Hello Everyone

So, here it is: my first blog entry. I have wanted to start blogging since the beginning of internet time. After years of procrastination and false starts, the opportunity has finally arrived! I’m thrilled to start keeping you in the loop on student life here at the School of Music and Dance (henceforth referred to as “SOMD”), application updates, audition tips, Q&A sessions with our amazing faculty, and much more. I guess to start with, I should introduce myself. I grew up in Poland and moved to the States at age ten. I play violin and live with a cute little mutt, Oskar. I just moved to Eugene this summer and here are my 5 favorite things so far: Drastic Improvement in Commute Time: 1.5hrs in LA -> 6-7 minutes in Eugene Daily Deer and Wild Turkey Sightings. Baby deer are ridiculously cute, turkeys are a close runner up. EcoMadness. I’ve never been to a greener, more eco-friendly place, e.g. my office paper recycling bin has three compartments: white paper, mixed paper, and colored paper. Weekend Activities. Ongoing series of weekend festivals: Music, Wine, Arts, Folk, Country . . . you name it, we’ve got it! Free Poetry. In the little sidewalk containers that usually hold realty flyers with property information, I find “To Autumn” by John Keats.  (I just had to!) Blackberries. No, not the phones, I mean the fruit! I had no idea that berries priced at $5 a pint in L.A. could be free and so abundant here in the Northwest. Also, know that when I am not at work, you can probably find me loading up on raspberries at the Saturday farmer’s market, broadening my culinary skills with unusual local vegetables, or spending way too much time at the dog park. Now about SOMD: classes don’t officially start until Sept 27, but such great things are around the corner that I can’t resist giving you a sneak peak. Workshops like the one entitled: “How to have a career as a classical saxophonist (without joining the army)” and masterclasses with world-renowned flutist Luis Julio Toro and conductor Andrew Bisantz will keep us busy in October.. Curious? Please come and check out my next post! P.S. I just found out that our gospel choir won 1st place (beating out top choirs from around the country) in the Disney Choir Fest in Epcot Park, Florida. They then performed at the Magic Kingdom in front of several thousand people!!