Whenever I have spare time, I am cooking!

My schedule has been crazy!! I have been working 12, 14 hours a day and I finally threw up last week... But I am OK now.

One of the thing I don't stop no matter how busy my schedule gets... It is cooking.
I had one night that I got called off from the rehearsal so I cooked.

Salmon, Crab and Sushi Dinner

If I have 1 hour off, I cook. If I have 2 hours off I cook better food.
I practice piano or do some business while I am cooking rice or baking bread etc.
I am super super fast and efficient in cooking. My 4 gas burners are always on fire when I am on! People who saw me cook called me I am like Iron Chef!
Not sure about that. But I really can't stand eating fast food and I have not stepped in to fast food place for a long time.

I have shows and before the show and between my 3 jobs, I cooked for the band and baked some brownies for the cast. This way I can eat nice food and starving musicians can be fed and play the music happily. I just love feeding people and even feeding squirrel who come to my yard. I feed them expired buns or snacks : ) It is my thing!

Here's some evidence that Musical Director/Chef brings food
One show was Doria (Fried Pilaf, white sauce and Cheddar cheese)
I even brought pepper mill that lights up!
One show was Rice, Sausage, Asparagus and Bacon
Food can make the band happy!
Once show was Home made Lasagna and Dinner rolls (This day I had 2 hours off, I had set my bread machine before I went to my job number 2)
The show has been very fun and growing experience.
This is how stage looks like we are playing up on the loft! We have had some standing ovations!
My Happy Band on the loft
With some casts after the show
Today was Easter so I had time and of course cooked.
My mother in-law gave us such a wonderful gift! (Panda Cards and Starbucks Gift card!)
Thank you!!

Soba's pasta

My best friend who lives in Italy kindly sent some package.
One was for Soba.

It was Italian Dog food!


Guess what?

It's a pasta!!!


Soba seemed to enjoy eating the pasta.


Her name is Japanese noodle. So it was kind of funny. Soba and Pasta!

Contribution to the Costume department

Today I was honored to contribute my other skill to the GYPSY!!

A couple of weeks ago, I gave every single female cast and crew my hand made earrings as to "Thank You" for working so hard and being soooo nice to me. They gave me such a lovely card. Then, the word got spread to the costume designer.

Today he came up to me and asked if I can fix some earrings for the show.

So I brought home and fixed it very quick while I was brewing my tea : )

Before

After
When you are busy you learn to multi task, while you are brewing your coffee, turn on the computer etc.

I am very happy to be able to contribute something to the costume department since they do so much and they are making everything from scratch! Can't believe it!!

Some hand made costumes in action!
People sometimes ask me "What can you not do?" my immediate answer is "Sewing"!! I can needle point but not sewing.. I admire people who can do that.

But I can make and fix Jewelry.... May be next time I should apply as Musical Director/Jewelry Designer for the show! It will be more work but sure will be fun!! I don't know if people have such a job posting "We are looking for Musical Director/Jewerly Designer... That might be a problem...(BTW, my jewelry are selling well at two stores in Boston area :D)

Today's "The King and I" first music rehearsal went really well. I am very very happy about it. There are not so much harmony on vocal part so I added some last night around 1 AM. And it sounded very pretty!!

I enjoy working with very talented singers. I am very humble that they respect my musical direction and apply it for me!! You can tell immediate change after suggesting your vision. It is such a rewarding feeling. I really love all my creative jobs!!

A Gift from our lovely choreographer who speaks perfect Japanese!
(She is American)


Sexy Poster for Gypsy!

Gypsy

Starting from Sunday, I have double rehearsals between "Gypsy" and "The King and I". I had two other musical jobs offered which I had to say "no" due to this two gigs. Plus others.

My Sunday coming up will be 10 AM to 11 PM. (3 Jobs, Church gig, Musical Director gig (King and I) teaching singers each 30 min. for a couple of hours, and Musical Director gig (Gypsy) run through.

Next week, I won't be home everyday till 11 PM at least. Every day.
Some day I start early as early as 7 AM.
I am playing some high school's music competition as their accompanist.
(13 pages)so one day I have to be at high school at 8 AM. The day before I have 14 hours day.. 10 AM to 12 AM (Playing for Ballet, teaching, Musical run through with band and cast)

Total number of pages that I am playing for these two musicals are 400 pages.
I am proudly saying to all my students, "practice!"

