Summer in the City

Over a month has passed since my last post.  I can't believe that time is flying so fast!

Amazingly, this is my first summer in NYC since my first six month visit in 2001.  I officially moved here in 2002 and I have been away every summer since.  2003 found me on a cruise ship for 3 months and 2004-2011 I was on the jazz piano/voice faculty at the New York Summer Music Festival.

This NYC summer is a lot different than that first one I spent here in 2001.  That summer was my NYC "experiment", where I came here with a pocketful of cruise ship earnings trying to decide what my next move was.  I took weekly voice lessons with Jackie Presti and bi-weekly piano lessons with Garry Dial - both with proved to be pivotal in my ultimate decision to move here permanently.  I spent the entire summer living my dream immersing myself in the jazz scene in New York City.  I practiced for 6 hours a day, took daily yoga classes at a Hari Krishna temple, and went out to hear live music almost every night, all while living in a cool East Village apartment with my super amazing artist cousin Karin.  It was truly a life changing summer, which resulted in my decision to move here to go to graduate school at the Manhattan School of Music. 

Fast forward to 2012 and my summer couldn't be any different.  I spent my days playing with my lovely son, moseying around in the stroller through Central Park and trying to complete various projects around the apartment.  We spend our weekends at our beach house in Breezy Point, BBQ-ing and spending time with my husband's family.  I only get to practice a few hours a week now - probably less in a week than I used to in a day!  Being with my son has taught me to slow down and enjoy the simpler things like flowers and squirrels and garbage trucks (he loves garbage trucks!).  I am seeing the city in a whole new way and I am for once actually living in the moment, rather than pushing ahead to the next big goal or gig.

My imagination is alive and I am feeling really full of hope and reflection.  Although I can't figure out the logistics quite yet, I am excited about the possibility of another recording, another tour, another great teaching opportunity.  I am also starting to feel like my music has really benefited from what I call my "Mommy hiatus".  I spent more than half of my life engrossed in music and now I am engrossed in just living my life.  Such an incredible change!

So, that's my summer in the city.  So far...