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the exciting news that Jen and Aage have been
invited to participate in the 2005
International Viola Congress,
in Reykjavik, Iceland. This is big news!
Visit this page often to read "The Road to Iceland,"
a blog-style page about preparing for this
trip of a lifetime, and about how you can help!
Contact Jen for more information!
Read a nice story from the Idaho Arts Quarterly
WAYS TO HELP!
1) Want to donate some money? We really can still use the money. Everything is about 4 times more
expensive in Iceland than it is here, due to import taxes. Donations to Darkwood Consort are 50% tax
deductible. If you have questions about this, please e-mail Jen. I'll then e mail our accountant, Kirk,
who will patiently explain this to me once again. Darkwood is not a 501(c)3, but we fall into some
other category of non-profit.
2) It looks like our flights leave us with lots of time in Baltimore. Got any fun suggestions as to how to
spend our time there?
3) Keep telling everyone you know! Because going to Iceland is cool.
Happy Cinco de Mayo. I think we plan to celebrate at sectionals tonight. Fun! It's also one of my student's
birthdays. Happy Birthday Sheila!
Denmark was a lot of fun. I really liked it quite a bit. Aage was totally in his element, speaking Danish to
anyone and everyone. I enjoyed how everything was walkable, and public transportation was readily
available. You could not own a car in Denmark, and it wouldn't be that inconvenient. Everyone bikes
everywhere. I'll post some pictures later this week.
We're now 25 days away from going to Iceland. Yay! While I'm still pretty nervous about playing for such a
discerning audience, I'm really looking forward to going. We got the apartment keys a few days ago.
Off to the YMCA! Somehow, I am not as jet-lagged as I was expecting. I'm awake enough to work out with my
friend!
April 5th, 10:14PM
Twelve days and no coffee. I am surprised to discover how much i really, really like the taste and
experience of coffee. Tea is just not a good substitute. Friday morning will be a happy time with coffee.
Only 55 days until we leave for Iceland. Can I magically transform myself into a much better violist by then?
Probably not...but I have to keep trying! Getting there is half the fun.
Michigan tour is coming up fast. We should be in the Osceola Pioneer newspaper tomorrow. I'll send my
Dad out for a copy and see if they managed to get any of the facts right. I'm sure they will.
Tomorrow is another Hot Yoga day. I am certain there will be a story.
April 2nd, 9:25 PM
Don't forget to set your clocks forwards! Spring ahead!
I have now survived 9 of 14 days on something called "The New York Body Fitness Plan: 14 Days to a New
You!" Or something like that. I'm far too tired to go and pick up the book to double check if that's the title.
Because, amongst other things, this plan advocates abstaining from coffee. I have now gone 9 days without
coffee. Unbelievable. I've been chugging massive quantities of green tea, but it's just not cutting it at all.
I've been doing 2 workouts of some kind per day, which has helped get me into better shape, but I wasn't
really in bad shape before. All I want are non-gross hips and thighs for my Icelandic adventure. "We're
sorry-we couldn't hear you playing, we were all too disgusted by your tremendously fleshy, pear-like lower
half!" Or, as Aage has said to me "How DO you fit all those hips in the mirror?" No comment, Mr. Nielsen.
I took Chad to Hot Yoga. He liked it OK. Of course, the instructor complimented him. "You have a very
strong Cobra!" Great. Guess what I've gotten to hear about for the past few days.
I'm looking to see if there is a road race in Reykjavik while I'm there. It'd be neat to have some "Iceland 5K"
shirt in my collection.
I'm only mildly stressed about our upcoming concert tour to Michigan. Going home is always hard. While I
am in general a "Who cares what other people think!" kind of person, I usually have some fear of
disappointing those who knew me a s a kid, and expected great things from me. It's totally irrational,
because I'm just happy to hear from kids that I've worked with in the past. I don't expect anyone else thinks
differently. But the nagging thought is always there.
Off to do an "ab and core" workout.
