#i told you swede you are definitely a hamilton

[katieblooming]

Boxwood Recap

I’m home and slept for nearly 14 hours last night, so I feel like a brand-new human being. I say this every year, but this was the best year ever. I definitely get less sleep and have more fun every year! My whole heart and soul is content. Plus the Aussie is staying in town for another week, so lots of tunes to help with the usual post-festival comedown. 

I’m most impressed/confused with my ability to deal with a lack of sleep. Normally I can’t function on less than six hours, but I went 6/4.5/5/6.5/4.5, and at no point was I about to fall asleep in class, unlike other years. I literally stayed out playing tunes with the Aussie and the guest artists till 3:30 am Wednesday evening, then got up at 8, showered, ate, and rolled off to class, and then stayed out till nearly 3 that night. 

When Fiachra and I were like, “ayyyy! *fist bump*” when we both walked into class on <4.5 hours of sleep after that 3:30 am session.

I feel like you can already tell that the tunes were cracking, but they were literally so. good. For the last few years, the sessions have kind of sucked, and the guest artists haven’t really been out to party with us mere mortals, but we had so many this year who were super keen to play tunes. Harry Bradley, Fiachra and Sophie, and, most surprisingly, the Swedes knew tons of tunes, although I found out later that they actually lived in Ennis for a while, which explains the extensive Irish repertoire.

Chris is already talking to Fiachra and Sophie about coming back next year, and I’m so hyped! Fiachra closed out every session with us, and was an all-around lovely human being. 

Speaking of which, we walked part of the way home sometime after 2 am one night, then went our separate ways. He found me at lunch to apologize for not walking me all the way home, but I thought it was funny because the greatest risk to my safety was maybe seeing a stray racoon at that hour. 

One of my favourite quirks about flute players is the absolute curiosity about other people’s flutes. Harry stopped class, pointed to me, and asked who made my flute. I told him, and he proceeded to take it and play it. Both the Swedes gave mine a go at the session, and I got to play Andreas’ Hamilton and Markus’ Morvan. Every year, I get the stamp of approval from various guest artists, which is nice, because like, validate my $4000 choice. Also it was made for Jean-Michel Veillon, who knows what he’s on about.

Tucking in behind the guest artists at every session and absolutely blasting tunes with the Aussie. Also when the Swedes and I played through loads of our common tunes, and them calling a few different e minor tunes the Tarbolton that were not actually the Tarbolton. “Hey Katie, the Tarbolton?” *plays Ships are Sailing* *plays the Congress*

The food situation was 100% better than last year! Lisa and I killed it. Even though we had 1/3 of the normal work-studies, we made it work, and dished out some delicious food. There were a few hiccups, but after last year, we were cool as a cucumber about switching dessert days. I feel so positive about it, and Chris was really happy with how things went down!

My parents made it to both the opening and closing concerts, and had a blast. Dad missed June & Michael last year, and so I’m really glad he got to be here for everybody this year. 

Harry’s fast classes. Yasss, teach us banging D/G major flute reels. 

The waterfront ceilidh was so good. I didn’t dance, but plunked myself in the ceilidh band and played for hours, while drinking wine and watching the sun set over the water. Bliss.

My friend bought the Aussie’s keyless Grinter! For those who don’t speak flute, Grinters are like the designer handbags of flutes. She’s a lucky gal. (I still love my PolJez, though.)

So many little moments: Pasty Touchy’s (Patsy Touhey’s), “cranking,” Fiachra wandering over to where I was peeling potatoes, going “I was going to leave, but I heard pipes. Who’s playing?” and nodding in approval when I told him John McSherry, driving John Blake and Mairead Hurley to the airport yesterday, when Markus and I swapped flutes and proceeded to close out one of the sessions with a very fast and driving version of the Swallowtail, Bill coming up to me when I was serving lunch and telling me my playing was beautiful, sheltering from the rain under the boat on the waterfront at 4 am with the Aussie, tunes on the waterfront with the gang after the bar kicked us out, catching up with DG, duoing Some Say The Devil’s Dead with Harry at the slow session, Lisa and I wearing twin necklaces all week, and high-fiving after every meal.

My heart is so dang full, and I’m so grateful that I get to do this. As I grow as a player, so does my enjoyment of this week. Can’t wait for next year!