3 weeks home - back to the UK on Sunday

I have been home almost 3 weeks, and I have been getting spoiled by being here - but, a lot has happened! Sorry for not updating while I was back, but I was having too much fun relaxing and catching up with loved ones.

I made it back safe and sound with 2 euphoniums in tow. I decided to bring my new horn back with me to get used to it while I was back in the US - and then only take that one back with me. I have had quite a few people ask if I wanted to sell the old Prestige - but, it's like a member of the family. I made my first 2 CD's on it, and I just don't think that I could ever get rid of it. Oh well...

After I got back I headed over to Lawrence to spend some time with my Mary. She is finishing up her degree at the University of Kansas - where she will graduate next month. She is definitely feeling the senioritis (I had it too during my undergrad - but, I had to contend with student teaching) but I think that she is ready for a change of pace (and scenery).

I just got back from Phoenix where I did find a house for next year. That was a huge load off my mind - and now I just have to do all of that fun paperwork involved in buying your first home. Really - this is much harder than I thought it was going to be. Oh well...

Not much else is going on. I did, however, have a revelation. I have decided that you can't make everyone in the euphonium world happy - so, don't even try. If you go onto Amazon.com and search for Stepping Stones for Euphonium, Vol. 1 - my first CD - you will find 2 not-so-nice reviews of my disc. Now, everyone that I have talked to about my disc has loved it - actually, has raved about it. So, these 2 people obviously don't like it. That's ok. The really nasty one has about 20 spelling errors in it - so I'm guessing that they put about as much time into that review as they did listening to my album. He doesn't like my tone. Or, as he put it - my toan. There are a lot of people out there that do like my tone, myself included. Now, I'm not Steven Mead and I don't pretend to be, but blasting someone for wanting to help students get better? That is just insane. If you don't like my tone, cool - but you can't say that there are obvious mistakes - I mean, go ahead and find one. I spent 3 days recording that CD so there are no mistakes. And for the comment that you think I'm consistent from one recording to the next, GOOD! That's the point. I have been fuming about these 2 reviews for the last week, and was not going to comment on them on the forum - but, here I can say what I want, when I want to say it. So there you go.

Anyway, now that I'm off the soapbox, I'll just say goodnight. It has been a great trip home and I am finding it difficult to return to the land of coloUr, but I need to go. All I have to do is play a recital and I'm done - paper in had. So, wish me luck - more posting once I'm back in the UK! Cheer-e-o!

;)