May turned out to be a really crazy month with two unusual concerts and a trip going through England and visiting New York.

One of the concerts that I had done was part of a music festival. The festival started a few years ago,importing it's style from France and it has now become the biggest classical music event in Japan. It was a great honor to be able to take part in it,although it was one of the sideshows. Still it was a great experience for me and because this year's theme was "Russia" it was a great opportunity for me to play an all Rachmaninoff program.

Soon after my other concert,playing Schubert, I was off to Britain for one of my closest friend's wedding. I was dreading so many things before going as I was told it was bitterly cold the week before and had heard horror stories about going through immigration. It turned out that it was actually hotter than the summers that I have experienced over the years and I got through immigration quite quickly - 40 minutes which is a record! (Over the years I've accepted that I'd have to wait at least an hour!)
Over the 6 days in England I had a great deal of traveling to do. I had very limited time so I had friends meeting up with me at stations and airports to make the most of my visit.

The wedding was in Hereford and was one of the most beautiful and heartwarming weddings I've been to. It was a glorious day which really seemed like God's gift to the couple. It was a small wedding with only twenty people in a small chapel in the beautiful countryside. I felt very honored to have been part of it.

Coming back to London,I celebrated a friend's 80th birthday,went to stay with my God son's family and then was off to the airport the next day.

So,before getting settled in Britain,I then was off to NY.
I had promised one of my pupils that I would come to her high school graduation when their family had decided to move to NY. That was three years ago and this year was her graduation. We decided that it would be more fun to come to her graduation dance performance since she was majoring in dance.

It had been a while since I had seen her so I was really looking forward to it. The school that she goes to is the school that the film "Fame" was based on.
Boy,am I glad that I came to see it. The performance was absolutely amazing! It was so professionally done and in some ways it was actually even better than a professional dance company. There was so much passion and young and positive energy in each and every individual that you could feel this amazing force just outpouring from the stage. Truly inspiring!

I had such a great time in NY staying with my cousin and meeting with old friends. It's a shame that so many people which I feel are my soul mates live so far away. It's a struggle having to cram in all the things you want to share in the few hours you have with them!

Going to Britain,then to America and then coming back to Japan was quite a big trip and I wouldn't do it again but I definitely am glad that I was able to go to this wedding and the dance performance. I was shattered at one point in the middle of my trip and would wake up not knowing where I was,but it was all well worth it.

There are so many sad things that happen in life. Just the more reason to take full advantage of these happy events that come our way!