Before all the holidays converged at the same time, the first half of December was relatively quiet for Cindy and me, except for one conducting assignment that turned out to be very interesting.

For the past several years, I have been doing some teaching at the Manhattan School of Music. The conservatory is housed in the same building where my mother, uncle, brother, and I all studied while attending Juilliard. Every time I enter the door at 122nd Street and Claremont Avenue, I am reminded of the rich tradition of music that has emerged from those storied halls.

Reunions and a debut marked this past month, with a few side trips along the way. And of course, we had an election. More about that in a moment.

Nearly two years had passed since my last visit to the Detroit Symphony. As its music director laureate, I have the honor of being regarded as the grand old man with a degree of experience that can make a difference. I picked up right where I left off with the musicians who knew me during the ten years that I led the ensemble. Rehearsals were efficient and filled with musical information that needed to be digested quickly because we only had two days to rehearse instead of three. Absorbing the material is challenging when the schedule is condensed, especially for younger musicians who are unfamiliar with the repertoire.

Sometimes plans come together in ways that might be predicted but at the same time offer wonderful surprises. I knew that the early September birthday celebrations were just a part of what was to come throughout the season, but I had no idea of the impact they would make on me.

After the successful premiere of Daniel’s Voyager 130 in Dublin, we headed to Lyon for another performance of this piece and other works by members of clan Slatkin. This was a two-week stint, a rare privilege for a guest conductor, but this milestone birthday has its benefits. Settling into one place for an extended stay means at least one less airplane.

80 is not the new 60; it is 80—period.

Not that it seems to have mattered very much, as I feel great. The new number on the left has been around for a few weeks now, and gradually, I have eased my way back into season-opening form.

On September 1, we had a few friends over to the house for wine and cheese, followed by more wine. Cindy had surprised me the previous evening with some wonderful gifts, including the new computer on which I am writing this essay. Looks much better, doesn’t it?