Say What?!

So about a quarter of the way through my violin lesson today, Professor Azoitei breaks my intense focus with the most absurd comment. There I am, concentrating on the kajillion things he has instructed me in his heavy Romanian accent to do, all relating to the fact that my bow arm sucks...ie. "Lauren, can you hear that? You must bring your elbow into your body. Ach! No, no, no," (at this point he's cradling his head in his hands despairingly while moaning to himself), "rotate, rotate the hand! Do not wreck the bow change with too much wrist and finger movement. Suspend the bow, even the pressure, keep the speed constant and make no sudden movements!" After a while, beads of sweat breaking out on my brow as I try to simultaneously manipulate my arm, elbow, wrist, hand and fingers in all manner of foreign ways, I finally manage to do something correct as he smiles and says, "Good! You are clearly intelligent. You get what I'm saying and fix it quickly." Then here comes the craziness. "Lauren. What are your plans for graduate school?"
Me: Uhhh...I'm going to get a job after school. Maybe I'll go sometime in the future.
P.A.: (simply and conversationally) Really? Because I was thinking you go to Julliard or Curtis or even Royal Academy here for degree in Performance.
Me: (staring blankly at him before breaking out in manic laughter. Then, noting he's not joining in the chortle fest and, is in fact, looking quite confused at my reaction) Wait, you aren't serious are you?
P.A.: Uh, of course.
Me: There's no way I could get in, Professor.
P.A.: You show great potential. You work hard, you can study there.
Me: (still laughing) Uhhh...okay
P.A.: (perplexed by my hysterical hyena-like guffaws) Ok, ok, it was just an idea. Let's hear Mozart then.

So yup. That's my deranged Professor. He's crazy, but I love him. Plus, today after bemoaning the terrible edition I got of the Mozart, he rectified it by putting in (by memory) all of his teacher's (Itzhak Perlman's) bowings and fingerings. He then proceeded to share Dorthy Delay's secret on exhaling before starting a phrase rather than the customary practice of inhaling. And he wonders why I get so nervous playing for him. Huh.

On a different note, tomorrow I'm going to Haworth!!!! I am simply ecstatic, especially because after feeling ill since Monday, I am finally starting to get better. More when I get back from wandering the moors.

Adios,
Lauren