"CAYENA@Casa de Teatro"

Last night was such a wonderful, soulful evening! First the Kalma concert: DIVINE! Then off to Casa de Teatro where I got to see my friends doing their thing: JAZZ & BLUES mixed in with contagious, tropical beats!


It made me so happy to be surrounded by people that appreciate GOOD music. Casa de Teatro is a hub of culture! It's one of my favorite places in this city; although, I don't go as often as I should. Interesting events are always taking place at Casa de Teatro, supporting and exposing local artists.

Last night, Cayena displayed its power of performance, its musical quality, its diversity, its astonishing charisma and, (BONUS!) its unexpected sense of humor! There were many great things going on on that stage: interesting colors added by the lively percussion player; phenomenal improv's by the trumpet and trombone players; the drummer's impeccable discharge of rhythms; outstanding compositions by the guitar and bass players; and overall, so much SOUL! When can I get more of this, pleaseeee?!

It was a pleasure to witness such upscale musicianship. Check 'em out if you reside in Dominican Republic!

"KALMING notes..."

I lived a truly magical experience today :) These are the little things that have been happening in DR that have kept me happy, satisfied, and wanting to stay for longer!

A couple of days ago, before starting yoga class, the director of the centre introduced us to a new student. Everytime she introduces me, she HAS to mention the fact that I'm a musician and that I play with the symphony. She sounds so proud that it makes me blush all the time! Reminds me of my dad ;) Anyways, that day in particular, she probably noticed herself how excited she sounded introducing me, and went on to say: "Hey! I have an idea; bring your clarinet one day and play for us. Let's make it something special; we'll decorate and invite students from the other classes. Mother's day is approaching! Maybe we can offer a little concert as a gift to the mothers at the centre!" She went on and on with ideas, and got ME all excited! "LET'S DO IT!", I said.

Before I knew it, the day of the mini concert came (today!) and I hadn't even decided what I'd play. About an hour before the time I had to be at the centre, I picked out a couple of excerpts from clarinet concert and solo pieces, mixed them all together, wrote down a list of order, and got dressed to go! The whole vibe I'd pictured was a hippie, chilled environment, and that's exactly how I dressed. I got to use these funky pants I bought in Spain, topped with my abosulte favorite: a wifebeater ;)

When I arrived at the centre, they were so excited to receive me. My yoga instructor approached me and told me to close my eyes for the surprise. With my eyes closed, he took my hand and led me to the outside terrace where we take our classes. When I opened my eyes, I saw exactly what I wanted to have seen! It was MAGICAL! He did a great job setting up a mini stage with the right kind of mood for what we wanted to share this night.

(right: I got pretty flowers! awww)

I talked to the audience, introducing each piece of music, some experiences, and just had lots of fun playing for them. The terrace was only lid with candles. I told the audience to sit back and relax listening to an instrument not too common to just sit and listen to around here. "Enjoy the KALMING notes that I will be playing for you tonight", I said. I sat down and played for about 45 minutes.

When I finished playing, they applauded with so much excitement. I could see the eyes lid with emotion and appreciation. It is truly FULFILLING to touch people in this way...

(right: me and my yoga instructor on his fab stage set up!)

I then offered them an extra little gift dedicated to all mothers, and sang a beautiful song I'd learned at CRESCENDO (my other job). Here's the song: "Señora, Señora". I was a little suffocated from having just played (it was so hot!), so I sound a little shaky and out of tune, jeje but the words are beautiful! Sorry for the non-spanish speakers :-/

"Flight of the Red Balloon"

I was at Movie Max the other day with a friend and bumped into something I thought I'd seen before. "I recognize that RED BALLOON...hmmmm", I thought, and immediately got a flashback of me, 5 or 6 years old, watching an older version of this film at a school in Manhattan, where we got free lunch, I don't exactly remember why ;)

I have got to rent it!

I didn't rent it that day because we were there for something else, but the red balloon on that cover stayed on my mind. A couple of days later, I went back and got it, and have just finished watching it.

There's something very peculiar about the last couple of months. I feel like after a couple of years of internal storms, a growing up process, and the past 2 years, falling back into my senses, I've entered a stage of RECOGNITION. It's like, in the process of growing up, I've earned as well as lost some things along the way, and those that I have lost are somehow coming back now. Perhaps because it is now that I am ready for them. Ready to use them, to understand them, or maybe, just ready to appreciate them.

Anyways, I remember being so young, and so happy about everything that was going on that day. I was accompanied by mommy, my little brother and a couple of cousins. We were all excited to get free lunch in school trays at the cafeteria, and then pass on to a big room where the french short film "THE RED BALLOON" was being shown.

