It is finished....

The time: 6.45 a.m. I walk into my flat after a crazy evening of celebrating my completing my first semester in Moscow (i.e. drinking, LOL) and clubbing (yes, I said clubbing). I wake up at about 11:00. Yes, I got about only 4 hours of sleep, but man, were these hours good.

Backtrack to last Sunday. I sang in three church services and had a solo in two of them. The other service was devoted to the St. Andrew Nativity Play, which was awesome and caroltastic. By that I mean in addition to the evening service, we sang about 5 or 6 carols during the Nativity Play, all of which had about 4-10000 verses, hahaha. In the afternoon with the Protestant Chaplaincy I sang a beautiful solo to the music of Beethoven's Pathetique Sonata, which I adore. "Come to me and find rest for your soul. Don't worry, simply trust me, my love can make you whole." What comforting words to hear on the eve of exams. What a perfect way to just let go and let God, and trust in Him. And last but not least, the Carol service. We processed into the chapel, singing "Once in Royal David's City", which set the mood beautifully for a wonderful hour of reading and carols, during which I sang my Three Ships solo and Ding-Donged with the semi-chorus (on a side note, some of us choir members have way too many inside jokes with ding dongs, LOL). I was really happy to see my classmates and Nana come to, and they even gave me a beautiful white flower. Awwww. SPACIBA!!!

And now for exams: we didn't have one in history (surprise surprise, hee hee), but I did have exams in EVERY SINGLE OTHER CLASS I TOOK THIS SEMESTER. The fairy tale exam wasn't anything serious, just choose and discuss my favorite fairy tale from the course of the semester. My music history final was an oral exam, so I definitely was freaking out on Thursday, all the more so since my Stylistics and Skazki finals were both that day, back to back to back. Luckily however, my question was on Romanticism so I rejoiced and was able to discuss the characteristics and different Romantic compoers fluently enough, perhaps not in amazing Russian, but well enough to answer the questions asked of me. My translation final was definitely difficult, but I think I translated the article and sentences without too much trouble, and I got most of the vocabulary right (Vocabulary has always been one of my weaker aspects of Russian, something I will continue to work on as I become more and more of a geeky striving to be erudite academic. My Stylistics final was fine, but with translation, we spent the entire 90 minute period writing. I had to outline thesis for and write a referat of two articles which I hope to use in my MA thesis, which I am determined to start during the break, even if only just a couple of pages.

So right now I am elated that I passed all my exams with flying colors, and I do believe that, unless I'm mistaken, I'm heading for straight A's again. Dating back to Russian 101, the good ol' days of Daria Germanovna, the beginnings of my hero worship of Cheburashka and proposing to computers (you really had to be there), I have never had a grade below A- in any class taught partially or entirely in Russian. I've had a few B's in some Russian lit in translation classes, but somehow I seem to get Russian grammar. People tell me I know it "blestyashi" and that's a fabulous compliment, I daresay. I mean, I don't know, I really do seem to have an ear for languages. I get the idea of cases and verbal goverment and have accepted participles as an academic's friend (and my personal friend, hee hee) while denouncing the need to decline numbers, in particular the absolute koshmar that are fractions and decimals.

I have yet to start packing, but will do so prob Monday. What awaits me this last week: a long-awaited excursion as a sort of informal history class (not that any of our history classes have been "formal" in the strict sense of the word, haha, a final trip to the Diner, reading some interesting uchebnye pocobiye po grammatike, printing up my boarding passes and just trying to relax and not freak out about my CHRISTMAS EVE FLIGHT!! AAAAAA! OMG!!!! I can't wait to see my friends and family on Thursday night, just in time for the best holiday ever, CHRISTMAS!!!! FYI: calling all HC friends, former TEFL and MCA teachers, anyone who is awesome and will be in Boston from Dec. 26-Jan 27, I'd love to plan a get-toghether or to, be it at Doyle's or Cheesecake Factory, my house, wherever. In addition to all the comforts that being at home provide, it will be absolutely fantastic to reconnect with one and all! Will talk soon and see many of you even sooner!!! Love you guys! God bless you this Advent season and may you all have a blessed, merry Christmas, filled with great food and unforgettable memories with loving friends and family. C nastupaiyushchim Pozhdestvom i novym godom!!!! Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!!!! Peace out! :)))))

Cheburashka!

How sweet it is to wake up late, to not have to get up early for testing, rehearsals or other commitments. How glorious it is to finally see the sunshine, to have a taste of winter, to walk around Kolomenskoye, which just may be my favorite place in Moscow, watching the kiddies go sledding. How wonderful it is to think that in just twelve days I will be flying home to spend a month in good ol' MA.

I am very happy to say that my concerts this week went very well, in particular last night's concert. It was great to see some support as well. Props to Judey and Ilona for your raucous applause from the balcony! :) Lovely to see you last night! We tenors again took a bow after singing Jingle Bells, and to our delight (some might say chagrin, LOL) we sang it as an encore. As promised, I came in at the right time during the 8th movement of Vivaldi (Sicut locutus est) after confusing the hell out of the tenors, and likely everybody else, by failing to notice the TWO BEAT rest prior to coming in. Oops. Better early than late, right? Hahaha. Anyway, I am still on a high after last night's concert, which was just a lot of fun, despite singing back to back to back John Rutter arrangments, which I rather like, if I"m honest. I"m mostly elated that I shall never have to sing Deck the Hall again. That piece has overstayed its welcome in the Christmas repertoire, as far I am concerned, hee hee.

