A Good Start in Bowling Green...

Greetings from Bowling Green, everyone!

Since 2003, I have been blessed to have the opportunity to go out on the road for a recital tour every year. This one, however, is undoubtedly the most interesting one that I have ever had the chance to participate in.

Most significantly, it has been a bit hard to get focused on this trip. Just prior to the tour, last Wednesday, April 9, I departed from New York with my wife (Bonnie), mother and father-in-law (Norma and Mike), sister and brother-in-law (Julie and Dan), and nephew (4 mo. old Benjamin!) for an 850 mile drive to Louisville, Kentucky to pay tribute to Bonnie's recently deceased grandfather, Dr. George Doyle. While the fact that we were going to Louisville for a memorial service made for an emotional and challenging trip, the fact that I got to learn, appreciate, and even love my wife's family more made leaving on this recital tour a bit hard to do. It's hard enough to leave my wife for a trip on the road, but add in the entire immediate and extended family (full of wonderful and loving people), and it's a lot to take in.

Nevertheless, here I am, finding myself in Bowling Green, Ohio, at the end of the first full day of a 7 day stint that goes through four midwestern States. Today's recital here at Bowling Green State University was a real challenge - not only did I need to get the face going for an earlier performance (at 2pm!), but I also still am trying to get my mind where I actually am. Admittedly, my thoughts are with my wife and her family as they head back across West Virginia and Pennsylvania for New York.

Suffice today's recital to say that it was indeed a real pleasure to perform alongside Dr. Ruthanne Schempf (on the road with me from New York) and David Saltzman, the principal tuba of the Toledo Symphony Orchestra and the instructor here at BGSU. He is an amazing player, and the chance to perform with him on David Gillingham's Diversive Elements was awesome.

The other side of being here in Bowling Green is that both Ruthanne and I have been able to stay with her brother and his family, Kevin and JoAnn Schempf, their three girls and one boy. They are an amazing family, and I have had true pleasure getting to know them.

Tomorrow, however, it's on to Muncie!

From the road,

Jason