Phase two begins...

Notes from the Berkshires, Day 15

Lenox Coffee, 7.25 a.m.

It’s officially the beginning of the third week of eleven, which means I’m somewhere between the end of the beginning and the beginning of the middle. Still excited at the prospects, and not yet mired in the no-man’s land that is the middle of any process. Helping to smooth the transition is the fact that the string quartet fellows and the opera folks are here starting this week, which will change the dynamic of the grounds a bit. Also, we change regimes from Scott, our supervising tech to this point, to Steve, the boss from here to the end. These last two weeks have been packed with learning opportunities for me, and I have no doubt that will continue, but with a change in leadership always comes a change in focus and energy. A meeting is scheduled this morning, to pass the figurative torch.

Taking the opportunity to assess my own development as a technician over the past two weeks, I find that I have gained a certain amount of confidence in my skills and my ability to assess a situation with any piano, but there are also aspects of my skillset which lag behind and seem not to improve at all. I’m too close to view this with anything approaching objectivity, obviously, so it’s best to not dwell on things that can only improve with time, repetition, and experience. Looking forward, I also realize I need to get on the stick and work on my strategy for re-entering the real world in August. One thing is clear: this is a point of change for me, with a sense of new directions and possibilities unfolding. I continue to work on the ability to recognise opportunities, and making the choice to respond (or not).