OK I should not think. I just should go to work and do my job. Without thinking.

I should just remember which gig I am going, what time I have to be there and who I have to meet and play or teach. It's a different mind set that I have to bring so in between teaching and playing gigs usually in the car, I have to transform my mentality to teacher mode or player mode or musical director mode. I wish I have a switch that I can hit while driving my car...

Just make sure that I have right music for the right gig. I have so many music scores floating around in my house and in my car....

It is a true blessing I have this many jobs that I have to even turn down some.
I feel very lucky.

But sometimes I want to vent...just a little bit... that I am working 7 days a week for a long time.

I am honestly getting tired.....

I should be practicing right now... but instead,,, I am escaping from reality and writing this blog...
Giving myself a break!!

I love all the cast in Gypsy! They are the sweetest and very very talented people. I am very proud because I was at the judging table and my opinion was strongly counted.

Starting from next week, I have band members come to the rehearsal.
More work for me but less notes to play since I am playing the conductor chart now. I can give my bass notes to the bass player etc.

This production is the biggest number of cast and crew that I got involved in.
About 60.

Amazingly everyone get along and everyone shares one goal!
"To put a wonderful show"
Sometimes it's hard to get that great vibe, but so far so good. (At the audition my other focus to chose cast was good vibe, not only has talent!)

The show opens next Friday and we have 7 shows over 3 weekends in April!!

Here's more details
Gypsy

I am getting excited. I put a lot of my personal, artistic and musical direction and vision to all the songs that will be performed by amazing cast! There wasn't much harmony on the original score so I added some which is fun and takes quick thinking to trust which cast that I give harmony to etc. I worked with dynamics, crescendo, decrescendo, interpretation of the lyrics, blending the voices yet making sure everyone is having fun!!

They are sounding AWESOME!!!

The hardest part of being musical director is it is so much work!! besides being at intense rehearsals, at home you have to arranging the chart, making scheduled for cast, making music for Choreographer (recording, converting to mp3 and sending to them), contacint the band members and sending notes to cast etc....

But overall, I think I am getting better at my job "MD" not the smart one. Artistic one : )

P.S. Hope you are not out of breath reading this post :)

Guest Speaker

Yesterday I was honored to be invited to the event for a wonderful organization "Plugged In" as a guest speaker. (Thank you Sandra and Tom!)

Here's the website of Plugged In
Plugged In

I have met them at IASPAMconference in 2007. I was one of the panel member along with them.

This event was for their students to get together and present to each other causes/organizations that are important to them. At the end of the evening they vote to determine for what their end of session concert will raise money. They usually have someone talk to their students an adult who has been involved with using music/arts to effect social change.

Juri as a guest speaker

I felt very special to be there as a guest speaker. I mainly talked about how I started my organization Genuine Voices and what was my experience in teaching music in different setting, population and outcomes in different detention facilities.

The questions that I received are very interesting. I really hope I did good job inspiring these young students to find Music can somehow impact the social good.

JP's fans?

Right after I came back from Italy, I was very inspired by my friends and uploaded my songs which was produced by me and stored in my computer.
http://www.myspace.com/juripandajones

If I didn't upload these songs on myspace.com this interview never happened!

After I uploaded, j-popworld found me on myspace and asked if they can interview me!
So here it is. It is the best interview ever to know everything about JP!
JP's Interview Page!

I really didn't think I have any fans...
But I guess there were!! So thank you!

Please check out the comments at the end of this interview!
It's happily growing and it is just simply heart warming.

All the encouragement through theses comments and e-mails from my friends are so important for me to continue my music and to help achieve my goals and dreams!

Thank you for your love and support!

Soba's play date with Betty and Fresh Fettucine

Soba had a play date last Friday. My friend was dog sitting his friend's Boston Terrier, Betty.

Soba and Betty

We had a dinner that was really fun and delicious!
I asked boys to be in charge of making Fresh Fettucine.

While boys were intensely making the fresh pasta, I cooked Salmon (With Basil sauce) Salad, Asparagus, soup and white sauce for Fettucine.



After our diner Soba and Betty had fashion show!

Red Sox and Japan costume

Kimono and Judo Costume

At the end of the night Soba and Betty became very close that I could hold both of them at the same time!