Greetings! Since it has been so long since I have been in touch with you, I thought it would be a good idea to catch up.
A lot has happened since graduation last May. I went off to Tanglewood Institute to study music in July and August under the tutelage of the Empire Brass Quintet. This was the second summer that I spent at this beautiful spot in Massachusetts. A typical day would include four hours of rehearsal with the brass quintet to which I was assigned, two hours of watching a rehearsal of the Empire Brass Quintet, and some sort of concert in the evening. Whatever time was "left over" could be used in any way imaginable. Sometimes I visited open rehearsals of the Boston Symphony Orchestra (Tanglewood is their summer home) or master classes by international artists such as Yo-Yo Ma and Bobby McFerrin. I also spent some time tracking down musicians for their advice, and to this end, I was particularly lucky and successful. I was able to convince the Empire Brass Quintet that they needed somebody to assist in managing the work they do. Further, I was able to convince them that I was the person to do the job, and so it is that I will be working for them starting in January of 1992! I actually planted the seed in the summer of 1990 when I first studied with them. When I arrived this summer, I was chasing down this lead with everything I had. I even brought a professionally bound portfolio (four inches thick!) which showcased the three years of work I had done with my brass group at school, the Quintessential Brass Repertoire. This portfolio convinced them that I was indeed the right person for the job. I am very excited because this is the sort of job I was hoping for in perhaps ten years, but as it is, this job has fallen on my lap now, so I truly feel lucky. I feel especially fortunate to have safely made the transition from my engineering degree to the music career I want. Amen.
As if it were not enough, there is even happier news in my life. This "happy news" has actually been in my life for the past 3½ years -- I am speaking of my girlfriend, Mamie. Over the holiday season, we are going to get engaged! I met Mamie when I was marching with the Garfield Cadets Drum & Bugle Corps back in 1987. Mamie lives in Windsor, Ontario (Canada), but she was born in Burma and lived there for the first seven years of her life. She is 23 years old and is currently studying Classic Civilizations at the University of Windsor. We have managed to overcome the very difficult miles between us, and our engagement will bring us one step closer to bringing our lives together. In all seriousness, I do ask for your thoughts as Mamie and I enter this part of our lives together. It is a happy time for both of us, but it is not as easy a proposition as if we both lived in the same country. Legally, it is a logistical nightmare, but Mamie and I are quite willing to take on the system for the sake of being with one another. It will all work out, but I just hope that it is not a bigger hassle than I already anticipate. However, if you knew Mamie like I know Mamie, you too would perhaps agree that the effort is warranted.
Meanwhile, this fall has been a period of transition for me. I have lived in the D.C. area with each of my parents. They have been kind enough to house me and employ me. I have done carpentry work for my father and secretarial/computer work for my mother. Between this work, travel, and preparing for my new job, I have kept my nose clean and out of danger's way. I eagerly anticipate all the elements that 1992 is bringing to me. 1992 seems like a culmination of my efforts of the past seven years (when I graduated from high school), so I feel gratified and happy. I hope that 1992 also brings our paths together. Do let me know what you are up to, please. Have a wonderful holiday season and a happy new year in 1992.
