I am not someone who does residencies very often except in the context of specific productions, but my month at Civitella was a wonderful gift that came to me at the perfect moment. It was the chance to step back and think about my relationship with my music, removed from all the pressures of daily life. It was also the chance to connect with a new place and new people who all share strong passion for their art. Civitella is a place apart from the normal world, full of beauty and flavor: the other Fellows, the amazing staff, the wondrous castle and gardens will stay with me always.