You better Czech yourself, before you wreck yourself.: Fried Chicken and a Symphony...classy

Sorry everyone! I have been neglecting my blog again. I have attempted to write this blog post maybe like ten times and every time I either get distracted or want to go to bed. So finally here it is.
On Wednesday, I had my lesson at 5:30. Usually, I have it on Tuesday but he had rehearsal for the Prague Symphony Orchestra. So we had the lesson and then he gave me tickets to the concert that night--actually first, he asked if I wanted to go. Did he really need to ask. If it's free and it's music I'm there. Anyways, so after my lesson he walked to the hall that the concert was going to be in and then left for his rehearsal. So I sort of knew where I was but not really so I had to find something to eat that wouldn't take that long. I wandered for a couple minutes and then saw off in the distance--could it be?!--yes--I think it is--KFC. Needless to say I'm a horrible person. Totally had Kentucky fried chicken...in Prague. However, it was surprisingly delicious. Perhaps better than the KFCs in the states.

Yes. It happened. No regrets.

So the concert was amazing. It was in Smetana Hall (he's a famous Czech composer--contemporary of Dvorak). They played Mahler's Songs on the Death of Children or (for my German-speaking friends) Kindertotenlieder. Kind of a Debbie Downer but still beautiful. It was five songs for mezzo-soprano and orchestra. The mezzo had a beautiful voice, especially her low-register. It was full and rich which is hard to find unless it's a really good alto. The first movement was the best--absolutely gorgeous. It gave me chills. The other movements were also excellent but lacked the "umph" (that's a technical term) that the first movement had. Then, after intermission they played Shostakovich's Symphony No. 15 in A. I love the first movement. It is amazing. The other movements meander around aimlessly. But the first movement is so great. And there's a trumpet solo in which he quotes Rossini's William Tell Overture. It's quite funny. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jaRKsOUTZw8
Go to 1:55 seconds if you'd like to hear--or you could listen to the whole thing. It's pretty epic.