Concert Season

Another performance gone by, yet plenty more to look forward to. It's that time of the year to attend/perform many holiday concerts. My most recent was the "We Gather Together" concert in celebration of Thanksgiving with Garrison Keillor (and his red socks). And of course, the Christmas concerts are just around the corner.

"WGT" went without a hitch. It was much smoother sailing than I thought it would be. I like to have things planned, and know things ahead of time. It calms my nerves. However, planning ahead is not in Garrison's vocabulary. That's what makes his shows great, the spontaneity, the whims, the tangents, and the freedom to make an artistic change. Obviously, some of us OCD folks find it hard to let loose and accept things as they come. We had rehearsal all day (the day of the performance) and were comfortable with our pieces. However, the order was left up in the air to be decided at a later time. (We had rehearsal from 12:30-3ish mind you.) The concert was at 4 o'clock. So, sure enough the order was set at 3:45.

Hoping that I didn't mess up the order, I organized my folder as best I could. Some of our pieces were printed on other pieces, so I wrote when to move which piece where after one of the pieces on that particular page was sung... (if that made any sense) I also had to turn pages for our wonderful accompanist Charles, resulting in more scribbles and notes on pages to ensure my presence at the piano.

The concert was fun, amusing, and had a very relaxed feel. It was a perfect end to the Thanksgiving weekend. Orchestra Hall was filled, and everyone seemed to enjoy themselves. Now as I look onward at my Christmas concert schedule, I can't imagine what the holiday's would feel like without those joyous concerts. They have a way of filling you with holiday spirit, through music and the gathering of people, that's indescribable. Without them, I don't think it would quite feel like the holidays. Maybe Scrooge never went to a festive concert... he was probably too busy counting money. So, don't let that happen to you!