Tulips and Tchaikovsky

My new life routine involves a daily splurge for sunshine, seizing every possible opportunity to enjoy the outdoors and restock my system with some natural Vitamin D! Yesterday I had a Fulbright friend visiting Moscow, so I popped into the metro to meet up with her at one of my favorite Moscow locations: Novodevichy Monastery. The last time I visited, the leaves were brilliantly colored for our one glorious week of autumn and it was stunning. But yesterday's picture was equally beautiful (though my lack of a camera made it significantly less documented).

In case you can't tell, I'm pretty ecstatic about a season that is not winter and doesn't require me layering myself in all the clothing I own for 20 minutes before leaving the house!

A bit later in the evening, I made another Moscow pilgrimage to the Tchaikovsky Concert Hall. If you're ever feeling like an evening out, this is a great place to go! You can purchase tickets here for concerts at the Tchaikovsky Concert Hall as well as any events held at the Conservatory. It's another beautiful Musical Moscow location and it's been my second music home in Moscow. Last night my Russian sister and partner-in-crime joined me for a concert with American soprano, Sarah Coburn.

(Photo taken from the Tchaikovsky Hall website)

As a trained musician, I think one of the greatest blessings in my life is the ability to sit back and enjoy an evening of music. The analytical side of a musical brain that's developed over years of training can't be turned off completely, but for me I find it rarely interferes with the simple joy of listening. Often I find it's strangely difficult for musicians to get past the performer...we're so critical of ourselves as we strive to hone our artistic skills that it's easy to become equally critical of others and, in doing so, miss the music. And, while I'm obviously not immune to critical listening, I don't feel the musical equivalent of being a doctor "on call," with my brain actively providing a diagnosis of everything that could be "fixed." I have friends that would like to be able to do the same, but are wired in such a way that going to a concert often seems more of a task than a pleasure. And I return to my first statement of gratitude.

It was especially enjoyable having my Russian sister at my side. I love introducing friends to classical music, with an emphasis on the opera of course. Hearing what they enjoyed and their reactions to the repertoire is frequently fascinating, as it offers a new perspective on my everyday "work." Nastya fell for the Mozart, which only made me love her more! We followed up the concert with a milkshake (on my end) and celery juice (on hers) at the neon-styled Starlite Diner. An American ending to a perfect day in Moscow!