missing the good old Local 6

I used to take it for granted that an orchestra rehearsal was 2.5 hours long, no more, no less.  That my first break would come no later than 1.5 hours into the rehearsal.  That there would be no less than 1.5 hours in between rehearsals.  For these things, I happily paid $200/year; and I would again here, if they were available.  

Yesterday, in an ornate 17th century church right on the river in Lucerne, surrounded by epic mountain views bathed in glorious spring sunshine, swans heckling tourists for food just beyond the church's doors, my colleagues and I spent four hours (Four. Hours.) rehearsing Haydn's Creation.  We were then given a two and a half hour break, after which we returned for an almost three hour run-through.   When I got home last night, my right arm was so tired that I could barely brush my teeth.  I tried using my left hand but it just wasn't as effective. 

The church interior is quite ornate, mostly white, with decorations in shades of coral and turquoise, with tons of gold for that added effect.  It reminds me of the carriage and chandelier I saw at the deYoung made out of crystallized rock sugar. 

The audition, by the way, was just fine.  The theory exam saw me butchering some Bach on the harpsichord, whistling my way through two-part dictation, and trying my best to remember anything about 7th chords.  In an amusing example of language ideosyncrasies, the head of the school contemplated which program I would be best suited for given my "advanced age."  Ha!  Like I'm some kind of matron.  "Well, sonny," I almost said back to him.  He wouldn't have gotten the joke.  Story of my life, what.

I failed to bring my camera with me to Luzern, so I don't have any new pictures of the interesting ducks (tawny heads, red bills, red eyes!), coots, and swans, not to mention those epic views of the Alps.  So, instead I'll leave you with some artsy shots of my bass I took for a newer, better, slimmer, hopefully cooler website.