I always have a hard time starting these posts because there are about 5000 thoughts and feelings buzzing around my head after a concert, and nearly zero that can really be condensed into a comprehensible sentence. This is doubly so for the last concert of the season, after the jam-packed, exciting marathon that is our summer. I am a jumble of elated and sad, energized and exhausted, and unable to think yet unable to stop replaying everything I did that could have gone better.
But the first thought I always have after we take our bows and are panting backstage is “Well, I just want to do that again”. That’s the thing about the performing arts. The best and worst part of it is that it’s so ephemeral. Breathing note to note in a live concert forces everyone to experience unprocessed, raw, and real emotions, and to be so in tune with their gut reactions and feeling. But then it’s gone in the blink of an eye.
I was so proud to both have my brother here and to have him experience the wonderful and people where I work. I have the greatest respect for him and my colleagues, and to bring them together for our season finale was especially meaningful for me.
We also had the amazing Juliette Kang with us for these weekends of quintets. She’s an incredible player and musician, and always a lot of fun to have around!
Last evening, after we peeled our concert and put away the 20 programs worth of music we had just gone through, we received a warm congratulatory email from Lew Freeman, expressing appreciation for this summer’s programs, playing, guest artists, and emerging artists. This is the best thing to get, to know that what we do means something to someone, because this is the only reason we do what we do. The fierce love and support you guys have for music is something we are always the most thankful for.
And now, on to programming the next season and preparing for Fall Foliage! If you’re planning to be there, we will see you very soon, with a slew of awesome new pieces that I’m super excited to start working on.
