I haven’t updated this space in a while.

It has been an eventful past couple of months! I needed to step away from writing in order to collect ideas and experiences, and now the time has come to process those experiences.

I hope you are taking time to collect and process as well.

In no particular order, here is a recounting of some events which have occurred this year.

CAYUGA CHAMBER ORCHESTRA YOUTH ORCHESTRA

In March I became the Operations Manager for the CCO Youth Orchestra. The Youth Orchestra was founded in 2017 by conductor Kirsten Marshall and community member Sarah Cummings, both of whom are incredible Suzuki Violin teachers.

This Youth Orchestra’s mission is to provide a high quality symphony orchestra experience in the Finger Lake’s Region of New York State. I serve that mission as Operations Manager by coordinating all rehearsals and performances, executing our media and outreach strategy, and am the person to whom all questions from students, parents, and prospective families are directed.

I am the first long term operation’s manager in the program’s history and feel an intense responsibility to lay a solid, respected foundation in these first few years. This is a full-time, part-time job. Even though I’ve maintain my school and home commitments, I think about and work on the Youth Orchestra daily.

Even though I don’t want my career to be in management or arts administration, I see this as an opportunity to become very good at (or at least reduce the decision/work fatigue around) administrative tasks like this.  I hope that by getting good at operations and management now, I can stay independent as a private violin teacher and be able to focus on what is really important.

CYCLED FROM BUDAPEST TO ISTANBUL

I left Ithaca on the last day of school in the spring semester with my bicycle and three bags. I flew with a good friend to Budapest, Hungary where we began a month long bicycle trip to Istanbul, Turkey.

I learned so much about pacing, endurance, toughness, effortlessness, companionship and how simple a day can be. I didn’t take my violin with me, and didn’t spend much time thinking about teaching. I slept in my hammock, woke up with the sun, and developed a rad tan on the back of my hands.

This was, undoubtedly, one of the most educational months of my life.

ITHACA SUZUKI INSTITUTE

Over the summer grad students in the MM Suzuki program at Ithaca College are ‘required’ to attend the Ithaca Suzuki Institutes — one of the oldest Suzuki institutes in the country. I use air quotes because I don’t know who as a Suzuki teacher would not pounce at the opportunity to attend the institute!

I studied Book 1 with Christie Felsing and the enrichment course Teaching with an Open Heart with Ed Kreitman.

I was blown away by the scope and level of this institute. The energy and environment of the trainers, trainees, students and parents present was incredibly inspiring!

LIVING AND WORKING IN COMMUNITY AT ITHACA ZEN CENTER

My other practice beyond teaching violin is being a student of Zen.

Two years ago I become interested in daoism, Japanese Zen, and meditation while living in Austin, and I had no idea where that interest would lead. I now live at Ithaca Zen Center where I have a close relationship with dear monk, Yoshin David Radin. We sit every morning together, host a Sunday sitting for the greater community with many senior practicioners, and I participate in as many sesshins (seven day sits) a year as possible.

Over the summer I staffed the Body Mind Restoration Retreats held at the center which really taught me how to meet people where they are and what it is like to live in a community held by wisdom rather than competition.

JAPAN

Related to my continued study of Zen was a trip to Japan in October of this year. I flew with my close friends from the Zen center to sit at the training temple of our teachers teacher.

It was also SO incredible to sit in the same place where Suzuki also began a Zen practice and studied Dogen — where he started teaching.

I also just love the culture and natural scenery of the country. It would be such a privilege to go back soon (would love to do a bicycle trip there!).

CO-TEACH Ithaca Talent Education’s PRE-TWINKLE CLASS

Since moving to Ithaca I have been starved for teaching opportunities. I was so lucky to be offered the opportunity to teach the Pre-Twinkle class with Sarah Cummings every Saturday morning. I assist and co-teach the class of 16 (!!!) pre-twinklers. We often come up with the plan throughout the week together and had a few overarching strategic meetings throughout the semester.

Lessons learned from this class will be posted here on the site for many years to come!

PERFORMED THE BEST RECITAL OF MY LIFE

I have been performing violin recitals since I was four years old. The best recital I’ve ever performed was on November 4th, 2018.

I attribute the success of this performance to my practice with Zen and the length of time I had to polish the repertoire for this recital. When I walked on stage I felt the zingy energy of preformance mode without any anxiety or fear that I was going to play wrong. It was an electric, heartfelt experience which I look forward to elaborating more about.

The repertoire was Bach’s Sonata No. 2, Mozart Violin Sonata in E minor K. 3o4, Arvo Part’s Fratres, and the Schnittke Violin Sonata No. 1.

BONUS

Other small (huge) things…

• I started dating someone incredibly special
• Purchased my first car (within which I can store all of my belongings)
• Have been going by Drake with my community– a name which feels far closer to my ‘identity’ than the feminine Kathryn
• Developed a practice of Ashtanga yoga over the summer which I hope to continue and deepen for years to come