It's terrible being an elf in New York city- the noise, the pollution, and of course, all of these seedy mortals!
One small consolation, of course, is that I've been able to study Music here, highest of all Elvish arts, although generally not esteemed well by these low-minded mortals. I have been studying at a gargoyle-encrusted Institution up in Harlem, known as City College. The lovely Gothic architecture suits me well, and I am studying with David Del Tredici, who is well-known in these circles, but I will never forget my previous professor, Ted McIrvine, a lovely hobbit, who brewed his own mead, loved a good laugh, and greatly encouraged me in all my elfin chromatic loopiness.
On Sunday, November 3rd, at 2:30 PM, a concert will be given in remeberance of Ted, who is with the Lord now. This will take place at Kingsboro Community College, in Brooklyn. I am greatly looking foreward to this, as Ted's final work, which he composed for the Orchestra there, will be given its world premiere.
As for me, my latest work, Symmetriphany, for Chamber Ensemble, was performed at a reading of student works, last week, on October 31 (Halloween).My next piece will be performed at the end of the semester.
On Friday, November 1st, I attended the Barnes and Noble Book Discussion of "The Two Towers", which was co-sponsored by Heren Istarion, the New York Smial of the Tolkien Society. It was a fun event, and I am happy to admit that I won 3rd place in the "Two Towers" trivia contest. (I would have done better if I had memorized more of the non-elf relevent info. Oh, well.)
Anyways, afterwards, a bunch of us went out to eat, and I had a pint (yes, they have pints) at Around-the-Clock, an East Village Eatery that has seemingly been around since Bilbo's days (Well, maybe not that long).
Another small consolation- the lovely Fall weather, suitably brisk enough to freeze an orc's....er, well, never mind. Fortunately, I live near Central Park, which is great for tree-hugging activities, but all of the Fuguing going on at City College keeps me from being able to take advantage of all of this.....
November 16th, 2002
Well, it's Fall, and am I happilly frolicking in the woods beneath the trees? No, I'm studying Schenkerian analysis! Really, the things these mortals concieve of!
Another human madness.... this war that the Great Bush is cooking up. Not that elves have never make war, but this one seems peculiarly odd...After supplying an "Evil Dictator" with weapons to fight another "Evil Dictator", it is decided that he has too many of said weapons, and must be "taken out" to prevent him from using them....Methinks that we would all be much better off if we wnt back to the elven way of doing things....with bows and arrows!
But I am busying myself with the Highest of all Elven Arts, music, and am busy composing my new piece, as well as a prelude to my fugue (ach! a fugue! This is not in the elvish way of doing things.... but alas! It's required!)
December 23
Well, the semester is over. I also finally got to see the new LOTR film, "The Two Towers". Peter Jackson made the infinitely wise decesion of putting more elves into the storyline, including one of my favorite elves, Haldir. (Unfortunately slain by orcs. Arrrgh!) I attended an advance screening on the 17th in Times Square with some 200 others, organized partly by Heren Istarion. For some strange reason, I didn't win the elf contest. Probably because everyone else was dressed up as a character from the Lord of the Rings, and I came dressed as my usual elfy self. Oh, well. I won some shire coins as my consolation prize.
And I am greatly looking foreward to the Tolkien eleventy-first birthday celebration, in January. My bierthday (ahem!) also happens to be in January.