Performance Weekend in Trichotomy

Carnegie Hall Concert, Take VI

So I performed at Carnegie Hall again last Saturday. It was my second time playing solo, and first time playing with one hand... so does that count as a half-solo debute?

The day leading up to the concert was uneventful, but the previous few days were. My sister-in-law was giving a concert on Sunday too, so La Professeure's parents drove down for the weekend (Thursday till Tuesday) and stayed with us for the concerts. But I enjoyed hanging out with them. On Friday, my sister-in-law and brother-in-law came into the City, but she stayed to go to coaching session while he went into Long Island to meet with the family. So us son- and daughter-in-law came in late to Long Island together on the train, and we all went out to the diner. We spent time catching up; it's always fun, but I could tell both me and the sister-in-law were nervous about the weekend.

Sister-in-law had to go in for dress rehearsal in the morning, so I went into the city with her. I figured it's easier to focus by myself, in a familiar environment like the city. I got lunch at Ranch Chicken, watched Captain America: Winter Solider to pass the time (it was much better than the first Captain America, but I wouldn't go so far as to say it's the best Marvel movie...), and then it was time to go to Carnegie Hall.

I was early - at 4:30, half an hour before the dress rehearsal start time - but a lot of my fellow performers were there already. The part I like most about performing at the amateur group is the commaderie amongst the musicians. So it was nice to catch up with them. The nice guitarist was scary though - he had gone to the ER on Wednesday for high blood pressure, and was clearly not feeling like himself. I admire his gut for still going out to perform; he had low blood pressure by then (he thinks the doctor overdosed him).

The wait for our turn to sound check was long, as usual. But we spent time chit-chatting, as well as warming up. The feeling was tense and nervous excitement. At one point the bassist saw me studying my tablet intently, swiping the screen back and fro, frowning and nodding my head in turn. He assumed that I was studying and memorizing my score. I had to tell him what I really was doing: I was playing Angry Birds. Everybody laughed.

They renovated the Carnegie Hall back stage, so now the backstage has a lot more dressing rooms, but each of them were a lot smaller. So it took a while to get used to where things were. The other piano soloist and I wandered all over the floor to find a grand piano when the sound checks started, so we could warm up. I ended up finding a tiny room with an upright on it. I warmed up on it, and it went very well. I was pretty confident. That, combined with my lack of desire to do very well in this concert, made me much less nervous than last year when I had my solo debut.

After my sound check - I was naturally last because I was last on the program - I went to Au Bon Pain to get dinner (soup and granola and yogurt) as well as a bottle of water for the guitarist, who wasn't feeling well and was performing in the first half. And I ran into La Professeure and her parents there. They had a long day too: went to a specialty bra shop in Manhattan so her mom can get special bras that don't hurt her shoulder because of her surgery, and to St. Patrick's cathedral for mass, and then walked to Carnegie Hall. It was nice catching up with them but at that point my nervousness level was piling on steadily. I excused myself by 7:30 so I could return the water to the Guitarist.

Because I play in the second half, I get to see the first half performance from the audience. They were mostly good - I didn't really care for a woodwind quartet doing Saint-Seans's Russian and Danish Melody thingy (it was twice as long as it needed to be) and the bass who tried to sing Don Giovanni in La ci darem la mano (it was way too high for him - his Osmin in Abduction was brilliant though), but the rest of the performers were terrific.

When intermission started, I ran into friends there - Dramatic Soprano, the Japanese Pianist, the Taiwanese Piansit, even the Sherpherdess - so there was a lot of catching up to do. But after the chats I had to go back stage.

It was showtime.

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The Right Reasons

The whole second half up to my performance was spent in uncomfortable waiting. I waited, tried to enjoy the performances through the speakers, emptied my bladder several times, found the piano to warm up on, and after what seemed an eternity, it was my turn.

What I remember from playing Widmung was just how beautifuly the piano sounded. The touch was so nice and smooth, I didn't have to make any effort to make it sound good. I think I'll have to actively try in order to make it sound ugly. I think about how I want to change the voicing, balance or dynamics, and it automatically happens. It's like the piano was telepathic. I don't remember much from playing the Revolutionary Etude, though, other than being scared shitless and trying not to hit the wrong notes.