March 31, 2:44PM
Today has been a happy Darkwood media day. I had an interview for the Troy Eccentric newspaper about
our upcoming concert, and talked a bit about the Iceland trip. We were also featured on Public Radio in
Saginaw. Yay, Darkwood! Hopefully, this will result in lots of folks going to our concerts!
March 26th, 3:19 PM
It certainly has been an interesting week. Let's recount the events:
1) Bikram Hot Yoga - Lake Harbor. My friend, Jennifer, talked Debbie and I into trying Hot Yoga. She set up
a time, and then promptly skipped out on us. What was funniest to me is how very, very, VERY seriously
most folks in the class took Hot Yoga. Debbie and I usually go running or biking. So, we thought we'd be in
pretty good shape for a yoga class. Wow, was I wrong! We were stumbling around, and just generally
displaying a complete lack of yoga proficiency, while everyone else was graceful, but extraordinarily
focused. Even during this breathing exercise, where everyone makes a "CH!" sound, over and over. The
"ch" ensemble was pretty bad. I don't think they were subdividing.
The instructor, Jamie, who looks about 12, (but is very nice) took pains to encourage Debbie (Debbie is 48,
so we were guessing that she had pity for 'the poor old person!' ) with even the slightest amount of effort
receiving high praise, but was sure to correct any of my first time mistakes, always referring to me as
"Jennifer!" "Jennifer!" she would shout, "Look forward!" This is what I get for writing my whole name on the
sign in form. "Jennifer!!" Of course, I am simply looking to the side to figure out what the heck the "Locust"
was supposed to look like, or attempting not to die, right in the middle of class. I did receive the
compliment "You have a very strong Camel!" but I'm not really sure how much of a compliment that was.
Now that I've done a few classes, it seems a pretty good compliment. We all know how much my "Tree
Stand" sucks. It's more like "Hopping Tree"
Anyway, it's overall been a positive experience. Check out the website. I'd recommend it. Really!
2) Iceland Night. Chad, Aage and I decided to have an Iceland Night to begin preparing for our adventure. I
went online and found several great Icelandic recipes, including "Snowflake Breads", a type of flatbread,
carmelized potatoes, and leg of lamb. Yum! At least there wasn't any rotten shark meat. Then, we watched
the film, "Reykjavik 101." Ever wonder what would happen if you, a disaffected young man were to get
involved in a love triangle with your Mom's lesbian lover? Watch "Reykjavik 101"! It's certainly not the type
of film I usually seek out, but it was Icelandic. Aage was thoughtful enough to provide an interesting beer
for Chad.
3) Watching Aage work through 632 pages of Danish Grammar. It's inspiring.
4) Maundy Thursday at Immanuel Lutheran. We played the "Lament" by Jim Cockey, and the "Unisano Lag",
by Finnur Stefansson. It was very moving. Aage played especially beautifully on the Lament.
Anyone actually know Finnur Torfi Stefansson? We are trying to track him down.
March 21st, 10:57 PM
Spent a good part of the day writing press releases and researching our upcoming venues. I'm excited
about our Michigan trip. It should be a great time. I reconnected with some old friends from Saginaw today.
I am really looking forward to seeing them.
I was thinking about some of my favorite students from years past, and how I'm not really a whole lot older
than they are. I just had my 33rd birthday, and I was teaching in Saginaw from age 20-27. It's odd to think
that I was teaching some of these people at the age they are now. I found one of my all-time favorites,
Lynn, and realized that she's now 23. I'm only 10 years older than Lynn! What a world. Lynn aspires to being
on "Survivor." While she has lots of patience and great energy, I can't quite envision her being even
remotely cutthroat or purposefully inciting conflict. Another of my favorites, Sarah, is a freshman in
college. I was 22 when I started teaching her. I'm sure I seemed old and wise to them, but I was really just a
kid. How I didn't scar any of them for life is beyond me!
