IDRS convention

This week was the break that I needed after a really hard move.  From start to finish it was a week of perfection!  I arrived on Sunday July 20th and had my dress rehearsal the next day.  I knew that monday would be the day that I might run into some of my old friends from BYU.  I came across the volunteer meeting, and low and behold, FRIENDS!  So I stayed for the meeting and the tour afterwards.  I couldn't help but laugh at myself, because I was not volunteering.  As I was telling this to one of my closest friends from my BYU years, Elizabeth, and she started laughing because she did the same thing!  

Elizabeth and I performed on the same concert, so following our dress rehearsal a bunch of friends got together and we hiked to Stewart Falls.  The first few days of the week I stayed with my old room mate, Jen.  I was thrilled when her and her family were able to come on the hike with us.  It was the perfect time to catch up.  Unfortunately I had invited some of my room mates at the conference to come, they had never been on a mountain before, and they got lost on the way down the mountain (in the dark).  We were scared we were going to have to send out a rescue party.  Fortunately for cell phones we all found each other again, and they still liked me the next day, so that is good.  

(Elizabeth and I at Stewart Falls)

Tuesday was the day of my performance.  I was very nervous for many different reasons, and the closer my performance got the worse I felt.  While in my room I prayed that Heavenly Father would bless me to feel a "normal" nervous, instead of a "debilitating" nervous.  I finished getting dressed and headed to the music building.  All of a sudden, from nowhere, a car pulls up screaming my name.  It was some of my dear friends from Florida, Ashley and Marian Rodgers!!!  They said that they debated whether it was me or not walking down the street, and finally came to the conclusion that I did not have an identical twin and chased me down.  I know they were my guardian angels because the second I saw them, every concern and worry melted away and I felt great!  

I went to my performance and played GREAT!  I had so much fun, and couldn't be more pleased that I chose to submit that proposal to play.  After I was done playing I went back to the green room and looked down to see that I had performed with my ugly name tag on!  I was mortified for a second and then had to laugh at myself!  Only I could be ditsy enough to pull THAT one off!  Thank you to Everette Reed for arranging the pieces for me because I got compliments on them all week long.  

(A.D.D. moment: Later that night I literally bumped into Martin Schuring, very famous oboe player, and the following conversation took place:

Martin: "You played the Faure today right? 

Kira: "Yes I did!  You were there?" 

Martin: "Yes, you played it beautifully. I really enjoyed it ... what is your name?"

Kira: "Kira Palmer"

Martin: "My name is Martin (shakes hand)

Kira: "Yea, I know (in my head I am thinking, "Yea, I know, you're famous!") Almost everyone I            went to school with at BYU went to study with you. 

Then there is this awkward silence and he looks like he stills wants to talk to me, but my mind is completely blank.  I mean, what do you say to Martin Schuring???  The rest of the conference he always made sure came up and said hello if he saw me.  It was awesome! )

Alright, I am back to the real story.  So that night I went to dinner with the Rodger's and then headed to Salt Lake and picked up my friends from Florida.  I was so excited to room with Dr. Odom!!  

Ashley, Me, Marian

The whole week was filled with all sorts of fun!  Of course the countless performances, masterclasses, and lectures were AMAZING, but it was so wonderful to experience the beauty of Utah again.  I took my Florida people to Bridal Veil water Falls (random oboe people were drooling over our shirts that whole day!) and then we drove up to see Robert Redford's gate and took the ski lift in Sundance.  I had only done that once before, but it was just as beautiful as I remember!  It was so special to do it with my Florida friends too because none of them had ever seen mountains like these ones.  It was fun to play the tour guide! 

(Me, Lauren, Dr.O, and Kristen at Bridal Veil Falls)

As luck would have it, my other room mate was coming in that same week so Jen, Natalie, and I got together for lunch!  It was so special and such a treat for me!  I was sad that I only saw Natalie for a lunch, but I am grateful that I even got that!  How random, that she would be there the same time?  

(Me, Jen and Benjamin, Natalie and Callie)

Room mates together again!  The only missing from this picture is Evan! 

One of my favorite events was the Utah Symphony concert outside in the mountains.  They played songs that featured the oboe and the bassoon.  So fun!

It was also so nice for me to see Geralyn again.  For being in charge of the entire conference she was suprisingly composed.  Everytime I saw her she seemed totally relaxed, and she ran the best conference I have ever been to.  Congratulations Geralyn on a huge success! 

(me and Geralyn)

I was watching one of the concerts towards the end of the conference and I saw my old friend walk out onto the stage.  I wish I knew which box is housing my highschool dance pictures because I went to senior Winter Formal with Randy Lee (let alone youth orchestras, and church), and then off to BYU where we were both music majors.  Well out walks Randy for one of the concerts, so I ran down backstage and got to visit with him for a while!  It was a great trip into the past for me!  

(Randy and I)

The week was incredible and I am so glad that I went!!!  This last picture is of everyone filling the center of the music building listening to the final performance (Haydn's Fireworks) played by WAY too many double reed players.  It is tradition, and awesome, but should never be attempted more than once a year:-) I thought it was an awesome picture though to see all the double reed players gathered into one room!