Wednesday, 19 April 2006

• Currently Reading Kissing in Manhattan By David Schickler see related

   
  Notations
  Lynnwood, WA
  18 April 2006 - EOS-1Ds, f/8 1/80s, ISO-400

  It was a most innocent piece of paper--a relic from his final years in high school--that contained the concert order for one of the Young Peoples Concerts the Minnesota Orchestra was having.  The rehearsal and eventual side-by-side performance of the finale to Dvorak's 9th Symphony was one of those lifetime experiences even for a violist destined to be engineering airplanes.
  
  For some odd reason, he's kept it in his viola case throughout the years, after graduating high school, and even after the university years.  It had been a good luck charm of sorts, bringing forth musical opportunities that brought colour to an otherwise mechanical life.

  It's funny when these things might come to relevance--and when paths cross even if for a few moments.
  
  As he waited in the green room with the others before taking to the stage for the Dvorak, there was a soloist on stage playing Carl Maria von Weber's Andante and Hungarian Rondo to the collective dropped jaws of the whole guest viola section.  With his classmates from schools all over Minnesota, the applause was still coming strong as she slipped backstage.  The amazed violists could only muster a few "wow" and "nice job" compliments before having to take their seats on stage.

  Years later, as one of those violists took his seat at the final chamber music performance of the regular season, he glanced at the program and noticed a very familiar name--one that seemed like he read in some other program in the distant past--and for kicks, he stayed until the musicians had finished packing their instruments.  As they walked into the lobby on their way to a small reception, there was a small gathering of well-wishers expressing their gratitude for the night's performance (which was pure mastery and filled with youthful energy).  He joined in the praise-giving and then asked if it was, in fact, her who played the Weber...

  In fact, she said it was.

  ~ = ~

  It's amazing when and where random paths will cross!

  ~ = ~

  "Who's in town?" said a colleague.

  "Yes, yes he is," I replied.
  (Actually it's Hu that's in town.  As in Hu Jintao.  President of China.  He'll be speaking at work tomorrow...)

  ~ = ~

  It's been a while, yes, as it's also been tremendously busy busy busy.  I do hope to get back into the swing of things soon!  How have you been?

  Strangers, I bid you an exhausted goodnight.

  Cheers,
  -j

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