What a season! Like many musicians, this year I experienced the 0 to 60 return of live performance and in-person teaching. Appearances at the Britt Festival, subbing with the Oregon Symphony, and back in my own seat at Oregon Ballet Theatre have been both jarring and sublime. Third Angle always feels like home, and it’s glorious finally looking out over a sea of faces while we play! A few premieres by composers Caroline Shaw, Darrell Grant, and Angélica Negron and the release of 3A’s latest album Alone, Dancing: Music of South Asian American Composers capped off an inspiring concert season.

There have also been some beautiful trips—a solo hike up Mt. Scott at Crater Lake National Park, visits to Eastern Washington and a few refreshing hot springs in central and southern Oregon, and a quick visit to LA, where I finally experienced one of Yayoi Kusama’s Infinity Rooms. Team Cherries & Nutz also crushed it at Hood to Coast…

I strive to be open about mental health, and this has not been the greatest time in the world for someone with Bipolar 2 and ADHD, which contribute to some of my favorite parts of life (creativity, variety, hyperfocus, empathy for others’ uniqueness) and some tough challenges (troughs in my mood and energy, taking setbacks pretty hard, trouble maintaining consistency, sleep issues). I finally got myself back to acupuncture recently, and the positive shift from that has been pretty immediate. An utter obsession with 3A’s Spruce Goose show next season is also very helpful.

I’m looking forward to a summer of working on my physical health, slow practice to reconnect my body with the fundamentals of flute playing, a few performances yet to be announced, and a healthy dose of gardening and hiking in the fresh air. The dahlias are calling!