LeslieUpchurch.com

Played first Duo Fortuna gig last evening and taught 2 classes today.

After my 5 classes at the JCC and a private theory student, I went into Manhattan to play a gig at a club.  Though I am glad the Yankees were in and won the Pennant race, the traffic was horrible!

The gig was fun, not many people there, but one woman does a blog about her travels.  She is a singer and has recordings and this blog.It is called Feroucious World, and she said out music drew her in from the street.  We had fun and have another gig in 2 weeks - at ABC No Rio at 156 Rivington Street in the lower east side.

Taught two classes today, and my classes are all going well.  It is because I am not teaching too much.  When I teach too much I do not teach as well.  I don't need to teach constantly to get in the zone - I know where my zone is and I am managing to capitalize on it now.  This after 36 years of teaching - at last!  

This does not mean I never taught well before.  I have had tremendous experiences teaching, particularly preschool students. At one point I was really an early childhood music specialist. Then I was teaching at K to 8 schools and doing pretty well.  i peaked at The Maple Street School where I was the founding music teaching and went from teaching 50% to full time after a few years.  When I left it was because I needed to come back to the NYC area.  I needed the energy, the endless possibilities, and the excitement.  

There are of course things that were MUCH easier in Vermont - such as parking the car or traffic.  But easier is not always gratifying.  Being a big fish in a small pond is not always that great.  I need the next challenge, the next opportunity, a new twist in the road.  Being here is doing that for me.

I don't live in NYC, but, as I have said, I look at it from my apartment and I LOVE the view.  I have my cool dog Keesha - though she is very old, she is entertaining and company.

My new roommate, Neetu, loves her and Keesha is very happy with her.  The fun of a bigger place than Manhattan could provide for me is fantastic.  I get to move around, have a roommate, and my dog has enough space.  She is a husky/German shepherd mix.

Tomorrow, yoga and piano teaching - the basic wheel of my existence.  I love my piano students, so I look forward to seeing what they have been doing this week!