Cheaper than Therapy...

I had the best time with my friends tonight. :) I love these impromptu get-togethers we have over breaks where we just sit around at someones house and tell stories about the past and present. Leah, Lauren, Erin, Amy, Kelsey and I did just that and it was exactly what I needed.

I met all of these girls in high school, specifically in band. They're all one year older than me, but we get along so well and they are definitely a group of girls that I know I can talk to about anything, which I have.  Leah is probably the funniest person I've met. We have the same exact sense of humor and she makes me laugh so much. Also, tonight was the first time I've seen Amy since summer! She's an oboe performance major at Eastman School of Music in Rochester, NY so she's definitely a busy girl. She is so talented and probably the single person I have been able to confide in and go to with all of my musical and family issues.

Speaking of which... I have had some great practice sessions since I've been home for break. The problem is that I don't think I've been practicing enough. To many people, the amount of time I spend practicing in one day is more than they spend in a whole year, but that doesn't matter anymore. Practicing is going to be a big part of my "2011 new year's resolutions" list. I almost always get in the 12 hours a week that Dr. G requires for music education majors in the trumpet studio, but I want to do more. Perhaps I might not be spending my practicing hours working on the correct things... I don't know. I think my biggest problem is that when I'm having a bad playing day where things just don't feel right, I give up and expect the worst from my playing. Unfortunately, these days happen quite often. 

Tonight we somehow got on the subject of the death of Bix Beiderbecke and how his years of drug and alcohol abuse significantly contributed to his early death, which is sadly the case for many musicians, especially of the jazz genre. Erin asked Amy and I why musicians are so depressed all the time and I think I finally figured it out after hearing Amy's answer. She said it's because we musicians never see any progress in our playing because we are always looking to be better (and ultimately the best). We are too concerned about fixing the next issue in our performance that we never stop to admire how much we have improved already and all of the accomplishments we have made over the years.

I really want to be proud of myself for everything I have accomplished in high school and even since being at UNI. I won every music/scholarship competition I entered in high school and am attending UNI on some great scholarship money. I've been a part of a number of awesome performance opportunities in Cedar Falls: soloing in jazz band, playing at Cup of Joe, performing with the Latin Jazz Ensemble, and I know there are many more opportunities to come... but for some reason, I always want MORE. 

Sometimes I think I should pick one subject to focus on - classical or jazz. Even though I'm studying with a jazz emphasis, I feel like that would be the easy way out. I want to be skilled at both. Not just skilled... I want to be good at both. Not just good... I want to be great at both. On my last day before leaving for break I went in to talk to my trumpet professor, Dr Grabowski, about my jury and my thoughts on the semester. He kept telling me he has already seen a fair amount of progress and new awareness in my trumpet playing, buy I am still waiting for that to show, which goes back to the whole spiel on musicians never being happy... yada yada yada.

I could really go on and on about this subject (which I have put people through before). I'm anxious to play for my high school band director and trumpet teacher over break and see what he has to say about both my playing and my musical/mental instability. He hasn't heard me since early summer... Should be interesting.

That's all for now.

Quote of the day: "Patience is the ability to count down before you blast off." - Author Unknown

K bye

Yada Yada Yoga

As you know (if you read my last post) I attended my very first yoga class yesterday with Katie. This wasn't your average yoga class, however... It was HOT yoga. All of the yoga fun in a small room containing about 9 heating fans which rose the temperature to like 100 degrees. Unfortunately, I not-so-strategically placed myself directly in front of one of these heaters, which I soon regretted...
So there I was in this class doing, or should I say attempting poses such as the downward dog, pigeon, warrior 1 & 2, tree, plank, etc... trying to relax and feel the benefits of yoga and hoping to feel that state of self-balance which keeps people returning to these exercises. I was kind of expecting to love yoga so much that I would perhaps enroll in a class at school or something. Unfortunately, that balance never came. I actually found myself on the verge of laughter many times throughout the hour and a half as I watched myself fail repeatedly. Katie wasn't really feeling it either and every time we looked at each other, we had to instantly look away before the chuckles started coming.  So basically what I'm saying is that I guess yoga isn't for me. If I could sum up hot yoga in one phrase it would be "NEVER AGAIN".

