Mosaic of thoughts

Seemingly out of nowhere, the alarm tone pierces through the cocoon of the dream you were wrapped in. More instinctually than consciously, your hand finds the phone and slides to the right to turn it off. Your head still rested on the cool pillow. It's dark. Only on the wall opposite your bed a small stripe of light falls in from the street lamps outside. Still in that sweet state between awake and asleep, you try to hold on to the last fragments of the dream, but they escape you, seeping thr...

'The word 'listen' contains the same letters as the word 'silent'.' -Alfred Brendel (Pianist) When I was visiting home, I started talking to my mum about how her recent pupil's concert went—a usual topic at a guitar teacher's household. Yet one thing stuck in my mind. She said that what she found astonishing and worrying was the lack of appreciation for kids who played a solo. Referencing performances of adult students and me, she noted that even a few years ago, the most obvious reaction wou...

A while ago I watched the Netflix documentary "The Only Girl in the Orchestra" following Orin O'Brien, the first woman ever to join the New York Philharmonic Orchestra. 80% of its background music comprised Beethoven's 7th symphony, the second movement (Allegretto). The rest was some Bartok. Since then it's been stuck in my head. Even if you aren't into classical music, you'll recognize this Beethoven, alongside the famous fifth's first movement, which goes Da-Da-Da-Dum - see, you know it. 😼...