Friesen Talk

Writing about all the big & little things

Category: MMTA (Page 2 of 2)

Piano Contest Preliminaries

January 24, 2014 / / 0 Comments

That’s right–this weekend is the first level of the piano contest!  Can you believe it’s already that time again?  Wowsers.

I have 25 students participating this weekend.  Most of them are really prepared but a few… well… we’re hoping for the best.  😉  I’m hopeful that it will still be a good experience for all of them no matter the outcome.

I’m going to help out at the site tomorrow because the gal who took over for this year is a bit overwhelmed and has never done it before.  So, I agreed to come and “oversee” for a bit and help deflect any questions or problems that might arise.  It should be fun.  🙂

And then, of course, after this weekend my job really begins as we move toward the Piano Finals in March!  Whoo Hoo!!

I survived!!!!–bet you were wondering, huh?

March 20, 2013 / / 2 Comments

I’m finally done.   I spent yesterday cleaning out all of my contest stuff and enjoying a day of peace.  I knew that today would be busy again since everyone would be receiving their results–and I was right.  I did have a few things to deal with and smooth over, but the bulk of the chaos is gone now.  I can’t believe how fast this past week went–it’s CRAZY that tomorrow is already THURSDAY!

Here are a few interesting specs from this weekend:

  • 1722 students participating
  • a gazillion dancers also at the U of M for a dance competition in the adjoining building
  • 37 hours I was at the U or MMTA office in 3 days
  • 30 volunteers cancelled (shame on them!)
  • 11 volunteers didn’t show up when they were supposed to
  • 4 judging rooms missing piano benches.  Weird, huh?
  • 3 full days of eating the same box lunches (yes, that was 6 meals all the same!)
  • 2 college student violin players that I had to ask to leave since they were distracting
  • 1 volunteer fell down and hurt herself
  • 1 student threw up in the lobby (yuck!)
  • 2 of my students won and 2 are alternates (yippie!)
  • 0 unhappy parents yelling at me!

The dance competition, along with the bitter cold temperatures, were a bit of a nuisance, but we dealt with it all.  I had to rearrange the registration area after the first day because the cold air rushing in on the volunteers was just too cold.  Plus the gal in charge of selling the MMTA logowear ended up having to go to the hospital with her daughter–her gallbladder was just about to rupture so she was scheduled for an emergency removal.  It was actually a huge blessing because her daughter had JUST returned from college on spring break and she walked in and told her Mom that she was in severe pain and they rushed right to the hospital.  I’m just so glad that she made the trip home and didn’t have to deal with that on her own away at college!

Everything else went great.  Can you believe this is my 6th year doing this?  Wow!  I always forget what LONG days it is on contest weekend.  I was so sore by the end of the Saturday that I came home, kissed the kids goodnight, and then sat in the hot tub for a long time.  Plus I was really stressed about the weekend so I somehow tweaked my neck earlier in the week… grrr.. it hurt so bad, I was worried I wouldn’t be able to look down, or carry any of my bins of stuff to the U.  I just took a lot of Advil and tried to sleep propped up, so I wouldn’t hurt it again.  I mean, of all the weeks!  Ugh!  Anyway, I’m feeling much better today–not totally better, but close.

In other news we decided the time had come to rent a storage unit.  We were planning to put our stuff in the garage, but it became apparent to us as we started packing, that there wasn’t any way we were going to be able to fit that.  So, we found a place right here in town and have already started filling it.  It’s exciting.  I also sent out my note to all my students informing them that we are starting the process of looking for a new house.  I wanted them all to be aware before they discovered a “For Sale” sign in our yard!  So, things are really rolling now.

 

You might not hear from me for a while…

March 3, 2013 / / 2 Comments

So things are finally in full swing here. I had my first volunteer day today and all the MMTA totes & boxes have emerged from the basement to take over the downstairs. See?

contest boxes

The good news is that we were able to get a lot accomplished today even with a very small number of women who came out to help. I’m pleased.

But now I have a very messy house and an extremely long “to-do” list for tomorrow. So, I’m off to bed. I have the feeling that my posts are going to be far and few between for the next two weeks as things get more and more crazy.

So, I’ll talk to you all later!

Alive.

March 13, 2012 / / 2 Comments

I made it through another contest weekend. It was a VERY long three day weekend, but it’s all over now and I’m trying to catch back up the MANY things that have fallen by the wayside…

So, even though I’m not busy with contest this week, I’m busy trying to get my life back in order from contest. I’m finally starting to feel like myself again, though. 🙂

Oh, and the house is finally nice and clean again. Yay!

Oh, and one of my students won and 2 are alternates.

