Greetings from the Inn at Bethlehem

Ok, not quite: Greetings from the Comfort Suites in Bethlehem, PA. I'm up here with The Bach Choir of Bethlehem for two days of our "Bach to School" educational programs for middle schoolers in the Lehigh Valley.

How I Spent My Summer Vacation...er, rather, My Week

Dearest Readers,

I told you before that my oboe career is very unpredictable. Some weeks my life is more oboe-centric than others and last week was one of them. Three different concert programs in three very different environments, plus three days at Curtis (I took two vacation days for some of the playing jobs) and another event for the Curtis Crescendo Club. And an interview with Jon Fink for an upcoming post. And...and...zzz  #longweek  #collapse

I will work backwards, saving the best for last:

Christina Schmidt, oboist and children's librarian, Allentown, PA

As mentioned in a previous post, Chris's story is incredible and without her, this entire project never would have happened! I can't thank her enough for participating in the project and for being an awesome and patient editor. 

What I find most interesting is that Chris actually took ten years off from playing the oboe, then took it up again and went on to do so many amazing things -- not only with music, but as a children's librarian and raising a family. She is a true inspiration to all!

Oboist Christina Schmidt of Allentown, PA, recently retired from a professional career spanning more than four decades, including many years with the Bach Choir of Bethlehem, Lehigh Valley Chamber Orchestra, and the Pennsylvania Sinfonia Orchestra. Chris earned a BA in English at the University of Rochester, where she studied with Robert Sprenkle at the Eastman School. Throughout much of her performing career, Chris also worked as a librarian, earning a Master of Library Science degree at Kutztown University and heading the children's departments at Parkland Community Library and Allentown Public Library.

Let’s talk mostly about the time period when you were doing both jobs -- so, oboe and the librarian job.