Charlotte Pt. 6

Well, I’m home. It’s about 35 degrees colder her in Minneapolis than Charlotte, but it’s much warmer in my heart because I’ve spent the afternoon watching my boys run around like mad people. The joys of parenthood. But about last night…….

Recovery from Friday night’s madness was a lovely bike ride in the country with David, the Tuba player. 26 miles of the rolling hills of N. Carolina (flat course ……. riiiiiiiiight!) followed by an old-fashioned meal at the Fresh Cafe, which is owned by yet another tuba player. And according to David the ex-senator from N. Carolina, Jesse Helms, was also a Tuba player. What is it with that instrument?

Then the evening arrives. I’m very excited and nervous about Saturday’s concert for one really big reason. My old teacher from my graduate school days at Eastman, Barbara Lister-Sink, is coming. I haven’t seen her in twenty years. She’s now teaching at Salem College, just 70 or so miles from Charlotte, and she has been working on helping pianists who have had playing injuries to heal. Anyone out there who knows a pianist in distress then this is the lady you need to contact. She has always been a wonderful teacher and she does wonders to this day.

So knowing Barbara was going to be in the audience I took the opportunity to publicly apologize to her for something that happened in one of my lessons. I was working on Mozart #24 one day, and she got a wistful look in her eyes. She said “you know, Bill, once you’ve played one Mozart piano concerto you’ve played them all.” I called her everything in the book, starting with “are you out of your mind?” and moving on from there. Now I’m here 20 odd years later to tell everyone that she was absolutely right. And that’s what I told the audience as well.

Did I mention I was nervous? It was like I was back at Eastman playing a jury! I didn’t play quite as well as I had Friday night but it was OK. Barbara was all smiles afterwards. I think she was just tickled pink to see her old student out there making good. We went out for dinner after the post-concert reception and talked for a long time.

Speaking of the post-concert – I get up there after changing and look around for the cash bar. No cash bar. No cash bar? Nope, they’re serving coffee and cookies. Coffee and cookies???? Here’s a prime opportunity to get into people’s wallets and it’s coffee and cookies. I’m sure there’s a reason for it but I gotta tell you a) I don’t drink coffee; b) I don’t eat cookies when I’m starving for real food; and c) I wanted a drink. Right now. Not later, not after, not nothing. RIGHT NOW!!! The staff at the ESO has figured out the following: 1) Bill wants beer now; 2) If we have a bar after our concerts patrons will hang around, get to meet orchestra members, have a good time, help establish a community of people who feel directly connected to the musicians and staff of the orchestra; 3) If we have a cash bar (as opposed to an open one, which does happen sometimes) we give the orchestra members one coupon each to have a drink on the organization. Musicians being what we are very few of us stop at one, especially if it’s been a really good concert. This brings a large percentage of the orchestra out front after the show. There is generally much hilarity and conversation at these post-concerts and we get a really good crowd for them. The CSO should do something like this. Hell, every orchestra should do something like this.

But I did the post-concert thing anyway, then tried desperately to get a meal in downtown Charlotte @ 11:15 pm. This was much harder than one would expect, and we eventually begged and pleaded for the people at Zink restaurant to let us sit in the dining room rather than the bar. The bar was simply too noisy and smoky and we just wanted to sit and talk. Someone please remind me to ask the CSO to do something nice for the folks @ Zink – they deserve it.

And that is that. The last thing that happened was me waking up at 6:15 am (uuuuuuuuugh) and heading to the airport. It’s going to take me a couple of days to process everything that went on the last week. I think I’ll post an analysis of my Charlotte experience and what I think the orchestra should look towards in the future, but that will come later. I need to hang with my family for a couple of days, and get ready to go up to Calgary for concerts this weekend. Bye bye Charlottee!!! It’s been fun…………

peace

wfe