After a particularly trying and stressful month, we are hopping on a plane tomorrow. One night in Adelaide to break the journey, then 6 nights in Darwin to be at the wedding of two lovely friends. Then back to Adelaide for 8 days before heading home. Really looking forward to a break. Work has been madness, and I've had back-to-back deadlines (not the note-writing variety, sadly) for several weeks now, with the TSO Composers' School thrown into the mix.
The kids are growing and changing so much. It's going to be lovely to have some warmth and sunshine and just enjoy some time together without running from one thing to the next. Alexander is going from strength to strength, his teacher is very happy with him, particularly his reading, and he seems to have settled in well at school after a few months of testing the boundaries.
Lillian is 21 months and toddling around with increasing confidence. She has a killer grin and such an animated face. She's suddenly acquired a lot of words; they're not crystal clear (she is so little after all), but her favourites are 'bath', 'car', 'cuddle', 'wa-wa' (yoghurt), 'nana' (banana), 'A-sanda' (usually yelled very loudly at the top of the stairs first thing in the morning), 'apple', 'gee' (drink)... sorry, I've forgotten that relating toddler development milestones is excruciatingly boring to anyone other than parents and grandparents!
I'd quite like to get back to writing some music one day soon. I wonder when that will happen? Next semester looks to be pretty heavy-going with four visiting composers coming to Hobart, which is tremendously exciting. Katy Abbott came in first semester to teach and speak about her work, and next semester's composers include Roger Smalley and Raffaele Marcellino. I really like this program of composers-in-residence. I think it's great for the students and also gives me an opportunity to meet these composers and get to know them and their music.
See you when we get back!
Take the Quiz here!