Long Overdue Updates!

Well, I'm finally sick with the cold that's been threatening for a couple of months now. Which means, I have time to update! My apologies for the hiatus until now. The beginning of the semester was a frenzy of scheduling, e-mails, starting my teaching assistantship, and practicing like crazy. It was a big adjustment going from teaching 1 1/2 hours to 12 hours a week on top of my own practice, classes, and rehearsals! I'm absolutely in awe of how much I'm learning from this process and it's been a true joy to work with the students in Mr. Perlman's studio. 

Some highlights of the past two months include Perlman Music Program trips to Stanford, CA (a return to my Music@Meno stomping grounds!) and Stowe, VT, becoming my niece Juliette's godmother, baking multiple loaves of pumpkin chocolate chip bread, and experiencing Fall in New York (friends, it's a beautiful thing). I've also been spending a good deal of time ruminating on my future, both short and long term, something which has led to moments of giddy excitement, sheer panic, glimmers of faith, and joy.

With Radu at the PMP in Stanford reception in CA

Pumpkin chocolate chip loaf!

Pumpkin carving and general autumnal merriment

Gorgeous colors in Central Park

Snowy Stowe, VT

From the drive home after our concert in Burlington, VT

Next up on the concert prep list is the Juilliard Orchestra Shostakovich program with conductor Vladimir Jurowski, for which I will be sitting Concertmaster. In addition to the first symphony, we will be playing excerpts from Shostakovich's silent film score (who knew?!) New Bablyon, as well as his Hypothetically Murdered suite. Off to drink Emergen-C and read some ledger lines!

Until next time,

Francesca 

My first post!

Hello and welcome to my first blog post! As mentioned here, my name is Francesca dePasquale and I am a classical violinist. I am currently twenty-two years old and an undergraduate student at The Colburn School Conservatory of Music in Los Angeles, California. As a musician, I am committed to balancing the realization of compositions with my own personality and interpretations. By documenting my growth as a musician as well as my other interests, this blog will reflect who I am as a person, violinist, and musician.

Unfortunately, for the last few weeks I have not been able to focus on practicing and performing as much as I would like to. A particularly bad case of the flu turned into pneumonia, which means I have been spending most of my time resting and trying to recover. For better or for worse, this much down time means that my brain has been working overtime thinking of blog-worthy topics and ideas for my new website! Some things to look forward to:

• A post on my amazing experience at The Perlman Music Program Sarasota Winter Residency
• A post featuring my favorite cupcake recipe. I have come to love baking as a way to unwind and bring people together, not to mention the fact that I have a pretty big sweet tooth and how much fun it is to come up with different flavor combinations!
• A post on a personal Valentine's Day DIY project
• A post sharing my experience with playing-related injury and my recovery
• A post on the incredible photographer Alexandra DeFurio
• And finally...a post introducing you to these guys:
  

I'm looking forward to sharing with you and thank you for stopping by!

Until next time,

Francesca