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auditions, concerts, the unexpected

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An amusing read for a summer day!

These “interest- ing” per- forming situations are all true:

• a freezing cold, windy venue (St. John the Divine in Jan. ~ everyone
said “wear long underwear,” and they weren’t kidding ~ gloves, too?)

• sweaty hands (only once, fortunately.  At NYU the heat was still on in late May)

• not being able to hear the other 2 members of my trio onstage (Alice
Tully Hall)

• a phone ringing 12 times during a Beethoven trio performance
(I counted, wouldn’t you?), never answered

• a page turner wearing heavy perfume ~ you breathe, you’re finished

• another page turner who cracked his knuckles, out of rhythm

• yet another page turner who talked during performances

• a green piano w/no discernible pitches (in a singer’s audition)

• only being able to see the back of a singer’s dress (New York City Opera
audition, w/the piano 1/2 stage away, rep was “Queen of the Night,”
note-for-note the same w/piano)

• only being able to see back of violinist’s head, due to cramped space

• competition judge crossing room during music to slam window, loudly

• competition audition w/no piano bench (Juilliard ~ 2 chairs were
stacked on top of each other, rocked & made noise)

• pedals not regulated, or only damper pedal working

• damper pedal broken, 20 min. before concert

• stuck keys

• turning 2 pages at once

• playing organ located behind choruses ~ requires anticipating
conductor’s beat ~ try it sometime!

• wide variations in lighting ~ keys/music are sometimes different
shades of gray

• not to mention all the PSO’s (Piano-Shaped Objects, Martha Argerich’s term)

I could go on!

No one could make these up!  How can situations that feel so disruptive seem so funny when they’re over?

What “interesting” scenarios have you encountered?  Please use the comment section below to add your own experiences!!!

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