Oh, and most importantly, my little brother and his wife bought a house today!!!!!!  Yippie!  (Or it might have been yesterday… hmm.. my days are all squished together)

Super Stressed

March 6, 2012 / / 2 Comments

I’m sorry I haven’t posted… every time I sit down to write something I think of a million other things I need to do or I start to complain about how stressed out I am.  So, I opt not to write.  No one needs to hear me complaining–except Tim who’s stuck with me!  haha!

So, in an effort to be less “woe is me” and more positive I’ve decided to just post pictures from now until contest is over.  It will be a whole week of “Wordless Wednesday’s!”  Aren’t you excited?  I thought so.  🙂

This was Chloe's creative way to hold JD up while he was playing so he wouldn't tip over. It looks pretty weird, but it's very effective! And look how happy he is!!

(oh, and since you asked Mom, I’ve only managed to fit in one day of good practice since you were here.. not good, I know… but tomorrow is another day!  It looks like I’ll be practicing really hard for the week after contest before you come again… but don’t worry, I’ll get it learned.  ;))

Goodbye World. Contest season is here again!

February 18, 2012 / / 0 Comments

Yup, it’s that time again.  Contest season.

So, I apologize in advance for not finding time to call many of you… or returning emails in a timely manner… or sending Birthday cards… or returning phone messages… gah!

I’m trying to be extra productive, but I just don’t seem to have enough hours in the day.  I had two more entrance interviews this past week.  I’ve started 7 new students since Christmas (which is great!)  but I’m feeling the stress of a full schedule.  And any free time lately has been taken up with practicing my piano duet for the Requiem (I’ll have to write more about that later… but it’s 31 pages of music!).

So, for the next 4 weeks I’m going to be crazy busy!  🙂  Luckily there is an end in sight!

Going to visit Shannon

November 4, 2011 / / 1 Comment

I’m heading to St. Cloud tomorrow to spend the afternoon with Shannon and help out with Xavi.  She is still on bed rest–can you believe it’s already been 26 days!?!   She’s officially 31.5 weeks along (if I remember correctly) and they hope she’ll make it to 36 weeks… so just a few more weeks to go.  I’m excited to see how much bigger her belly has grown since the last time I saw her.  🙂

In other news I went to see the Vintage Porch this morning–which is a house that my family is renting for New Year’s weekend when we all get together.  It’s sooooo cool.  I’m so excited.  (Oh, and if my family is reading this I wrote more about the house on our Christmas website so check there for more info.)  It’s going to be wonderful to be able to hang out in a larger house so we can all be together and not be tripping over each other like we would be here.  It makes me extra excited for Christmas to come!

I had a meeting in St. Paul this morning to help assign judges for the MMTA piano contest.  I was reminded how much I hate driving into the cities, and yet how unbelievably grateful I am to have a navigation application on my phone (which was a great help me when I got lost due to so much construction and detours…)  Tim was able to stay home with the kids this morning since his schedule is starting to wind down.  Then when I got home from my meeting he went to work for the afternoon.  He said he’s probably down to a week or less of work.  I can’t believe we’re already to his off season–this fall has just whizzed by!  I guess life with an infant will make things a blur…

Speaking of infant–he’ll be turning 4 months in November and do you know what that means?  He gets to start trying a few “solid” foods!  Not that he needs help growing more by any means, but it will be a fun new chapter in his life.  🙂  That also means it’s just about time to dig out and clean off our high chair for round two in the Friesen household!

A little of this and that

September 20, 2011 / / 1 Comment

This morning I went to my first music seminar–the gal was presenting contest music for the 11-12 year old category.   There were a few fun songs I’m sure my students will enjoy learning and I was able to get recordings of them all which was wonderful.  I had forgotten how out of practice I am at sitting and learning, however.  It was very difficult for me to just focus on what she was saying without my mind wandering to the endless list of things I need to get done this week.  I know I’ve said it before, but I’ll say it again–I’m looking forward to these first few weeks being over.

In other news I am now officially enrolled in BSF (Bible Study Fellowship).  I went last week to an introduction class to get my name on the list to see if I could get in and I was contacted yesterday saying they had a spot for me.  I’m excited and nervous all at the same time.  They don’t have a class just yet for JD, so I’ll have to bring him with me for a week or two to my class, but they said they were working on getting it all set up.  And Chloe has already signed up under Kristen so she has a spot.  In fact she was able to go all last year as well and just loved it, so I’m happy to be able to take her again this year.  So, that’s where we’ll be on Wednesday mornings this year!

It was very windy tonight.  And chilly.  Fall just might be here to stay!  Yippie for sweaters and scarves.  😀

By the end of this week, Chloe will have had 7 different babysitters.  Can you believe that?  SEVEN!  And actually 8 if  you include her Bible Study class tomorrow morning… Needless to say, this is a rather crazy week in our household!

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