I have a new myspace page.. for like a billion reasons. So its official, I'm back. All my concert updates, videos and new sound bytes will be up on myspace for the time being. Here is the page...

www.myspace.com/berio1

add me and love me!

cheers
eriC

Is it still April? I guess so... one more week to go. Easter has come and gone. Work is rolling along nicely... Xenakis in Boston is behind us, it was an amazing show, flute is in good repair, adequately relaxed. Paul and I went to visit his friends in Maine. It was my first time up there.. so beautiful! This week I have lots of music to learn for a residency at Columbia University. Concert is on Saturday evening. In the morning of that same Saturday I am playing with two brilliant New York musicians at the Harlem School for the Arts. Next week, which is the last week of this notoriously rainy month, Claire and I are off to Northwestern U., in Evanston, for a lecture masterclasses workshop with the Wally Kujala's class... fun stuff. May, looking forward to it. Just one big project going on at PS 122... hmm..

cheers

I'm feeling particularly emotional today. Maybe its because Angelina Jolie is filming a movie on my street, who knows. But I'm feeling tight in the chest. This week we are rehearsing an evening of works by a brilliant American composer who is now living and teaching in England. Its a light week technically, not complex stuff, but sonically really nice, like a mashed potatoes and collard greens. As usual, its a gift to play with such rock star musicians all the time. I'm super lucky.

The newness of living here full time is lifting. The ease and sheen are wearing off, and whats left is a lot of work. I'm really trying to focus on being here and making things happen but it is a challenge. I guess my challenge is to balance my level of dedication to my work and the sheer 'work' of being a resident of New York. I dunno, I'm sorta rambling. This has no point, just a bit of textual meandering. Maybe its an excuse to keep my mind off of the things that are really bothering me. Love in general. Its all consuming. It lives in my body and makes me feel so many things at once. Its amazing and terrifying, amazingly terrifying. Finding love, loosing love... and all those milliseconds in-between.

Today I've been invited to dinner. Should be pretty fun, eight of my favorite people will be there. Good food, good company. But, I think I will be consumed... my thoughts not in that place but elsewhere. I feel a bit resentful of it. What if it evaporates. Its happened before, not too long ago. Like water on the hot concrete, it just floats into the air and becomes vapor. You can see it floating away, from down the block, like ghost's from the crypt.. but nothing can be done about it.. its just the nature of things.

I want to hang onto it... maybe the cold is better, maybe I should move to a cold place. Then love would be like snow, a constant and beautiful physical thing. Always making things seem a little lighter, a little softer. Maybe love is like the snow and not like the rain. I like that thought, too bad I have little patience for long winters.

EL

My new friend Paul invited me last night to Carnegie Hall to hear Kurtag and his lovely wife Marta perform a duo concert of Bach Transcriptions for four hands. It was a remarkable evening of great company.. all the new music ponies were out in full effect... and sublime musicianship and artistry. Followed by a great dinner and deep sleep. A really fantastic evening. I've spent the afternoon looking for new beds and curtains online. I won't commit to anything until I return from Europe on the 20th. I'm also dreaming of where to go on holiday in the summer. I really want to spend a few weeks away from the flute this summer. I'm already booked for three festivals.. so I'm hoping to either skip out mid June for a few weeks or pushing it up to May. Otherwise, this little Lamb is working... thats a great thing!

ICE is in full rehearsal mode and they have been both amazing and exhausting. The obligatory drama but in the end, its always worth it. The group has grown to new heights the last months and this tour to Finland and Berlin will be über rewarding. This is also my last week in Brooklyn before I move up to Washington Heights. Very much looking forward to being in a smaller place, fewer roommates.. to living on the island of Manhattan and being closer to Miller Theater and Central Park, Lincoln Center and etc. I just have to work out when this all going to happen.. i barely have enough time to write this... it will all happen :)