My dog just chewed up the Christmas tree lights... Gotta go.

K bye

Pat Metheny Group - It's Just Talk

(It's Just) Talk

Hola.
So I just got done hanging with my besties Jonelle and Abby. We ate pizza, caught up on each others' lives, took a little trip to Target, and made Oreo balls. If you don't know what Oreo Balls are you are definitely missing out...
Here's how you make them: Crush a pack of Oreo cookies and combine with a package of cream cheese. Roll this mixture into balls and refrigerate for a couple hours. Then just dip them in chocolate and enjoy! They're easy and delicious.
Anywho... I've been listening to a lot of new music lately. I recently came across a group called The Haggis Horns. They're pretty groovy so check them out. The title of my post is a song by the Pat Metheny Group, one of my absolute favorites. I can't even explain exactly what it is that I like about Pat Metheny's music. It's something you just have to hear for yourself.
Here's a list of some other music I've been digging lately:
- Marcus Printup: My trumpet mentor introduced me to Marcus Printup's album "Unveiled" and it is probably the coolest jazz trumpet album I've heard. His style is very distinguishable and exactly what I love to listen to. The title track from this album is my favorite, although every song is awesome. His melodies and improvisation are super hip. LOVE.
- Orquesta Alto Maiz: This salsa group was started by none other than Bob Washut, my theory and jazz professor at UNI. I have a couple of their albums and have been listening to them constantly since Thanksgiving break when I saw them play at the Redstone Room in Davenport, IA. They were so tight and fun to listen to!
- David Maxwell: To me, nothing is more pleasurable to listen to than an outstanding blues pianist, and Maxwell is exactly that. I actually came across his stuff on accident while I was searching for a song on iTunes, and ended up purchasing his entire album "Maximum Blues Piano". If you like blues/jazz piano, check him out.
So... tomorrow should be fun. Katie "Kitty" Cleppe asked me to go to a yoga class with her so I guess I'll try that out. I hope I don't end up laughing, because that sounds like just the type of situation for me to have a public laugh attack. - Update on this tomorrow.
Also: Here's a picture of me and my corgi puppy, Lilly. :)

Quote of the day: "Those who danced were thought to be quite insane by those who could not hear the music." - Angela Monet

K bye

If friends were flowers, I'd pick you. ;)

First of all... IT'S WINTER BREAK! That's exciting, right? No school till January 10th. :)

I want to talk about a few of by best gal pals. My friends are everything to me and I am so lucky to have so many awesome friends from my PV days and now also at UNI.

My Girls:
- Jonelle Addabbo (Jonelley Belly): One of my very best friends since elementary school, and one of the only people I've never gotten in a fight with.  :) She does a lot for me and is one person who can always make me laugh. Aaaand she's coming to visit me at UNI next month!

- Abby Sperry (Wabby): Best friends since 2nd grade! We have always been inseparable and it's been really hard being away from this girl since moving to Cedar Falls. Abby and I have basically grown up together and I'm super excited to hang out with her over break because I've missed her so much!

- Leah Christensen (Tenor Madness): Words can't express how much I love this girl. She has the best sense of humor and every time I'm with her I always end up on the floor laughing. In high school, we were known as the dynamic duo, always bugging our band directors and such. I can't wait to hang with her soon!

- Amy Skjerseth (Ames): I am so blessed to have Amy and the entire Skjerseth family in my life. They are like my second family and do so much for me. Amy has been a mentor to me since high school. She talks me through my problems, especially music ones. She is such an amazing musician (she studies oboe at Eastman!) and an even better friend. :)

- Katie Cleppe (Kitty): Where do I begin with this girl? The Cleppe family is by far the most entertaining family I have ever met. We basically have our own language with words such as dunders, teekly chin, and caslopus. Kitty is now my big shot Chicago girl, studying fashion at Dominican University. Yep, she's pretty awesome. :) And she's coming home today!

