I've spent most of my summer playing 11 shows a week of "The Queen's Ball: A Bridgerton Experience". Before shows began in June, however, I did a few really cool things!
I started my summer with a bang- after months of intense preparation, I won the Assistant Principal Violist position at California Symphony! I've admired CS's innovative community engagement strategies for years and over the moon to join!
A week later, I had the honor of playing with Kygo at BottleRock. We went on at the same time as Metallica and ran into them as headed to our stage...I almost fainted when Kirk Hammett saw our cases and said "Hey do I know you guys?"
I then packed my bags and days later left on an Eastern European tour with UC Berkeley Orchestra! It was a whirlwind adventure- 4 concerts in 4 cities in 10 days: Budapest, Bratislava, Vienna, and my favorite- Prague. We played some of the world's finest concert halls, including the prestigious Musikverein in Vienna!!
My favorite was the Art Nouveau style Smetana Hall in Prague:
Our dinner cruise on the Moldau:
A few days after I got back, I started rehearsals for the Bridgerton Experience. During the intense first week, I also took the Assistant Principal audition for SFOpera. I was thrilled to make it to the finals, even though I didn't have time to prepare as much as I'd have liked in between the European tour and Bridgerton rehearsals.
Several weeks into Bridgerton, however, I went to the doctor about a persistent swelling in my abdomen. They ran tests and discovered a large tumor on one of my ovaries. We scheduled surgery right away. While the tumor was cancerous, it had not spread from my ovary. I was very lucky! Six days after my surgery, I was back at work.
Between Bridgerton shows, I was so fortunate to get some wonderful opportunities. SF Symphony called me to sub in for their Stern Grove concert- I got to perform for 10,000 cheering classical music fans!
That same week, I also joined superstar Josh Groban for his Shoreline Amphitheater performance!
If all that wasn't enough, I was asked to act in a short film! I had a few lines and "played" violin...I'm so excited to see the final product when it's released.
I've been so lucky in so many ways this summer- it's been an exhausting and non-stop ride, but I am filled so much gratitude while looking back on it. I'm looking to many fun upcoming projects this fall, but I will remember this summer as one of the most action packed and professionally fulfilling of my life so far!
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