I'm returning to Myspace! So many things have changed in my life the last few months. No need to get into details, but lets just say that I am changing... like the Jennifer Hudson song I guess. Working on getting better, more calm. I've officially committed to living in the great city of New York for now. I has been five months since my return to the states and I don't think I have been happier. With that decision comes changes and sacrafices. After a few weeks of rest and practice, ICE about to embark on its most ambitious tour to date. I am honored and thrilled to be a part of it. Three concerts in Finland at the Musicanova Festival. From there, WIRED, the flute duo of ICE, will be in Berlin and Wiesbaden--a city near Frankfurt-- for two concerts and a masterclass. Should be lots of fun and I always am happy to spend quality time with the brilliant and lovely Claire Chase, my partner in crime. Then back to New York for a residency at Smith College and then its full speed ahead until summer. Updates will follow, particularly from the road.

lots of love

So I didn't advance yesterday from the semi-finals of the International Concert Artist Guild Competition. It was an interesting experience, very glad I did it, am naturally disappointed, but will be over it by the time I finish this. The semi-final was a 12 minute program that was picked in the moment by the jury from a 70 minute program of choice. I think my program was well rounded and represent where I am in my artistic journey. I unfortunately was asked to do things that didn't show my strengths as a flutist and were a bit, for a lack of a better word, mean. I was asked to perform in this order.. Saariaho, Enesco, Furrer and Mozart.. a total chop buster.. all in the space of 12 minutes. Its how the ball falls. I stand by my programming and my playing 100% and am very excited about the future. It will not include working with CAG, but I'm sure there are other oppritunities out there to continue my journey as a concert soloist. Now I have some time to focus on the next big things, but first I will take the day off. Finally get out of bed, make some food for myself and go for a walk along the Hudson.. a mental health day!

cheers
eriC

I really have to admit that some days I don't do really well with living so far away from the person I love the most. I'm having a wonderful time with my work. Loops sound crazy good. I feel like I'm finally starting to grow again as a flutist. Leaps and bounds really. Its very exciting for me.

Today I have two rehearsals and then will watch the debates. I have been following it closely. It is a very interesting time to live in the states. I will not comment on politics.. Its not my thing.. but is still very exciting. I feel like I am watching history being made, good and bad.

cheers

Hi all. So I have decided to return to myspace, start posting occasional blogs and give a general update. For those of you who have been out of the Eric loop, I have relocated back to the east coast. After a long stint in Europe, I am a New Yorker, finally. Joining ICE as a full-time member means more concerts and more concentrated efforts to perform in the states. Its a bit too early to get into the particulars of all this, so if you want to drop me a line and say hello I will fill you in personally. Lets just say that its a new phase which comes with new challenges. The other thing I wanted to do real fast ( Detroit throwback ) was to give all an overview of the upcoming dates in New York and beyond. Check out my site at www.sequenz1.com and click on 'upcoming' or at www.iceorg.org and click on 'concerts'. Highlights include concerts with ICE and the works of Philippe Hurel ( Loops 3 for two flutes beside the mega force Claire Chase is a not to be missed happening!), a collaborative concert with toy pianist and multi-media diva Phyllis Chen in Williamsburg, followed by solo evenings of works for flute and electronics in Queens, Philadelphia and Manhattan. Other ICE events include residencies at Northwestern University, ICE flutes in Chicago, a Miller Theater Concert with works of Marc-Andres Dalbavie and some other stuff that I've forgotten. Check out the sites for details. If you want me in your city and on your stage.. as Tim Gunn would say.. 'Holler at yer boy'.

cheers for now and its good to be back.

    Home in Spain... dreamlike. No seriously.. so nice to be back. Yeah, the weather is amazing, but its the family that I like so much. Its so different being here too.. the air, the sounds. I look forward to being here when I'm not and dread leaving when its time to. From here I go to the states.. I have so many homes.. its a freeing feeling... sometimes not so comfortable a sensation.. but nice to have so many places in the world that one feels happy. Here in Malaga I feel a bit hippy like... shirtless.. barefoot... I do practice here, really well actually. Have plans to finally crack this Hurel solo piece. Tonite is the time that I have set aside for that. Went for a wonderful walk with the CM and the little monster... to a ruined old house on the hill just beyond ours. Good vibes up there. Finally got my sneakers a bit dirty.  Then we plan on travelling up to Madrid and checking out the new addition to the Prado. Have to check the weather up there.. its always lots colder ;(

lots of love... enjoy the week as I will.