If you've been reading this blog during my trip to Germany, you have no doubt seen many references to my amazing host, Pastor Kurt Oberschäfer. Although he has recently retired, he was for many years the Protestant Chaplain for the Germany military in the USA and Canada, as well as a pastor at several Lutheran … Continue reading The Pastor with the Trumpet
Concert in Lemgo
Last night we had our first performance in the beautiful church of St. Nicolai in Lemgo. The church was packed and we had a very appreciative audience. The staff at the church could not have been more kind and helpful. It was a great start to the concert tour. I especially want to commend the … Continue reading Concert in Lemgo
Rehearsals and Snow
The last two days have been filled with rehearsals and snow. The orchestra from the Detmold Hochschule für Musik and their conductor, Professor Joachim Harder, are terrific, and it's a thrill to to play with the great trumpeter Reinhard Ehritt. The rehearsals have been conducted entirely in German which has been a new experience for … Continue reading Rehearsals and Snow
First Impressions
The flight to Frankfurt was surprisingly pleasant. Going through airport security at Dulles was inconvenient, as usual, but not anything out of the ordinary. Some of the screeners were uptight, but my fellow travelers were patient and friendly, and that made everything much easier to endure. Frankfurt Airport was about the same. It was the first … Continue reading First Impressions
Off to Germany
In a few hours I will be heading off to Germany for a two-week concert tour. I will be posting updates here while I'm away, but before I go, I wanted to explain how the tour came about. For the past fifteen years I have enjoyed performing Baroque music with several groups in the Baltimore … Continue reading Off to Germany
Christmas Cookie Recipe
One of my favorite holiday traditions is baking batches of a particular Christmas cookie and giving them as gifts to my friends and colleagues. Because people always ask me for the recipe, I thought that I would post it here along with a few tips on how to save time and simplify the baking process. … Continue reading Christmas Cookie Recipe
Don’t Leave Home Without …
In a few weeks I will be leaving for an exciting trip to Germany to perform a series of solo trumpet concerts. Amidst all the diligent practice and preparation, I have discovered some useful packing tips that I wanted to share regarding new technology that will be coming along for the ride. So buckle up. Here … Continue reading Don’t Leave Home Without …
The White Stuff
Can you hear it? Hold your breath and listen as hard as you can. It's snowing outside. Yes, snow. Lots of snow. The silent, soft, stillness that has the power to stop time, cancel just about everything, and suspend reality. I am passionately and unashamedly in love with snow. I remember the Blizzard of '96 … Continue reading The White Stuff
Elisa Koehler 