To my dear brother Claudius,

Oh what unfortunate times have fallen upon me my mere brother It has been a mere six months since I have written, and yet my entire universe has titled on its axis. My apartment has slowly deteriorated into an unlivable space. A pipe has burst in my upstairs neighbor’s bathroom, and murky waters have begun to sink down above my own space. The floor beneath me has experienced a severe rat infestation and I fear that those vexing critters will not take long to begin to venture outside my doorstep. Almost ironically, the rent has begun to steadily increase every three months, and soon I will not be able to afford even the rat’s hole that I call a home.

Unfortunately, my success in the musical sphere has been fleeting. I have written dozens of pieces and submitted them to countless orchestras, conductors and other musical professionals and not a single one has been accepted. No matter how much I write and no matter what music I produce, I cannot seem to have it played anywhere in this god-forsaken city. There are simply too many composers, too many artists and too much competition for any one of us to be heard. It has become so difficult to even earn a decent living of off composition that I have begun consider retiring from my love.

And yet, despite the constant hardships that have plagued my path in recent memory, I sense a rise in my spirits. Why you ask my brother? Well Claudius, it is because of Valerie. Valerie, who to some may be just a simple singer, has stolen my heart in a single swoop. It was at a recent audition that I met her at the string section, I with my cello and her with her violin. While waiting for our respective auditions, we struck up a conversation on what I consider a blessing of fate: we had both chosen to perform a piece by Stravinsky. As our conversation spiraled on, it quickly became apparent to me that she was the most fascinating and gorgeous woman I have ever laid eyes on. Her luscious dark hair fell squarely over her shoulders and plunged down over. Her eyes, airy blue and wispy as a cloud entranced me to the point of hypnosis. I learned that her father had been a respected conductor in her previous home of Warsaw, but moved to Paris to fully experience the musical world. She learned to love music at a young age, devouring it in all mediums and venues. She frequented concert halls throughout her childhood, watching her father conduct orchestras of grand proportions. However, when she revealed to her parents her desire to pursue music like her father, they were not as supportive as one may hope. There are few women musicians in Paris and even fewer that enjoy some degree of her success. Her father would have much liked to marry her off to another wealthy composer, but she refused and began to train herself. I had no time to learn more as we were separated to perform, but I have not stopped thinking about her since the moment I laid eyes on her. I will visit the audition hall in the coming days in hopes of seeing her again and then, if I am lucky brother, my spirits my finally turn for the better.