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Year Four, Day 5: Fabulous Friday

This will be a short post.

It is 12 a.m. I am just settling down after a magnificent dress rehearsal of "The Magnificat" by J.S. Bach.

I am speechless. The choir I accompany has been working on this incredible work of music since the beginning of the school year.

We worked hard. We sweat blood. But we are still friends. And tonight we rehearsed with an orchestra. Made up of mostly music center staff. I know several of them. I played a small organn. I was nervous. I think I was sweating blood. I am used to playing a piano, a grand piano for that matter, at rehearsal.

Even though the organ is a keyboard instrument, it is quite different than playing the piano. Plus I have very little experience playing with an orchestra. But I felt prepared. And I felt upbeat. Not quite as high and giddy as I did yesterday. But still positive. Whenever I felt my spirit start to say, I just told myself to float on the surface. I found myself  myself looking at life in a different way. Looking at the bright side. I met many people today that think the same way.

I rode out to a rehearsal, which was in Multnomah Village with two sweet ladies from choir. We found a lovely spot to eat. It was called "Prosperity Pie", a darling cafe which sold jewelry and held classes. And which had super hang out potential.

I really like Multnomah Village. I haven't been there in years. It has a unique, funky vibe. But not so trendy as some Portland neighborhoods.

As we gathered for rehearsal, I looked around the stage, and saw many familiar faces. In front of me were two cellists who teach at the music center with me. One of them is a good friend of mine, and I've played many performances with him. I've also taught his son to play piano, and I've worked extensively with his wife who is a pastor of a church. Behind the orchestra was my choir family. It warmed my heart to see all their familiar faces. They looked so intense.  We've been through a lot working on this piece and it was finally coming to fruition.

Then our beloved director came up to the podium and said a few words. Then he raised his baton and it began. The hairs on my arm stood straight up when the trumpets came in.

It was like a shot of adrenaline straight through my soul.

 I was still a little bit nervous, especially when the director told me I needed to turn the volume of the irgan up.

I felt so exposed! But thankfully the string bass player was right behind me. He had impeccable rhythm. And I felt like he was holding me up. To my right was the oboist. The mournful sigh of the oboe is surreal sound I know of. And he was sitting right beside me. Nice guy. He was all smiles.

At last I begin to relax and enjoy the music. I knew this. I've been working on it for almost a year.

I was thrilled to see one of the young solo vocalists was a piano student I had years ago at the Music Center. She squeezed my hand and smiled at me as she walked by. After we did some work on The Magnificat, the choir and I went down to the audience, had some food that was provided for us, and watched as a smaller group of the orchestra work on the Brandenburg Concerto.

One of my friends from the bass section came up to me and whispered,

"If I was ever stranded on a desert island,  that would be the one piece I would choose to listen to".

I think that is a good choice.

But now I must get my rest.

I am so looking forward to tomorrow.

And I am so glad that music is in my life.  I think my soul needs more of it.

Talk to you tomorrow.

Wish me luck!

Love,

 Zita



P.S. Here is today's hooping video. Day 321.

P.P.S. This was not a short post.


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