It’s 6 AM and I Need to Write a Blog Post Right Now.

So yes I did just wake up at 6 and decide to write this post. And no I don’t normally do this. As my mom said over the weekend, you know Anthony you haven’t updated your blog in I don’t know how long. And well so much for that free will thing. Mama still knows best. So in honor of James Altucher, awesome blogger, I’m gonna try and go back to bed by doing a list.

TOP TEN THINGS I DID OVER THE LAST 6 MONTHS. In chronological order.

1. Played a concerto with my big brother with his former orchestra the San Diego Symphony.
   Danzi Duo Concerto. An awesome experience playing with one of the best flutists in the world! Currently Principal Flute of the Seattle Symphony.
2. Toured Japan with the Metropolitan Opera.
   This one was a challenge to have take place because of all the cancellations over radiation fears. It ended up being a tremendous success because we gave music and hope where they were fighting to have a sense of normalcy after a huge disaster.
3. Coached students at the Verbier Festival.
   Talk about beauty. I love Switzerland.
4. Coached students at CCM Spoleto.
   Ok, talk again about beauty. I love Italy as well.
5. Coached students at the Bowdoin Festival.
   Maine is pretty nice too.
6. Toured Europe with Mitsuko Uchida and friends playing Schoenberg.
   Played the Salzburg Festival and recorded a DVD for the Schoenberg Institute about the piece. Awesome.
7. Oh cool my lucky number. Played Tanglewood with Yo-Yo Ma and Manny Ax.
   Brahms Trio is the best piece in the world. Sorry other best pieces in the world, this is a short blog post.
8. Coming to the end of the list. Give props to The Kingston Festival, Bridgehampton Festival and Bay Chamber Festival for being awesome as well.
   Played cool pieces and most importantly I really ate some GOOD food this summer. Allen’s Seafood. Voted best Lobster by Anthony McGill 2011.
9. Played the Mozart Quintet with the Brentano String Quartet.
   Concert in Houston at Da Camera. Awesome piece, awesome people, awesome time.
10. Wow I can’t believe this may have actually worked!!! Played the Mozart Concerto with the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra
    So this was the catalyst in my sleep. Best part of the whole trip was visiting the kids at a program called Kids in Tune. It is Kalamazoo Symphony’s new program to help keep music alive. Check out the link here. These kids are the future. Actually, duh, Anthony, all kids are the future. So how about we give them all a chance.http://www.mlive.com/entertainment/kalamazoo/index.ssf/2011/08/kalamazoo_symphony_orchestra_l.html
10. 1/2. I like Kalamazoo. The people are nice. Check this out. I bet you haven’t heard of the Kalamzoo Promise. You won’t believe it.
    https://www.kalamazoopromise.com/10things/10ThingsYouNeedtoKnowBasically because of generous donors, any kid that attends k-12 in Kalamazoo and get’s into any public university in Michigan gets a full ride to college. Yes, seriously. Check it out. There is hope everywhere, well, definitely in Kalamazoo.
10. plus the other 1/2. I’m stretching it here. Drum Roll. The real reason I loved Kalamazoo so much.
    http://www.mlive.com/entertainment/kalamazoo/index.ssf/2011/10/clarinetist_anthony_mcgill_wow.htmlThanks for listening and maybe there should be something called America’s Promise. That every kid can go to college for free. Just a thought. 😉

Cheers,

A