Because we all know I am oh-so-mature now! What, with all of the "How many Moxie Java cups can we stack
onto Melissa's car?" or rigging up a large plastic goose in a swivel chair in Peter Slowik's office, so that
upon opening the office door, the goose would spin around and face towards him. Yup. Mature to the
marrow. OR ultra fun musician things, like writing "VS" at the bottom of a page of music, that happens to be
the end, so no page turn is necessary. Watch your stand partner jump! Or, issuing a "C-string Challenge" to
those around you.
March 20th, 10:45 am
Things are shaping up for our upcoming tours. Looks like we have 3 concerts in Michigan. We'll be going to
Exciting Evart, and Saginaw. I hope to see some old friends. We're going to have a good time.
Our friends Alison and Molly will now be joining us on our Iceland adventure. It'll be fun having at least four
people I know and like out in the crowd cheering for us.
March 17th 10:10 PM
OK. I must confess to being in a state probably inappropriate to blogging. I enjoyed 2 Green Margaritas in
addition to the Lamb Burger at The Reef. It was a very swell St. Patrick's Day. We had a 'viola sectional'
where all but two of the Philharmonic Violas went out for an evening of frivolity and beverages. I highly
recommend it to everyone.
Have I mentioned that Dave Johnson is the cutest person alive, next to my husband? Ladies, if you are
single and looking for a great guy, Dave is your man. Handsome in a Scandinavian kind of way, and polite
and kind, Dave is the quintessential Nice Guy. He does exist!
Well! My skin feels all tingly, which cannot be a good sign of anything. I will attempt to sleep. Erin Go Bragh!
March 17th, 7:24 am
Good morning, sunshine!
Happy St. Patrick's day to one and all. It looks like our upcoming trips are shaping up well. Our Michigan
tour should now include dates in Saginaw and Evart. We get confirmation on both places soon. And our
Denmark trip now includes going to an Anne Linnet concert. That should be a barrel of fun! She writes
happy music, so I am looking forward to it. "Time og Dag og Uge" .... everyone sing along!
Aage told me his sister saw our news spot on Northwest Cable News. That's pretty cool.
Library Coffeehouse tomorrow night! Hope to see lots of you there!
March 13th, 9:35 PM
Hooray. Our Bar Mitzvah was loads of fun. Aage and I had lots of fun playing Klezmer stuff with Tom Shook,
as well as premiering his new piece. It was the Tom Shook Festival. Very happening. Our West Side Story
arrangement was also well received. Darkwood is fun!
Time for a story about a violist of the future. Remember this name: Joe Burquist
Joe is a ninth grade violist who plays in the Boise High Chamber Orchestra. Today, Joe hooked up his old
viola with a pickup, ran it through a guitar pedal processor, and played the National Anthem, Hendrix style,
for the YMCA Regional swim meet. Not only is Joe an amazing viola player, he is an amazing swimmer. I
went to hear him play this morning, and stayed to see him swim. It was just incredible. Because I spend a
portion of my life training for triathlons, I know exactly how hard it is to swim well! I am very proud of him.
His Mom was cute-she invited me into the 'coaches lounge' because I am Joe's viola coach!
If you don't hear of Joe in the viola world fifteen years from now, it will only be because he decided to
pursue swimming instead.
March 11th, 10:58 am
Today is another day chock full o'media coverage. We're going to be on the Channel 2 News "What a Great
State!" feature. It was fun to film the segment. We were over at Le Café de Paris. I knew almost everyone
dining there, except for two very confused patrons. I am sure they had no idea what was going on. Super
cool! The cameraman kept getting right into my personal space while I was playing. Of course, it's not easy
to continue playing, so I am sure there are many blackmailable moments on the video. He'd be crawling
about on the floor and zooming in on my bow hand, or something. It was awkward. Well, we'll see how it
turns out! Tune into Idaho Channel 2 at 5:30 and 10PM tonight!
March 6th, 8:09 PM
The Viola Congress website has been updated. Have a look! Viola Congress 2005. If you go to the page
marked "Preliminary Programme" you can find out when we are playing. The time difference between
Reykjavik and Boise will be 6 hours on those days. So, we play at 11:00 am Iceland, which is 5 am Boise.
