As I type this, I'm sitting in the car (a rented Buick Enclave) heading towards Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Today is Monday, February 22nd, 2010. My end destination is Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, specifically the Curtis Institute of Music. I audition there on Wednesday, the 24th, something that both terrifies and amazes me. I have been working to this point since I began playing violin...well, perhaps not exactly this, but at least some semblance of success.
This first post will be a little sappy, just to warn you all, but it is necessary, because I believe thanks to all who have helped me reach this place are in order.
First of all, to my parents, Robert Clink and Robyn Lin. I would not have even begun playing violin when I did had they not been so supportive of my simple wish. Not many would have indulged a four-year-old who walked up to her mother and told her, "Mommy, I want to be a violinist." However, my mother did, and told my father as well, and I began lessons with my first teacher, Beverly Beheim.
To Beverly, I owe thanks to making sure I did the best I could on every piece I played, and for teaching me the Suzuki method. As much as it drove me crazy, I came out of it with an ability to memorize music very quickly.
To TingTing Zhu, my second violin teacher, I owe thanks for overwhelming me with music, and teaching me to find myself more in my music, and to truly start making music my own.
To my teacher this summer, Susannah Gilmore, thank you for working patiently with me on my Sibelius, and for introducing me to the joys of Sevcik's etudes, Opus 8. They have worked wonders in helping me with bow control!!
To my Grandparents, Don and Judy Crooks, thank you for helping me emotionally and financially, you have provided so much for me in terms of motivation, and you have made so many things possible for me this year.
To my teacher at Interlochen this year, Mr. Sonner, thank you for helping me realize everything I can do, and helping me get those little details that really make a difference.
And to all my family and friends, thank you so much for sticking with me as I fumble my way through new music, old music, simple music, difficult music....I think you get the idea. I wouldn't have gotten this far if I didn't have all of you.
Speaking of where I am now, back to the narrative of this trip!!
I'm now on I-80, headed east towards Pittsburgh. I'm actually almost a day ahead of schedule, as my dad (he's driving me to Philly) originally planned to pick me up today (Monday). However, he picked me up yesterday afternoon (Sunday), as a blizzard was heading northwards. Any of you who have been up to Interlochen know how horrible it would be to drive through a blizzard in that area, and can duly understand why a change of plans was in order.
So, my father picked me up yesterday afternoon, and we drove down to the Detroit area, where we spent the night at my Uncle Bill and Aunt Cindy's house in Rochester. It was fun to chat with everyone there, seeing Bill and my dad together gives me an idea of how crazy they must have been growing up. Props to Grandma Judy for keeping those boys in line, they didn't turn out half bad!!
We set out from Rochester at around two this afternoon, and expect to reach Pittsburgh by about eight or so this evening. Once there, we'll find a hotel, and I'll practice my brains out (you can never practice too much in a situation like this)!!
More later!!
