YOLO

October 03, 2024

YOLO

“California, where the spring comes in the fall and the fall comes in the summer and the summer comes in the winter and the winter never comes at all.” – Inez Haynes Irwin

Hello again!,

HIDDEN GEM

Some people may think the greater Sacramento area is not a good place to live. I just happen to disagree. It really is all about perspectives, experiences and appreciation. Because its geographic location, Yolo County is, naturally, part of the Sacramento area: Locals and visitors alike, have the opportunity to enjoy a vibrant place, full of many hidden gems waiting to be discover. I'm sure, if you asked, anyone living in the area would agree.

Yolo County, as a whole, is mostly a vast terrain of agricultural activity that according to some research, is one of the richest area for this activity in the world, and that is amazing considering how big the world really is. One has to live there to experience first hand, the endless blue skies and the earthly tones of the land.

THE YELLOW BRIDGE

Now, if we talk specifically about West Sacramento, it turned out, that in the last few years, and right before the pandemic, it grew considerable bigger, _ it is probably now the second biggest city in Yolo County_ which, it happens to be located west of Sacramento city; hence the name.

The Tower Bridge is a vertical lift bridge across the Sacramento River, linking West Sacramento in Yolo County to the west. The "yellow bridge", as I have always called it, is a tourist destination with an interesting history and full of nostalgic energy. I spent many mornings and afternoons walking around the pathways to admire the river.

Woodland and Davis are cities in the County that I also visited often. Davis is today, a university town with the Mondavi center as an important ground for the performing arts. Despite its questionable founding history, after almost two hundred years, Davis has raised as a charming town, overflowing with young students, all ready to make a mark in the world.

RANDOM MEMORY

The last few years prior to 2019, all my music recitals took place in Davis at a music venue called “The Watermelon”. I remember vividly the duet I played with Weston _ one of my most esteemed students over the years_ for the opening number of one of the recitals. It was a great success.

How could I forget all my students performances for that matter? This may be_ I guess you could say_ a random memory, but it came to my mind in the moment. Organizing music recitals was the highlight of my life, the musical participation of my students were everything to me, I lived for those events.

EVERY MUSIC NOTE

It has been a few months since I moved away from the area, and I am afraid one day, these wonderful memories I have of Yolo will become a blur dream, a distant place I wouldn't be able to reach.

With this piece I wrote, I know the good memories I have will become more vivid every time I hear it, I also know, all the music notes emanating from the melody will help me find Yolo County when my memory fails, and therefore, it would stay closer to my heart. I don't want this recollections to fade away. With any luck, Yolo County would stay with me for a long long time.

MY HAPPY LIFE

Needless to say, Norther California holds a dear place in my heart. It was a happy life, my happy life! Yes, Yolo County and its surroundings may not be the greatest place to live_ some people may say _ and if you are listening or playing this piece know that, there is a part of Yolo County's beauty in each and every measure of the music.

As for me, I'd promise you that when I play this piece of music_ I'd close my eyes, and take a deep breath, I would be imagining myself, walking freely on that vast agricultural terrain named Yolo.

Music Information