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Awww... And I thought I've seen it all!
Well, I was sitting pretty yesterday at about 10am when I get a call from a conductor (think classical music...) and pianist asking me if I could play at a funeral in about two and a half hours. I declined it at first, they required me to play a piece I haven't touched in at least 30 years, the Beethoven Romance for Violin and Piano in F Major. I feel funny about just showing up and playing something half way decent. But, the guy was so insistent, like 'Oh, c'mon, I'll pay you really well for doing this, blah, blah, blah...' that I finally accepted. He faxes me the music and tells me to go to this Jewish Temple where the funeral was supposed to take place. Ok, I get ready and go there... Nobody, no cars, no people!! I start to freak out and while getting ready to call this pianist on my cell phone I see a lady cantor at the Temple, so I ask her where the funeral is. She says it's been moved and to follow her since she's going there! Ok, so now I'm following the lady Cantor and calling the pianist to see if he has a clue to where it is. No, he doesn't! He thought, like me, the funeral was to be at the Temple. So, I tell him where it is, meanwhile I arrive at the new place. The pianist calls me about five minutes later, he was lost! I give him directions, he finally shows up with three minutes to spare. I setup the music next to the piano...err...electronic keyboard (read toy) and we start playing. The guy can't read!! He makes up stuff as he goes, on top of that he kicks by mistake the volume pedal and it flies about five feet away from the keyboard so there's barely any volume to his accompaniment. I try hard to fit with what he's doing... Can't!! So I started making things up as we went until he gets the message that he was reading in the wrong rhythm. We finally meet each other within the last few lines and finish together. Phew...
I have never, ever been in this kind of situation, I felt quite embarassed by what came out, however the people there loved it. I think though, overall it was one of the funniest experiences at funerals for me. I'll remember this for the rest of my life...
Well, I was sitting pretty yesterday at about 10am when I get a call from a conductor (think classical music...) and pianist asking me if I could play at a funeral in about two and a half hours. I declined it at first, they required me to play a piece I haven't touched in at least 30 years, the Beethoven Romance for Violin and Piano in F Major. I feel funny about just showing up and playing something half way decent. But, the guy was so insistent, like 'Oh, c'mon, I'll pay you really well for doing this, blah, blah, blah...' that I finally accepted. He faxes me the music and tells me to go to this Jewish Temple where the funeral was supposed to take place. Ok, I get ready and go there... Nobody, no cars, no people!! I start to freak out and while getting ready to call this pianist on my cell phone I see a lady cantor at the Temple, so I ask her where the funeral is. She says it's been moved and to follow her since she's going there! Ok, so now I'm following the lady Cantor and calling the pianist to see if he has a clue to where it is. No, he doesn't! He thought, like me, the funeral was to be at the Temple. So, I tell him where it is, meanwhile I arrive at the new place. The pianist calls me about five minutes later, he was lost! I give him directions, he finally shows up with three minutes to spare. I setup the music next to the piano...err...electronic keyboard (read toy) and we start playing. The guy can't read!! He makes up stuff as he goes, on top of that he kicks by mistake the volume pedal and it flies about five feet away from the keyboard so there's barely any volume to his accompaniment. I try hard to fit with what he's doing... Can't!! So I started making things up as we went until he gets the message that he was reading in the wrong rhythm. We finally meet each other within the last few lines and finish together. Phew...
I have never, ever been in this kind of situation, I felt quite embarassed by what came out, however the people there loved it. I think though, overall it was one of the funniest experiences at funerals for me. I'll remember this for the rest of my life...