I can recall my fascination with the plot of the story; I mean, here was a little boy being followed by a red balloon that, as wikipedia describes (I love wikipedia!), seemed to have a mind and will of its own! The entire story just follows around the balloon and the boy as they wander through the streets of Paris. Isn't it great?! If you've become at all intrigued with the description I've provided (wink*), you can watch it right HERE!

The new version that I just watched was also very good. I love Juliette Binoche and I love french films! Similar to the original movie, the red balloon also follows the little boy of THIS film...but not so crazy like the original one. The modern balloon is more discrete :) I enjoyed this film a lot too, and was just so excited to get these childhood flashbacks!

Oh! And a friend had mentioned something about a carrousel and "grabbing the brass ring", which I didn't understand, until a scene came up in this movie, were kids are trying to catch the brass ring while on the merry-go-round! I was looking for the scene in the film on youtube.com but couldn't find it. Take a look at this, though...just in case there is someone like me that doesn't know about this. Isn't it cool how we just keep learning little things each day?

Fragment: GOALS

This morning, excitement has taken over my heart!

One of my goals has been achieved ;)

This feeling makes me understand how important and valuable it is to write down one's goals. Writing them down makes them visible to you, therefore, makes it easier to commit because it makes you feel a certain sense of responsaibility. Writing them down also functions as a reminder; each time you bump into the piece of paper with your goals on them, you're reminded of the things you are supposed to be doing. And, it's just so liberating to scratch off the list when you've achieved one!

Today, I've been published! In my list of goals, one of them was exactly that...TO GET PUBLISHED...anywhere...whether it was a story I'd written, or someone writing about me.

A couple of months ago, a friend of mine, photographer Alina Vargas (http://www.alinavargas.com/), excited about my ABOTONADA creations, suggested me to be published at one of the magazines she collaborates with: REVISTA U (http://www.revistau.com/).

I was so excited when she told me about it. First of all, I love that magazine! I hunt for it each month, because it's a free mag and you bump into it randomly. Secondly, and most important, I immediately thought of my goals list ;)

She came to my house one day and photographed me with my button accessories; a couple of weeks later (while in Spain), I was interviewed via e-mail by Elvira Lora from U Mag; and this morning, while having my coffee, I bumped into my BUTTONED OBSESSION article ;) YEY!

Check it out at http://www.revistau.com/, page 16...and enjoy!

Fragment: CRESCENDO

Something's been latent on my mind for the past couple of days. I have to make a decision about working at CRESCENDO or moving on to something else. As I think about the pros and cons about staying and leaving, I realized that I've never blogged about THIS fragment of my life :)

CRESCENDO is a center for early childhood stimulation through music. The first day I sat in a session, I entered a magical world, where no word was spoken; everything was sung, danced about and/or acted out. The program is designed for babies from birth until children 5 years of age. The facilitator (which I later on became one) guides parents into activities that stimulate the babies through the repetition of musical patterns, which objective is to provide a nurturing experience that will serve as the foundation for their subsequent learning.

For the past 2 years, CRESCENDO has served as a space for personal and professional growth. Never would I have thought that by stimulating babies through music, they would be TEACHING ME so much! Working at CRESCENDO has been challenging but very rewarding. Babies' responses are random but SO real, and the whole objective is to put all their little responses into the musical context that is being worked at the moment, which then makes the babies feel like, "look, I must have done something right, she's using what I just 'said'" and this becomes a reassuring and learning experience for them, even at such early stages.

Now, the decision about moving on to something else comes entangled with the question of a LIFETIME! Where am I going with this? Does working at CRESCENDO bring me closer to the goals I want to achieve? Does it wisely fit in the grand scheme of my life plans?

Of course, all these thoughts came about after the fragments of my life started jumbling up.

Nowadays, I find myself RESTRUCTURING the FRAGMENTS of my life; and I'm wondering if CRESCENDO should keep being a fragment, or if I should use this time to get involved in other activities that will take me to new heights or complement my music career in other important ways.

Either path I choose, I am sure I've got a lot to win. Whether it is in the world of MUSICAL MOTHERING (I love this term used by Maria Jameau) or moving on to other music related activities.

I've been lucky to be part of the CRESCENDO family. Much love to Eli and Tia Mary (in the picture above, my bosses)!

Fragment: LIMITS

I am so loving my yoga class. I missed it terribly while I was in Spain! My body felt the difference. But besides the physical aspect, I just love everything else about it; the ambience, the people, the applause and the hug after each session, the meditation (one does not usually stop like this on own time!), the incense, the lavender color on the ceiling (I've mentioned this before, sorry!). This week, the teacher has been introducing some new stretching techniques by partnering people. At first, we all hesitated; there's just a natural level of discomfort when it comes to making yourself vulnerable in front of others. OMG! A stranger is going to touch me and help me stretch my body?! It's kind of intimidating, but after you cross that boundary, you discover that it is lovely to step into someone's space in this way. With no conversation, just touch and collaboration, a sense of community is created.