There's not Daylight Savings time, so that closes the gap by an hour. One less hour for me to fritter away
biting my nails and having stomach juices eat a hole in my stomach. I'm certain none of the other viola
congress participants are this nervous about playing. Or, hey! Maybe they are! Are you a viola congress
participant? I'd love to hear from you! Send me an e mail!
March 5th, 11:50PM
Hey all. Just got in from a stupendously fun time with Debbie (horn), Bob (Debbie's Husband), Dave
(ex-principal viola, Iceland Symphony), Patience (viola) and Chad. (my husband) We had an interesting gig
with the Boise Master Chorale, playing a new work by composer Vijay Singh. I guess there is a golfer by the
same name. But it's not him. The piece is really quite nice. Jim Jirak, who conducts the Boise Master
Chorale, does a great job. He's always clear, respectful, and pleasant. Yay Jim!
At rehearsal today, I lost a bet with Patience. We had rehearsed the entire piece, and I was certain we'd be
let go early. Patience said "I bet you two dollars he says ' Let's take ten minutes and come back and run the
whole thing!' I thought for sure we'd just be done. So, I opened my big mouth and upped the ante.
"I'll bet you a Margarita after tonight's show that we can just go home."
Patience replied "I like the way you think!"
Well, I lost, and Patience instead opted for the chocolate martini, while I had the Blue Coconut Something
Or Other. It was really good. We went downtown to Opa, which is right next door to the Cazba. Both are
owned by Max Mohammedi, who is a local arts supporting kind of guy. Remember, support local businesses
who support the arts! Together, we all make a difference!
Hmmm, what does this have to do with Iceland? Nothing!
86 days to go!
March 3rd, 11:56 PM
Alrighty then! We were featured in the Idaho Arts Quarterly. Have a read of this lovely article.
I managed to scrape together the money for the conference fees. The very patient Marla from US Bank
helped me fill out the necessary forms to wire the money. It was pretty confusing, and I'm still not sure if
I've paid or not. I haven't heard from the Congress folks yet about it. There may be some surprised
Icelandic farmer wondering where on earth the 44600 Icelandic Kroner came from.
Random Iceland Fact: The national bird is the Puffin. Puffins make a sound sort of like a muffled chainsaw.
Try it with me: mrrrrrgh mrrrrrgh. Have fun with THAT, spell check!
It seems I now have more money invested in airfare than I have invested in any sort of retirement fund. But
this could be a true statement just about everyday, whether I am going anywhere or not...
Maybe IRA stands for It's Really Airfare.
So, are you reading this blog on any sort of regular basis? Or did you just get here trying to track actual
information about the viola congress, or Iceland? You should send me an e mail. Because I don't always
sleep well and will probably write you back. At like, three in the morning or something.
February 26th, 9:12 PM
Just got in from a super fun time at the Prairie Dog Theater. Need a fun evening of silly, campy,
family-friendly theater? PD Playhouse is the place for you. I am very impressed with an organization that
managed to create the following as a line in the show this evening:
"And then, we'll take over Garden City! And then, the Treasure Valley! And then? DARKWOOD CONSORT!!!!
Muahahahahahah!!!!"
Right on Gary, and the PD Playhouse crew. Please click on the link, and visit their website.
The Benefit Concert went well. We raised about $1700, which turned out to be enough to get our plane
tickets. Hooray. Jamie Wright at Global Travel was very helpful, and got us the low fare of $770 per ticket.
The next big hurdle is paying for the conference fees. And then corralling enough money for food while we
are there.
Hey, need a fun activity the morning of March 7th? Show up at Le Café de Paris a little before 9 am. Aage
and I are filming a news story with Channel 2 News. We'll be on the "What a Great State!" segment.
