, and sometimes, it can be even more overwhelming than having to work! I mean, how do you fill these hours every day? It's funny because I could think of innumerable things I wanted to do when I did work, but now, I'm at a loss! Sure there are certainly things I enjoy doing, but nothing that can fill the void of an entire day. I can make jewelry, start writing music again, read thousands of books, and even quilt (but I won't, sorry mom)...however, I almost feel guilty when I think about making my life all about things that make me happy. Is that weird? I guess this is what retirement feels like, but I never thought I'd be experiencing it at the ripe ol' age of 25! I simply want to find God's will for my life, and so far, He has been a little vague! All of this aside, I really do love Vienna, and I'm so thankful we are getting this opportunity. I can almost physically feel my mind broadening with all that we are experiencing!

Today, we decided to get out of the city and experience fall in the Alps. This is when I love having a car because we can just hop in and go! We drove around Schneeberg, which is the highest mountain in lower Austria. The name literally means "snow mountain," and yes, it already has snow on it! It's a very popular ski location, and I hope that I can talk Jer into experiencing this once before he chickens out! We didn't actually go up the mountain, but it was incredibly beautiful just seeing it from the ground. The town that we stopped in was Puchberg, and it was probably the most picturesque place I've ever been! We stopped to eat in a quaint little restraunt beside a pond, and it was so overwhelming eating this authentic Austrian cusine with a veiw of the autumn colorings in the Alps. I could have stayed there all day, but alas, the Opera called Jeremy home. It made me want to put on a dirndl and learn how to yodel!!

To see more pictures click here!

p.s. Some of you need to get onto Jeremy for not updating this blog! :o)