Life, Loss, and Learning

Monastery of St. Stephen | Meteora, Greece

I've written previously on this blog (and elsewhere) about my own personal journey with finding balance. Like many others before it, this past springtime and early summer have proven to be both (1) rewarding in terms of opportunity; and (2) challenging in terms of maintaining balance. I think this is especially common in artistic and academic circles, with a wealth of performances, summer festivals, and a more active schedule in general. For me, this often results in the distinct feeling that I'm walking a tightrope: enjoying some incredibly fulfilling artistic moments while simultaneously battling a state of perpetual exhaustion. Much of April through June has felt this way, and I'm coming up for air to reflect a bit after some transformative experiences shared with colleagues, friends, and family.

In April and May, the struggle to maintain balance was tested with many more opportunities to work in Atlanta, travel to eight different states, and my solo debut with the KSU Wind Ensemble. Maintaining a rhythm of exercise, spending time with Casey, and working with my students was grounding for me during this time. I also really loved working on the Curnow Concertpiece (my solo with the Wind Ensemble), and sharing that performance with many of my students was certainly a highlight of the spring semester. Finishing the academic year by rejoining the Lexington Phil to perform Rite of Spring and getting some "hang time" with Stephen, Casey, and Victor was also a blast - I love getting to go back to Lexington, and am grateful for every opportunity that I have! The following week, my students played some outstanding juries, and I am quite proud of the progress our Studio has made this past year.

May was a month of both celebrations and loss. We celebrated Casey's birthday with a trip to Buffalo Trace and some awesome meals. We celebrated my graduation from the University of Kentucky with my doctorate (albeit one year late), and I was grateful to my parents (Mom, Dad, Rachel and Tom) who all made the trip out from the Mountain West to commemorate the occasion! I celebrated two KSU seniors, Ben and Austin, who both graduated with their degrees in trumpet; one of them is playing full-time with the 116th United States Army Band, and the other is getting ready to start his master's degree on a full tuition scholarship. I had the incredible opportunity to sub into the National Tour for the musical "Book of Mormon," one of the most fun gigs I've ever played! The experience of being flown to Denver, shadowing the show, and jumping in to play with zero rehearsal was certainly stressful, but taught me a great deal. Thanks to Sean for the opportunity!

At the same time, I also learned that my grandmother had passed away at 92 years old, after battling dementia and some other health conditions for the past several years. Road tripping from Denver to Texas with my family was an unexpected week of reflection, valued time together, and many emotional challenges. While it's never easy to let someone go, I am thankful for this time with my family and the opportunity to remember my grandmother. She was a staunch supporter of my passion for music, and my musical education; many of my cousins and I were able to honor her by providing the music at her memorial service, along with a family "jam" later that same evening in her house.

Nature and community heals. After less than 24 hours back in Atlanta, Casey and I headed for the mountains. It was great to reconnect with our friends Austin and Sarah as they prepare for a move from SLC to California. On our way to the Gros Ventre of Wyoming, we also had the opportunity to see Jordan, Dakota, and Bosler in their magical Lander home. Four days of living off-grid, hiking, looking for bears, feeling the mountains, sitting quietly around a cracking fire, and fly casting at fishy looking drifts had me feeling a bit more human. For us, Grand Teton is sacred ground and I'm so thankful for that time!

This year's ITG Conference was also an incredibly fulfilling experience. I had a blast in my new role as Assistant Volunteer Coordinator working alongside Aaron Jensen, and I learned so much from our thoughtful, hardworking, and attentive volunteer crew. Many good times, long days, and step counts above 20,000... Masterful performances by my friend Ashley Hall, as well as Caleb Hudson, Sergei Nakariakov, Summer Camargo, Tom Hooten, and too many others to list them all. It was also deeply meaningful to present my emerging research on the twentieth-century school of trumpet performance and pedagogy in Greece. This area has developed a great personal significance for me, after completing two trips to Greece in the past two years for field research and teaching/performing in Corfu (more on that below). My friend, mentor, and ITG President-Elect Jason Dovel was there to personally introduce my session, and we twinned outfits - unplanned!

As I'm writing this, I've just returned from a 2nd trip to Greece and the Corfu International Trumpet Festival. This has become a treasured time for me each year, largely because I feel like these visits to Greece have given me so much! When I'm there, I learn to embrace a slower, more relaxed pace. I meet the most kind, generous, and gracious people, eager to share their food, culture, music, and generosity. I've made and deepened some tremendous friendships. And, I've had the opportunity to bring my students as well, introducing them to a broader worldview and the joys of international travel.

I'm grateful to Jason and Julia for their tireless work organizing the festival, and for inviting me to serve twice now on the faculty. I'm equally grateful to the other amazing faculty, their students, and my own, for cultivating an atmosphere where we can learn and grow together. I am grateful to my Greek brothers (maybe uncles?), Gerassimos and Sokratis, whose hospitality and generosity never seem to cease. Without them, my research would never have gotten off the ground, and I am honored for their support. They also really know how to eat a fantastic meal! I am especially thankful this year for my friend Aaron, who said "yes" to traveling Greece for a week with someone he barely knew, after meeting last year. We had an incredible adventure this year, and I've got a feeling that it's just the first of many.

As always, if you've read this far, thanks! I love getting to share my thoughts and adventures with those who care to read them. With another (slower) season of rest and recovery on the horizon, I am grateful for my awesome community of family and friends - throughout the globe!

With Love,

-Stephen