A Fun Journey...

Whew!

I was sitting here thinking about the last week and a half, and realized that by the time I depart Chicago, IL on Sunday night, I will have been in 9 states in 9 days! I'm starting to feel this pace a bit...

Anyway, the tour is going very well. Last night, I had the chance to perform at Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana. Prior to this tour, I had heard a bit about the new facility they built there at BSU to house the music school, and it is every bit as grand as I have heard. If you ever have the chance to get to Muncie just to see this facility, it really is worth the trip.

The recital there was great fun, and it was nice to see both Dr. Mordue and his wonderful students.

Tonight I find myself in Kalamazoo, Michigan, just a few miles away from the campus of Western Michigan University. The day began with the three hour ride from Muncie to Kalamazoo, with a nice lunch stop at Cracker Barrel here in Kalamazoo around 1pm. (I really should get them to start sponsoring these tours!) Anyway, it was Ruthanne's (my accompanist, travelling with me) first visit to a Cracker Barrel, and I think she was impressed.

After we unloaded our stuff in the hotel, we quickly ran over to the campus to meet Deanna Swoboda, a fantastic tuba player who has done much for the instrument, both in terms of her own performance ability as well as her pioneering work with children. I really admire the nitch she has carved for herself.

Anyway, we dashed off campus to First Presbyterian Church in downtown Kalamazoo for a quick rehearsal of David Gillingham's Diversive Elements, and it made me look forward to tomorrow night's recital even more.

Following the rehearsal, Deanna, Ruthanne, and I had a nice walk (in 72 degree weather!) to a nice restaurant downtown, where we were soon joined by Deanna's husband (of nearly a year!) Scott. He is a great guy, even if he is a graduate of Louisiana State University. We hit it off well, as I am a graduate of another SEC school, the University of Georgia. We were all entertained by a show choir from Western Michigan, which was performing at the restaurant. They really were a fantastic group, (with some really outstanding voices) and it made for a lively evening.

Both being a practice junkies, Ruthanne and I headed back over to WMU for an additional hour and a half of practice. If tomorrow night's recital goes as well as the practice session tonight did, it should be a great show.

If you're anywhere near Kalamazoo, Michigan, come hear the concert tomorrow:

First Presbyterian Church of Kalamazoo
231 West South Street
Kalamazoo, MI
7:30pm

I hope to see you there!

From Kalamazoo,

Jason