La Professeure took a recording of my performance. It sounded okay; not great, but not a disaster. Pretty much what I expected and aimed for. Something I observed from the recording, though: while I was playing Widmung, you can hear the background "audience" noise - coughers, page rufflers, seat shifters. But when I was playing Godowsky Revolutionary Etude, it was complete silence. The Organiser knew what he was doing when he requested a flashy piece. When I was done, I got a good reaction from the audience.

The Organiser was very adamant that I make an announcement before I play the Revolutionary Etude to point out that I am playing the Godowsky arrangement, using just my left hand. (It did take quite some time for me to think of a way to say, "hey, look, one hand!" without sounding awkward. It turned out to be a little big awkward, but not as much as I'd feared.) That turned out to be important, apparently, as I am struck by how quiet the audience was.

After the concert, there was a reception at the lounge, and after that, a group of us went to the nearby Brooklyn diner for a late night snack. It was 11 by time time we got kicked out of Carnegie Hall. La Professeure's parents were tired, so she took them home, while I went out with the group.

It was nice hanging out; I happened to get seated with people I didn't know - friends of the Japanese pianists and the violinist. They're nice and friendly, but I was always mindful of the train schedule. I ended up staying for half an hour, and hurried back to the train station. By the time I got back it was 1am. La Professeure came to pick me up (I had planned to take a cab) from the station. I was exhausted by then.

I must say, though, the concert this time was not as satisfying as last year, when I played the Warsaw concerto. I think it has to do with the repertoire. The Revolutionary Etude wasn't my choice, but I spent the most energy on it, so I suppose it's just natural I'm not as worked up. It was on my bucket Liszt, for something I'd like to learn to see if I could, but not necessarily to perform to show people I could. It's very different from the Warsaw Concerto, which is a piece I love and feel unjustly ignored in standard repertoire. Or Content to be behind me, which I felt was a piece that needed to get heard. This time it just reeks of "look what I can do; aren't I awesome?" Before the jazz band went on, the basist asked the drummer whether he was ready for some applause. The drummer replied, "I'm not after the applause anymore - I'm after hearts." I think, since my heart wasn't in it, I can't really expect to have a convincing performance. You have to have the right reasons to perform.

So, yes, since I don't have a piece that I love, I'll be sitting out solo spots for a while.

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And more performances...

The next day it was our sister-in-law's turn. She was giving the concert with one other soprano, so had a lot more music to prepare than I did. We took the train out to the city and to Opera America, and met up with her family there. The concert was great; I was impressed by the pianist. It was a program of American classical music, so there was Barber, Weil, a world premiere and Jake Heggie's At the Statue of Venus. I had a good time. It certainly felt good not to be on stage. Both families hung out afterwards for dinner/snack, and went our separate ways. I was confused to find that sister-in-law was going to stay with us rather than head back to Virginia with her husband or to stay with her family here on Long Island. But it's flattering that she wanted to stay with us. So we came back, and her, La Professeure and her parents had a good time catching up.

On Monday, La Professeure's parents were still staying with us - her mom wanted to head to the mall. We also had dance lesson scheduled, so we took them to the lesson and had the instructor give them a lesson too. They used to do polka dance all the time, so it was very easy for the to pick up ballroom. The instructor made us demonstrate for them first, and had us teach them some basic steps. I think they enjoyed it a lot, even though they complain about not seeing us get our lesson. I had a fun time watching them take the class.

So, it was a fun week to have them with us, even though it was mostly La Professeure who had to spend time with them - on weekdays I was working, and on Saturday I was in the city all day. So I got all the benefits of having the in-laws without the cost.

Except yesterday, two days after they'd left, La Professeure discovered that the house's main sewer has been clogged and water has been flowing out of our sewer cleanout line. For a while it was stressful for us because we had to face the prospect of not being able to put water into the sink or flush the toilet until it was fixed. Luckily the plumber came the same day, and cleared out the main sewer trap, and everything went back to normal.

The verdict was that La Professeure's mom used so much toilet paper that our main sewer line couldn't handle it.

So, there is always a risk being a host.

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