A performance ...

Last weekend (the 12th, specifically) I performed in a "performance potluck" at Briggs Opera House in White River Junction, VT. The event was called "Freedom" and the theme was "What would you do if you weren't afraid?" A month--or so--ago I was approached by an acquaintance from orchestra who wanted to know if I'd be interested in taking on the piano part in a new trio (for oboe, violin, and piano) called "No Go Ego", composed by the producer of the show. After looking the part over, I agreed--it didn't seem all that challenging and I was game for a new adventure. I soon found out it was challenging: Very syncopated with a tricky motif that was hard to finger!



I worked very, very hard for a few weeks to "get it in my fingers" and I succeeded--to a degree. The piece continued to keep us all right on the edge of failure. To top it off, we three each had to take turns playing the triangle that was set up between us. I admit to consistently missing the first ding of the triangle after the piano comes in. An interesting and fun aspect of the piece is the flipping of a coin before it starts. If the coin lands heads up, we are to finish with the first ending; if it lands tails, the second ending is played. We tossed heads.



There is an electronic version of the piece on YouTube, if you want to hear what it sounds like:



I'm quite happy that our trio was first on the program--got it over with! Not perfectly... but the composer said he was ok with mistakes if the spirit of the piece was right. It went pretty good, I think. Always hard to tell when you're the performer.

The program was great! There were some really good poems, performance pieces, dance, and other music in the program. There were refreshments after the performance and a dance party. Oh what fun! I haven't really danced since I left NYC 4 years ago and it felt so really good to have that religious experience once again! The theatre is set up with good speakers and the stage makes a great dance floor. The choice of music was perfect.

I'm looking forward to possibly taking part in the next "potluck" scheduled for November, which theme will be "fear of death". My composer friend in Greenpoint, Brooklyn (my old neighborhood) wrote a most fabulous piece called "Koori" (means "ice" in English) for piano, four hands and glockenspiel which score I have, and quite possibly my acquaintance and a percussionist friend of his will play it. I love this composition! (I may have shared it here before)