Mmm, rest!
I was so in need of this Spring Recess. Besides teaching on Thursday and Friday, I have just been lazy lazy! I have been practicing, of course, and I cleaned my entire apartment, but I have also been reading and napping and watching movies. Amber and I had a nice night on Friday - we went for sushi and then rented Memoirs of a Geisha, which had
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First off, congrats!!
All of the people I know who have gone to Encore really liked it and got alot of work done practice-wise. Plus the viola faculty there is amazing - and good contacts to make for grad school. It seems like it would be really close-knit with lots of individual attention. If you really like chamber music this would be a great place. Even if you don't care so much about chamber music, Encore would still be a great place because you know you would be going there for your own practice anyways.
Aspen is a really big festival, and it's easy to feel like just another musician there. But each teacher has a weekly studio class, and there is a weekly viola masterclass, so I really felt there was a community in that respect. There are so many amazing faculty to hear in recital and lots of great concerts ALL the time. You would be in an orchestra, but only for about three hours a day (except on Mondays, which are free days). Chamber music is optional, so you wouldn't have to do that if you didn't want to. I practiced alot last summer - for a few hours before orchestra and a few hours in the evening. It's just so fucking expensive and long (9 weeks!!); that's the only drawback. It's also spread across the entire little town of Aspen so you feel alot more independent - at places like Encore and M-mount you would see the same people day in and day out at the exact same time. Also, Colorado is beautiful.
I would say Meadowmount should be at the bottom of your list. It's a really great place, I'm sure, and lots of amazing people go there. I just always hear about them forcing the younger kids to practice (I think since you're college age it's not so stringent), and I know alot of violinists who have gone and been made to take viola classes so they can have enough string quartets to go around. So you would def. be a hot commodity there. I just get a better feeling about Encore for you from what I read when you used to post more in your journal...You seem fun and cool and I know lots of cool (but serious musician) people who went to Encore; I know that's not exactly a scientific reason, but it's important!
You have an amazing decision to make. I think it all boils down to $, chamber music/orchestral experience, and teacher. What are your reasons for Encore? Sorry this is so rambling!!
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