Day 1:
Ever been deep into the heart of Virginia’s farmland? Well, if you get lost for long enough, you just might stumble upon Lorin Maazel’s “never-land ranch”. Castleton, is the home to 600 acre’s of Maestro Maazel’s very own private estate, complete with Emus, Llamas, Donkeys, Horses, a Zebra and something called a Zonkey (the unusual outcome of a Mule and Zebra). Now in it’s 3rd season, the music festival aptly named “Castleton”, hosts a full orchestra of worldly musicians and more Opera singers than is normally considered safe to have in one place for 7 weeks. Upon arrival, signs are posted to help you get to know the your new home better by pointing you in the wrong directions; up and down hilly terrain and open green pastures. All goofing aside; this place is very beautiful, especially for nostalgia sake, remembering your hometown before they replaced the flock of sheep with a mall and endless horse trails with Starbucks and Wal-marts.
After a lonely 10 hour drive from Boston nothing is better than showing up just in time for dinner! Chinese food? and it was dericious! way to set the bar high music festival, don’t let me down though... “did I mention we’ll be serving wine with every dinner?” response: “no... but if you had put it in the info email right next to: Beijing tour cancelled, all would have been forgiven weeks ago.”
“Sooo the food is good, great! What about our quarters?”.... let’s just say it won’t be featured on Cribs: Castleton Edition. Six guys, one house, two rooms, no furniture (other than beds) but once we set up a decoy light outside to attract the moths and fireflies away from the place, find something to sit on that isn’t the floor or a bed, and stock the fridge with libations, it’ll be a real deal. Hey, it’s free right?
Today is the 5 minute placement audition which I imagine to be somewhat like the Mark Gould 3-note audition (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMK10GMLhrA). Wish me luck! 2 out of 3 would be great ;-)
ta ta for now....I’m off to go find the mystical ZONKEY!
file:///var/folders/mm/mmltF0uAFNOvK0qTON0-h++++TI/-Tmp-/com.apple.mail.drag/photo.JPG
