Conservatory Visit

Yesterday I went to the Central Conservatory of Music in Saigon to help my friend Megan out with her music classes. She was conducting a workshop on instruments for the students at the Australian International School, and I brought some of my instruments down to show the kids, and to help explain some of the instruments. It was a really fun experience, and further evidence to me that I really like teaching about music. I got to demonstrate several of the instruments that I can play, and some (like trumpet) that I can't really play, but I can at least get a sound out of. I also helped explain things about the instruments that the local players couldn't express in English.

They also had a big grand piano there that I got to play on for a while, the bass end on a grand is so much more satisfying than on an upright.

At night, and tonight as well, I have been conducting small workshops on aerials, which is good because it gives me the opportunity to express just how important safety is when doing aerials. So many people think that they can just toss the girl around and everyone will be ok, but as I know from taking River and Robyn to the hospital in times past because some idiot guy thought they knew what they were doing, it just doesn't work that way. The classes are quite small and manageable, so only minor injuries (the usual kind for practicing aerials, bruises and bumps and the like) are happening. It is fun and a real workout, for myself included.