"What a Great State!" reminds me of just before we moved to Boise, and Chad took a job with a traveling
children's theater company. They did this show all about Michigan History. So, Chad had all these songs
burned into his brain about "It's a Great Lakes State!" and "Michigan Produce Sure is Yummy!" and stuff like
that. There was this guy in the show, Bill, who came up with filthy lyrics to all of the songs. So now,
whenever I hear the words "What a Great State!" I have to try really hard to think of nice, clean, pure
thoughts. Isn't it funny what stays with us, even years later? I'm sure Bill has no idea that pretty much all I
remember about that show was his 'alternative' lyrics. And, of course, that I had to drop Chad off at the
theater headquarters at about five in the morning four days a week. Chad would usually have a coffee and
a doughnut, and be overly cheerful, and then say something like "You know what I could go for? Some
coffee, and a doughnut! Can we stop?" It really messed with their heads.
It's been a fairly mellow week. It makes me realize just how tired I am!
Only 93 days until we leave for Iceland!
February 16th, 8:45 PM
Well, this just in! Darkwood Consort has also been invited to present a recital at the World Bass Clarinet
Convention in Rotterdam, Holland, in October, 2005! More information will be forthcoming, as soon as Aage
and I stop flapping our hands around, shrieking. Yay!
And I thought 2004 was a good year! Yeeehaw! Go Darkwood!
February 12th, 10:57 PM
Ooooh. Plane ticket prices have dropped to about $800 a ticket. I may be able to purchase my tickets
sometime this week, if my check from adjudicating comes in, and some of my students pay their lesson fees
on time. Or if a bunch of folks buy concert tickets!
I had a fun experience at the grocery store today. My usual cashier (Leonard) recognized me from the TV
thing. He said "I didn't know you were a musician!" To which I said, "Well, that explains why I can only afford
to buy three items at a time!"
February 8th, 5:14 PM
We've now booked our lovely accommodations. Check it out at www.icelandvacationflats.com. It looks very
cute. The owner, Scott, is an art broker, or gallery owner (I forget which) who goes to Iceland a few times a
year to bring back contemporary Icelandic art. Staying in an apartment will help us save some money,
because we can cook our meals there instead of going out for every meal. I was reading all of these
semi-depressing statistics like: "Food in Iceland is at least four times the cost in the United States, because
of all sorts of import tariffs!" and "Why is Iceland so expensive? Turn to page 23 for more information!" or,
my favorite, from Budget Travel "An average stay in Iceland will cost you about $200 an evening!" Hooray.
Don't forget to purchase your benefit concert tickets!!
Did you see us on Idaho Life? If not, click here for an amusing two minutes. You'll need Windows Media
Player.
February 4th, 2:01 am
Good morning!
Yesterday, I had the extremely humbling experience of not one, but two people handing me relatively large
donations for the Iceland trip. I am very grateful for the generosity of so many people.
It reminds me of those sports-themed movies where a team from a small town wins some sort of regional
championship, and the whole town pools their resources together to get them to the big state finals game,
with nice new uniforms, and decent accommodations, and, I dunno, shiny new basketballs, or whatever.
And then the team goes on to win, and show the world that good things can come from small towns, and
then we see clips of what happened to all these kids twenty years later, and they're all hugely successful.
No one is a drunk, or in jail: everyone is some sort of hero, and has an impressive sounding title, and
meaningful hobbies.
Chip Wingleberry , who scored the winning point at the State Finals by miraculously making a free throw, when
he not ever made a free throw the entire four years of his high school basketball career, is now the CEO of
Motivators International Synergy Systems. In his free time, he trains assistance dogs for the athletically impaired.
You know, that sort of thing.
But these movies always have that great community pride and spirit that seems to be so lacking in many
places. It's refreshing to see how much Boise and my little circle of students, families and friends, care
about me, and this opportunity.
February 1, 10:43 PM
Well, we had our "Idaho Life" segment air tonight. It was really good, except for one bit where Brian made it
seem like ALL we do are duos. That's not the case. Flute player Karlin Coolidge is a respected member of
the group who contributes greatly to our home series. For touring and recording, we operate as a duo. We
mentioned that quite a lot during the interview, but it somehow didn't sink in. We love you Karlin!
