I am sitting in my hotel room, drinking tea and listening to the Canote Brothers’ “Obama’s March to the Whitehouse,” recovering from jet lag, checking email and catching up on some administrative work for the fall. I have a couple of charts to write for tomorrow as well, since I have two concerts this week. In other words, it is a pretty typical evening in my life as a musician. Two days ago I arrived in Kabul, where I will spend a couple of weeks collaborating and teaching at the Afghanistan National Institute of Music (ANIM). This is my fourth visit to the ANIM, but my first time here in the summer season. The city is all of the shades of June green, ornamented vividly with roses blooming along the sidewalks and in the city parks. It is hot and dry, the perfect weather for open windows and dining outdoors. […]