Tomorrow shall be my marathon day of singing. You think I"m kidding? Haha, how wrong you are. 8:15 wake up. 9:15 leave for church. 10:00 rehearsal for Mass no. 1. 11:00 Mass. 12:30ish rehearsal for Lessons and Carols. 2:00 rehearsal for Mass no. 2. 3:00 Mass. 4:00 rehearsal again for Lessons and Carols. 6:30 Lessons and Carols service (all of this naturally takes place at St. Andrew's, therefore I am not exaggerating when I say that it has become like a second home to me, cause I"m always there, LOL). I'm expecting a few friends but hope to see more. There'll be some Scripture reading foretelling the coming of Christ, plus some awesome Christmas Carols (our favorite David Wilcocks arrangements plus one of Gustav Holst, but he's mediocre so we'll just overlook that, hahahaha) and a solo by YOURS TRULY. Moreover, it's free, so why don't you just put aside whatever you're doing and come to church tomorrow evening and listen to God's word. Agreed? Agreed. Great. :)

I'll probably be taking a break from blogging once I'm home. Or maybe not. We shall see. In any case, I'll still be relating my end of semester adventures until a couple of days before I make my triumphant return to the Throp. I am really really reallly REAAAAAALLLLLLYYYYY looking forward to coming home! Just a little excited, can you tell? ;) For the moment I'm going to keep on keeping on and just enjoying the last week and half (!!!) in Moscow. O how I love Christmastime! Lots of great music to listen to and movies to watch! I'll surely find something to make the days go by now that choir is done for the season and I have just a couple of days of class left before exams.

Must stay focused...must stay optimistic...must stay in Christmas mode...:))) 12 more days!!! WHEEEEEEEEEEEEE! Later everyone! :)

Shto takoye stress? Seechas rasskazhu

What is stress? Stress is being asked the week before a concert to sing a solo. Stress is having to wait a week in torment, wondering if you're good enough to be allowed to sing it the night of the concert. Stress is self-doubt, psychologially talking yourself down and throwing aside any good qualities in lieu of what MIGHT be, mistakenly thinking that what MIGHT be actually IS in reality. The last two or three choir rehearsals I have not enjoyed at all. I've been sooo worried about singing it well and not letting everybody down that I've been missing the point of why I joined choir in the first place..that singing and making music is supposed to be FUN. It's funny, I've been playing piano for 14 years and can't ever remember getting into such a state when giving a recital. Oh sure, there's always butterflies in the stomach, but once I sit down to play, I become Mr. Confidence, and I think people notice it. What I need to do now is channel that piano confidence into my singing.

Today I feel much less stressed, but this is because that it was finally decided by our conductor that I'm not ready to sing the solo, and so he gave it to one of the sopranos, who granted, has a terrific voice. I have mixed emotions about it. While I admit to being relieved that I don't have to freak out on Tuesday night about it, I am quite disappointed that I wasn't allowed the opportunity to show myself and others that I can do it. I don't begrudge anyone, I was given several chances during rehearsal to get it right. But Vivaldi is difficult to sing, and I just don't have a strong enough voice to make it happen. If I had more time to prepare it, I'm sure I would've done very well. But what's done is done. Now I can focus on having an excellent dress rehearsal on Monday night and get (properly) pumped for the concert on Tuesday night. For all of you Moscow friends, I repeat: Tuesday, 7:30 at St. Andrew's Anglican Church. Dom 8, Voznesenski Pereulok. Encore concert Friday evening, same time and same place. Cost: 450 rubles. Again, if you want to hear some beautiful music, and to see yours truly light up the altar along with the rest of the choir, come to St. Andrew's either Tuesday or Friday, or if you're particularly awesome, both nights! What's more, we also have a Lessons and Carols service (again with our church choir) next Sunday evening, Dec.13, at 6:30, again at St. Andrew's. Then I will definitely be singing a solo, along with Dan, so come along, listen to some beautiful Scripture readings and lovely, lovely carols, including a secret song, which I am not allowed to share with the public under threat of being forced to listen to John Rutter for all eternity, LOL.

Once the awesomeness of next week dies down, what follows that is our play performance and three exams. So effectively I may be getting very little sleep the next two plus weeks, but hopefully our performances will reflect the hard work we put into rehearsing all semester! Not that I don't have to worry about the solo, I can focus on having fun again, and be energized by the wonderful music and the presence of my friends who have promised to come and cheer me on. That's what MUSIC has always been about for me. It's one thing to rehearse and play alone, it's quite another to perform for people. It's about communicating. It's about love and death and happiness and God and sadness and despair and joy and enjoying life in all its aspects.

After my last exam on Dec. 17 (Music History), I've got a week to unwind and pack before my long-awaited flight home on Christmas Eve. Really really really looking forward to a month of hanging with friends and family. I'd love to get down to the Cape for a couple of days as well as maybe take a day trip to the Woo, visit HC and my friends still there (who are going to be graduating in May, bozhe moi!!!). Anybody looking to arrange some sort of reunion, be it former MCA teachers, TEFLers of the great class of Sept/Oct. 08, HC buddies, do let me know, I'd love to get together with as many of you as possible. I will be home from Christmas until Jan 28 (gotta go back before Feb. 2, as that is when my visa expires). I can just see it now: homemade mashies, stuffing and turkey, apple cider, Coronas and champagne, mac and cheese and scallops, Italian subs at Nick's, watching football games on High Def, PLAYING THE PIANO again, walking Deer Island (even the, yes Mom, I'm going to say it, HILLS...but not all the time, hahahaha), chilling at the Cape, going into Boston with teh friends and teh cousins, Harvard Square...the list is endless, but it's all little things about being at home that I miss terribly. But I will see you all VERY VERY soon! 19 days, woo hoo! :)))))))))))))) JT's coming home!!! Start opening your calendars, lol, we're gonna paint the town! Love you guys! Keep writing and swimming! :)))))