Also, the interview brought forth the clear and evident need for me to do something about my eyebrows.
Yowza. It's like Brooke Shields on Rogaine.
January 31st, 11:57 am
I got a phone call from KTVB's Brian Holmes! I sent him an e mail about our Iceland adventure, so he will be
doing an "Idaho Life" story about Darkwood on Tuesday's News at 5 and 10. Yay, Darkwood!! It may even be
available for Internet watching. Neat. Now I have to obsess about what to wear. Do you have an opinion?
I'd certainly appreciate any advice anyone has in this regard. Send me an e mail.
Wow, Iceland is freakin' EXPENSIVE. Lodging will cost almost as much as a plane ticket, and it looks as if
nothing is inexpensive, at all. I think I will be packing a suitcase full of Nutella and bagels for this
adventure. I can understand that virtually everything is imported, but YIKES.
My friend Dave was the principal violist with the Iceland Symphony for a year back in the 80's. He has been
trying to amuse me with his 'extensive' Icelandic vocabulary. So far, this has come down to one word, that I
don't remember, but meant something like "Ick!" Dave is the perfect blend of being extremely focused, yet
horribly absent-minded all at the same time. For instance, Dave can play pretty much any piece of music
flawlessly, but is incapable of correctly buttoning up his shirt. One time, he showed up to rehearsal, and
his shirt was half open, and was not even CLOSE to having the correctly related buttons and holes lined
up. Of course, Dave can play circles around me.
Back to doing work for Credo. It seems the more stuff I do, the more there is to get done. I may have to
break down, and take a whole entire day off.
January 17th, 10:17 PM
Yesterday's concert was a big success. It seems that more and more folks are finding their way to
Darkwood concerts. Yay. We made the big announcement that Aage and I will be going to Iceland! The
audience approved. We've also started getting organized for the Benefit Concert, and sold some tickets. A
program will be available soon. We will have to sell lots of tickets to cover airfare, registration fees, hotel,
meals, transportation etc.
It looks like we'll be playing our Finn Hoffding piece "Dialogues" as well as the Carl Nielsen "Tro og Haab
Spiller" (Faith and Hope are Playing) and the Finnur Torfi Stefannson Unisono Lag. Fun! The congress
organizers have been very prompt in responding to any questions we've had, and enthusiastic about our
accepting their offer to play. We are attempting to contact Mr. Stefansson to let him know we are playing
his music at the Congress. He's a lawyer in Iceland, if my memory serves me well.
January 15th, 10:33 PM
I can't believe we have been invited to play at an International Viola Congress! I attempted to explain this to
my Dad, letting him know this is something like being asked to play in an All-Star game. After spending
about 3 days in a hand-flapping, shrieking state, I've started to realize all of the work that is going to have
to go into this trip. I am so honored to have been asked to play!
We've started planning a benefit concert, because apparently everything in Iceland is about three times
more expensive than it is here. I'm not surprised, considering everything has to be imported. Our plane
tickets are about $1000 each, so for me, and Chad, and Aage, we're looking at about $3000, which is more
than I've spent on several of my cars. It's almost as much as my current viola! Hey, want to buy a benefit
ticket? E mail me! Anyway, there's also the hotel, and the food, and a bus pass, and about a million other
things. Plus, I have to not look like a slob on stage...I think another shopping adventure to ISHI is coming
up soon.
NOTE: Shopping in Downtown Boise is SO MUCH BETTER than going to the mall. Props to the gang at ISHI
Nights for being helpful, yet not pushy, and for having a whole store full of interesting, reasonably priced
dress clothes. I really, really hate shopping, and my entire experience there was easily the most fun I've
ever had shopping for clothes. Located at 9th and Bannock, a trip to ISHI Nights is well worth the 75 cents
you may have to pay for parking.