- Leah Schmidt (Schleah): This girl is one of the best friends a gal can ask for. She's in the trumpet studio at UNI with me and is known for being crazy and loud, but that's why we love her. She even takes care of all of our drunk asses when we party a little too hard. :)

- Erin Maltby (Ern): Literally the nicest person I've ever met. Erin is so sweet to everyone and has such a vibrant personality. And she has a super cool twin named Jill! She is always there for me when I need someone to talk to. Sometimes my ridiculous public laughter embarrasses her, but she loves me. :)

- Madeline (Mads): Two words... GIANT TITS! We have the special "giant tits" bond, which is pretty awesome. This girl is such an amazing musician. She blows me away with her bari sax skillzzz in jazz band. She's also another great friend. Really supportive and definitely fun to hang out with.

- CAROLINE HLOHOWSKYJ: Caroline is seriously the coolest gal I've ever met. We are basically the same person. She's in the trumpet studio with me and we are very rarely seen apart from one another. I have never laughed so hard until I met this bitch. I honestly believe we were separated at birth, and so does everyone else. Everyone needs a Caroline Hlohowskyj in their lives. BRONER.

Well, those are some of my crazy friends! Much of who I am is because of these guys and I love them all, including the many many friends who I didn't list but still hold a special place in my heart. :)

K bye

Hello, this is me.

Hello world.
I decided to create this blog because I always have too much on my mind and thought it might be a good idea to get some of that nonsense out every once in a while... Vent, if you will. The title came from a jazz song i played earlier this year. I think it sums up what I believe this blog will consist of... basically blues.
So I guess this is the part where I say a little about myself. My name is Toni Hoffmann. I'm 19 years old and a student at the University of Northern Iowa studying instrumental music education. I'm a trumpet player and I love jazz. I study with some of the best musicians and professors in the country at UNI and have also met some of the most amazing friends I could ask for, including my favorite bitch, Caroline Hlohowskyj. In some ways, you could say I'm your typical college gal... I like to hang with my friends and party it up on the weekends (which start on Thursday). I average about 4 hours of sleep a night, and I curse like a sailor. I'm kind of crazy and loud and always enjoy a good laugh. Oh... and I have a "slight" obsession with owls.  :)
I also have some personality traits which are, let's say, under construction. I'm an impatient perfectionist who significantly over-analyzes everything. I can be a giant bitch sometimes, especially when I'm on my period. I hate disappointing people, but I feel like I do that a lot. I am always concerned with what others think of me. I worry about the future so much that I often neglect the present. And I cry... a lot.
^Most of that stuff applies to my musical life. Music brings out the best in me, but sometimes I fear that it also brings out the worst. I have never second-guessed my ambition to pursue music and whole-heartedly know that I am in the right field of study and on the perfect track to my desired future as a music educator. My problem is that I don't have the patience for my trumpet-playing abilities to develop. I need to quit comparing myself to everyone else and just let my progress continue to develop. (Easier said than done, right?) 
Anywho... I'm working on admiring my abilities as they are. It's like this passage from one of my favorite books, The Inner Game of Tennis (Read it if you haven't). The passage compares skill development to a blossoming rose and talks about how when you see an underdeveloped rose bud, you don't look at it in disgust. You admire it for its present beauty and accept it at all levels of its journey towards becoming a brilliant flower. That's how I'm trying to look at my trumpet playing journey. (Once again, easier said than done. - Ugghhhh story of my frickin' life.)
Ok, well that should do it for tonight. A little glimpse into the insanity that is my mind. Turns out that I titled this blog pretty accurately. Yay? I also wanted to mention that the title of this first blog post is a reference to the greatest YouTube video of all time, Marcel the Shell With Shoes On. Go watch it... now.
Quote of the day: "Perpetual optimism is a force multiplier." - Colin Powell


K bye