Happy birthday

This week might be the longest birthday celebration for me ever. It all started last week, when some fellow Facebookers saw my name in a list of upcoming birthdays. Assumptions began to be made, and I started getting Happy Birthday greetings a week early. Kind of reminds me of singing Christmas carols during Advent.

Then four days before the actual day, I was treated to a most delightful surprise party.

Then three days before the actual day, I was treated to another most delightful surprise party.

The gifts have been extravagant. New flight simulator software, and some wonderful Dutch organs on the Hauptwerk system.

As of this writing, it's still not my birthday, but I am certainly enjoying the new toys and the chocolate cake. Tomorrow is Birthday Eve, and there shall be another party with drinks and chocolate cake. The Day itself will be spent teaching and then driving to my aunt's house, where I will enjoy home cooking.

And more chocolate cake.

Laissez les bon temps roulez.

Family pride

I'm proud of my kids.

I don't have children. I have students. And sometimes it is appropriate to call them kids. Not because they're childish, but because they accomplish things that 'students' don't usually accomplish at that age. Sometimes the most endearing title I can come up with is Kids.

My kids have now been invited to play two recitals on the road as a studio. To my knowledge, this is a first at our university. They will be playing at the First Presbyterian Church of Bristol, Tenn., on Sunday, February 9. Then they have an unconfirmed date to play in Tuscaloosa, Ala.

They're also headed back to Kilgore, Tex., in a couple weeks for the third annual East Texas Pipe Organ Festival.

And I'm receiving email after email from people who have delighted in our recent vintage photos in The American Organist magazine. One caption was, "All dressed up -- and going places."

It all makes a father proud.

POE 2013

Just arrived in Birmingham, Ala., for the 2013 American Guild of Organists southeast region IV Pipe Organ Encounter. Twenty-some teenagers and ten-some faculty have gathered for a week of lessons, recitals, Southern hospitality, and Southern heat. My dorm room at Samford University is most comfortable, with plenty of air conditioning, a private bath, and no roommate. Life, for this week at least, is good.

Then it's on to Kilgore, Tex., to make friends with an organ I'll be playing on in November for a bunch of Aeolian-Skinner enthusiasts. For a recital such as that, one should make a special trip to plan the perfect program. And it's always a good excuse to eat good Mexican.

And in all this, have bike, will travel. My usual summer weight loss program is well underway. It consists of two bike rides daily, plus the time to take them (something that doesn't exist when school is in session).

Happy summer.

Summer 2013

Summer 2013 may go down as the summer of the least amount of practice time for me EVER. That's not necessarily a bad thing.

Summer travels have begun. Last week, I took my studio into the Midwest to visit organ building shops. Visit the studio's Facebook page to read and view all about it. We had a great time.

Then two weeks at home, then I'm off to the American Guild of Organists Pipe Organ Encounter in Birmingham. Then a week or so more on the road, including to Kilgore, Tex., to begin selecting a program to play for the third annual East Texas Pipe Organ Festival in November. Then off to a tandem bike tour from Paris to Strasbourg to Amsterdam! Then classes begin five days after returning home. By the time that day rolls around, I will probably wish I had practiced...

Last Dance

Tomorrow, I'm off to play my final recital for this season. Six recitals in five weeks. It was a quick Spring, but it will be over Tuesday night. I'll follow that recital with dinner, of course.

Then classes will wind down pretty soon after, and I'm looking forward to filling my head this summer with newly memorized notes: Widor Romane, the next two or three installments of the complete Franck (probably the first two Chorals; I haven't decided), maybe the Dupré A-Flat Prelude and Fugue, and maybe some Reger.

Any suggestions? I'm all ears.