Alaska, part II

Thank you Seattle airport for free Wi-Fi! It is making my 5 hour layover much more enjoyable and productive!

It was a bit sad to say goodbye to Eric and his parents this morning heading out of Fairbanks, Alaska! The rest of the group is staying until this evening, but since I have this random BYP gig in Germany I had to book a totally different itinerary...which meant leaving at 7am :(  Eric's parents (who hosted all four of us in their lovely Alaskan home) were really genuine and generous people. When we came home from the gig late last night, Betsy had made us loads of treats...including homemade Buckeyes (an Ohio candy made of peanut butter and chocolate! my fav!) and traditional Norwegian pastries. We spent each night of this trip visiting with them, and we really feel like we have family in Alaska! I hope we can repay the favor in the future :)

The last 2 days in Fairbanks were a lot of fun. On Friday, after the rehearsals, Anders/Daniel's masterclass and a group dinner, we drove about an hour north to a natural hot spring! It was snowing all day, but Eric and Fi said that they would brave the white roads, and hualed us all up to Chena Hot Springs. Thank goodness for winter tires and determined personalities, because they got us there and back safely! And...it was amazing!!! I've never been to anything like it! Plus, it was beautiful with the huge white snowflakes landing on our heads. This is the best photo that I could capture:

We were totally relaxed after the dip in the warm water. Thanks Fi and Eric for the trip!

The next morning, we were not able to get into the hall until about 3pm...which meant a lazy morning. We were thankful for the break in the schedule, and even more thankful for the food provided by Eric's parents. Homemade French Toast, and all the fixin's...YUMMMM!!!

Dress rehearsal:

The crew during the run-through of Ionization. Very serious.

Chaz rockin' that snare drum part. diga diga da da, da 

Maracas! WOOOOHOOO! 

After the dress rehearsal, we went to a cafe and had some soup and hot tea, trying to overcome the drop in temperature. Now...as I'm sitting in the airport looking at the greenery outside, it's hard to imagine that there is so much snow and ice in Alaska! I promise, there is!!

The concert:

We opened our half with my new marimba quartet! 

Charles wrote a marimba/vibe duo that was beautiful!

The Swedish Folk Tunes were a HUGE hit! Anna was a star, and we were all so happy with the result! It was exciting to bring the cultural aspect into our music. 

We ended the concert playing Anders' new piece "Gigue" It was definitely a great night for 

The Arctic Connection.

Hugs all around! Great performance by everyone involved! 

Enjoying a drink at the campus pub with the Fairbanks dudes. 

It was an enjoyable 4 days in Fairbanks! The 30 hour trip was worth it, and I am so proud of the way Jake, Charles, Anna and I presented ourselves and our music. Collaborating with 64.8 and Morris was rewarding and I'm sure we'll all work together in the future!

Alright, time to go find my gate and mentally prepare for the flight to London. More soon! :)