Anyways, yesterday my yoga instructor said something really interesting and powerful: "yoga is all about knowing the limits of your body...AND BREAKING THEM". WOW.

To stretch beyond your limits...isn't this a useful thought that can be applied to everything else in life? When you think you can just reach a certain level, a certain feeling, a certain place, a certain person...think again...and try to go further...reach further...work for more...do not conform...things can ALWAYS be better. OK, but don't go crazy, though. Just like in yoga, stretching your limit is done in a patient, slow, delicate fashion, so you don't hurt yourself. Little by little, treating your body with love, getting to know every sensation, you will know when to stop, rest, recover, and go on. Everyday, you'll be at least a millimeter further. I am not sure closer to what, but FURTHER ;)

Now, the interesting thing about this word/concept is that, in the last session with my therapist (before I left to Spain), we spoke about LIMITS. However, we did not talk about stretching my limits, it was more about defining them and establishing them in my life, so other people don't break them. This is a whole other perspective on LIMITS. I am not too sure I understood the benefits of her concepts. But in the days that followed, I learned some truths about limits through a couple of people and situations. So now, I am working on my LIMITS; it's the word of this season in my life. Limits in the things I say and share (DISCRETE); limits in what to say yes to and no to (ASSERTIVE); limits in the amount of friends that'll know EVERTHING about me (EXCLUSIVE); limits in relationships (IDENTITY); limits in what to give and how (SELECTIVE); limits, limits, limits...

There's a book my sister is reading, and that my little brother once recommended, which deals with this matter: John Henry Cloud's, "BOUNDARIES". I haven't read it myself, but I've heard very good things about it, so it's definitely on my 'TO READ' list.

I guess boundaries/limits ARE a healthy tool to use in life, either way. Whether you stretch your limits to make yourself stronger and/or reach further, or you establish them so other people or things don't go beyond them.

YES! I'm working on it ;)

"Clarinetisimo"

Off the plane from Spain, and I was back to my LIFE! Performing, helping out my teacher with a clarinet music festival he was organizing, hanging out with my girls Lau and Alaimette, and back to the wonderful little routines of my life.

CLARINETISIMO was a success! 5 days full of clarinet masterclasses, concerts, exhibitions, talks, and collaborating with other colleagues, held at the National Conservatory of Music here in DR. as a I think my profe's standards for the festival were met, so he is very happy; hence, so am I ;)

I was so happy to see that more students are picking up the clarinet and are motivated to keep playing, learning and growing as musicians. Our instrument is not very popular around here; I've been actually a bit worried about the future of the clarinet in this country. But the experience of this festival made me feel a bit more optimistic. I hope for these young clarinetists to keep on studying and to become a generation of important clarinet growth in the DR.

I've heard, although not very much believed, that I am one of the few professional clarinetists in the history of this country! Doesn't that sound kind of like a big deal?! But then again, anything in a small place can EASILY be a big deal. However, now, I not only believe it, But I've come to learn that it is totally certain. In a way, I feel a little honor of having made a bit of history in my country ;) but in another way, I feel a bit dumb for not being more serious about my career in the last couple of years. I know I could be so much better, and could have done SO much more with my talent and the opportunities that have been presented to me.

I don't regret anything in my life; but I am fully aware of how some decisions in my past could have taken me to higher places. My profe says is not to late...hmmmm.

Then again, it all sums up in the same old question! Where is it that I want to go with my life...and the answer is...................................................................... ;)

"BACK!"

Before anything, I should apologize for this LONG silence. Not only because by faith I know some people bump into my FRAGMENTS and read some, but more so because some faithful fans have come up to me asking for more! So, for all of you, here I am...BACK!

I am back from Spain; back in the comfort of my sweet home; back to my yoga class (mmm!); back to my SO-ME bedroom; back to this lovely, tropical weather; back to appreciating rainy days because they're so scarce; back to singing at church; back to my LOLOS (niece + nephew); back to my sister's awsome cooking; back to my brother-in-law's enjoyable and wittiful comments; back to working with babies (which after 1 1/2 yrs. I still feel like a beginner, TOUGH!); back to renting movies and wine almost every day; back to my clarinets and do-RE-MI-fa-sol-la-SI-do (awww); back to the symphony orchestra (???); back to my world of buttons (ABOTONADA); back to my chiquette Lau (a wonderful girlfriend); back to my laptop and blogging; back to the smell of Perla Negra coffee waking up my senses each morning; back to the little routines I've invented to conform my fantastic life :)

Yes, I am BACK! And hope for many more fragments to share...