4 days Ago
From Monday to Friday, with the exception of Wednesday when my lessons are online via Zoom, I get up at 5am, enjoy a hearty cooked breakfast prepared by my mother which sustains me through my day travelling to Dublin by bus, which used to leave from beside the Europa Hotel before the new development and now leaves from Belfast Grand Central Station. I usually manage to cat nap for about two and a half hours until the bus arrives in Dublin. Once I arrive, I have a brisk, healthy 15 minute walk to my second home, the Royal Irish Academy of Music where I look forward to partaking in Chamber Music sessions with my delightful colleagues, enjoying the exploration of repertoire with my esteemed professor Ray Keary, and my other performance adjacent studies.
Having had a very busy week’s schedule, I enjoy a lie-in at the weekend to around 1pm, at which time I have a big brunch consisting of Iceland potato waffles, delicious Sunblest pancakes, large free range chicken eggs, often made into an omelette with cheese, chilli, basil and oregano, with streaky bacon and sourdough bread with my family. My ideal Saturday is to firstly practise the Alexander Technique mindset as to ensure my comfort for the day. I have an intensive run on the treadmill and then arrange a rendezvous with my friends at the Goat’s Toe, where I will have my glass of orange juice.
Then we go to the cinema to watch the latest movies. We enjoy critiquing the pros and cons of the movies as we are all big film buffs. Sundays for me are always filled with the sound of music as I prepare the works for returning to the Academy the next week.
My ideal Sunday would be knowing that Monday is a bank holiday! Though the outside is often very beautiful, I do prefer the indoors, especially in summer when the wasps come hunting for me! I enjoy occasionally socialising with my friends online, including those who have travelled to far off lands for jobs and university. We enjoy chatting and playing games together. At weekends I’ve always had to do a lot of practise and this has only become more intensive with my ever-expanding repertoire.
Every now and then, we like to go to Greggs for a lavish meal with the family. Ruby’s Dundonald! The most delectable food I have eaten in Northern Ireland was in this wonderful little restaurant and I would love to go again and again, and again! Ruby’s famous sticky chilli chicken with sesame seeds and a side of garlic chunky chips. Practise! And to socialise with my friends — it’s always important to have friends, because all work and no play makes Rowel a dull boy! Occasionally I have musical engagements at the weekend, including competitions and concerts.
For example, my weekend recently in Warsaw was wonderful! I had an amazing experience and the concert was fantastic, it was a special performance at the National Opera House in Warsaw presented to me by the Polish Jury Member as part of my prize for winning The Irish Freemasons Young Musician of the Year. A thousand thanks to all at the Irish Freemasons for facilitating the competition and the wonderful prizes that keep on giving. Chopin! I would love to meet the legend who made such a huge impact on the world of music and perhaps learn more about the stories he wished to tell through his compositions.
I do occasionally cook, albeit not always at the weekend. If I had to choose my speciality dish, it would be my world famous sesame chicken dish. A lovely three bird roast with more stuffing than can fit on the plate, with plenty of cranberry sauce, oodles of perfectly roasted potatoes in duck fat and full fat butter, roasted carrots and parsnips and a roast gravy, with a few bottles of Shloer.
I enjoy Sunday dinner at home with my parents. My go-to from the Golden Rainbow Chinese is cashew nut chicken or chicken satay, egg fried rice and salt and chilli chips. I enjoy action, adventure, intrigue and mystery with hefty helpings of sci-fi.
Some of my favourite directors are Spielberg, who directed many of my favourite movies such as and , James Cameron, Travis Knight, Guillermo Del Toro and Takashi Yamazaki to name a few. and and to name a few. Sheet music! 2.
30am. I finish practising late and I enjoy a nice cup of hot chocolate made with 100 per cent milk and real melted chocolate. Wow!.
