Chapter One

Well, it's been some time since my last post. Needless to say, since moving to the Miami area and beginning school ,my world has been thrown into an uproar and has been slowly transforming into a lifestyle that I could never imagine possible for myself. My days are filled to the brim with music. Through theory, aural skills training, accompanying, and lessons (to name a few) I have begun developing a taste for what the life of a musician in the 21st century entails.

I have been working on revising a piano/voice duet that I wrote earlier last year for an upcoming concert at the U. (That's what we call the university of Miami!) I'll actually find out tomorrow whether or not my score was chosen by my professors for that particular performance. I am so excited!

One of the really neat opportunities I am having now is the chance to sing in one of the ladies'
choirs here at school: Cantilena. Our music selection is varied and fun and beautiful. I say all this because we just had our first conert to night and it was phenomenal.The pictures I am posting can give you an idea (!)

So far, my opportunities to share the gospel here on campus have been bountiful. There are so many ears that are willing to listen to the truth, and yet I find that often it is my own sin and selfishness that prevents (or slows me down) from being ready to share the word at any moment.

I realize that this message is a bit shorter that my previous entries, but I DO plan to post more often. Keep checking back for updates!!!

Love, Kate

Just Another Morning

Dear Friend,

I write again tonight with the joyful abandon of a child-eager to share the wonders of this world with all who have an imagination and a ready spirit. Care to join me over a cup of tea?
This morning dawned as mornings usually do, and I had the chance to watch the sun rise high above the tree line that stretches far and away from the borders of our farm. How magnificent, exquisite! Too often I take for granted the gift of light and day and all that is afforded to mankind through it. Can you imagine what a life of dusky skies and no sun would be like? Think of how dismal our lives would be...Thankfully, our Creator has provided us with a rather substantial ball of fire that has done its fair share of shedding light upon this earth for quite some time:) Aaah.... the bliss of summertime and the freedom to enjoy these simple pleasures!
Speaking of pleasures, a lovely surprise awaited me at the mail box this afternoon! For my birthday this year, my mother (see her blog here: http://www.woolytales.blogspot.com ) had a wonderful seamstress commissioned to sew some dresses for me to take to school in the fall. To complete my wardrobe, my mother requested several dresses and skirts that would supply me with a sufficient wardrobe and a happy heart...
Well, this afternoon, two of the dresses arrived and they both fit PERFECTLY! One was made from a solid, forest-green cotton material, and the other a civil-war brown with a very fine print in black. They truly are beautiful. I probably should mention that I dress in a very Victorian style, although comfort and simplicity are my main priorities when sewing or searching for dresses. Of course, staying true to the historical period is always an enjoyable experience, but since I probably won't be having a roommate at school with a willingness to button me up every morning before classes...Well, sometimes a zipper will have to do;)
I plan on (hopefully!) purchasing a camera before leaving in August. My mind still functions under "rolls of film" , so it's about time I catch up with technology, don't you think? If I can get a camera sooner than later, then I will work on uploading pictures of the things I talk about in my posts. Maybe then the words on these pages will become more real for you as a reader, and not just the verses of a writer in her corner of the world...

Until then,

I remain respectfully yours,

Kate

Getting Ready for College...At Last

Hi There! It's been awhile since my last post and I am hoping to fall back into the groove of writing again. It's been another year of growth and learning for me-in my faith, schooling, music, and essentially entire life. Over the past months, seemingly insurmountable obstacles have been conquered, broken hopes and dreams restored, and a resurgence in my faith in Christ as my only hope and redemption has blossomed within me. Soli Deo Gloria.
The chapter in my life entitled "HIGH SCHOOL" is finally finished- including years' worth of writing, re-writing, and editing. Now, as my university education looms ever nearer, I look back at all the many wonderful blessings and memories during the past four years and cherish each with a happiness that seems to grow every day. Truly, the days for me now are bittersweet. It is with joy that I enter college life with many wonderful plans for pursuing music composition, but I also long for the comfort and rest found within the arms of my family. My prayer is that my trust will be rooted firmly in the Lord, and that I will look to Him always.
In two months' time, I shall step on the campus grounds of the University of Miami and (hopefully!) enter an exciting time of my life. My roommate and I are communicating back and forth, eagerly sharing ideas for what to bring, how to prepare, and praying about how we can be shining lights for the Lord while at school!
I hope to post more regularly, and look forward to sharing this journey with you all!

To Illinois and Beyond...

I just got the official schedule for my upcoming week at the Illinois-Wesleyan Summer Composition Institute. Yes, I'm nervous, but excited,too! Everything from 20th century orchestral music to modern-day film composing is planned to be covered, as well as techniques and ways to develop compositional ideas. All paricipants will be writing a small piece for piano, cello, and flute while there, and at the end of the week it will be performed and recorded by faculty. Right now, I'm trying to get last minute preparations ready, as well as trying not to panic about switching planes during traveling. (I've heard way too many stories about missing flights) But I'm sure everything will be fine.
On Monday morning my dad and I took our trailer up to the Livestock Auction in hopes of finding the right cattle to add to our stock. We didn't see anything there that really persuaded us, so we just went about doing a handful of errands and getting ready for the soccer games that night. He and I coach my brother and sister's team, the Crew, and this will be our last week for the season. Several games had been rained out , so we're playing four to finish the season this week. Monday night, we won 9-0, and yesterday we won again, 7-1. Thursday and Friday will determine if we get to be undefeated this year, so we'll see what happens...
Mom and dad went up to Charlotte today to buy some clay so that my mom can turn more of her pottery (wow-is she an artist!) and tonight my siblings have piano lessons. I usually go too; however, tonight is my turn to milk our dairy cow Hershey, but I'll talk more of that later.

Inspirations...

So many people ask me where my inspirations come from when I’m writing a piece of music. I find it hard to specify one specific emotion or object since many times it is a combination of many different things. But certainly I can name a few , such as the faerie tale-like beds of flowers that surround our magical farm, the green forests filled with quiet whispers and hidden mysteries, or perhaps the rain, which comforts me and fills me with peace. I hope you enjoy the pictures of our farm below, filled with the blooming flowers of spring. Perhaps you will then understand how I inspired I sometimes feel…