Random Pensées

The Concert Performance

Last night, we attended a sold out performance at Avery Fisher Hall at Lincoln Center. It was a grand performance by the Suzuki School of Westport, where the Girl Child (aged 7) studies violin and the Boy Child (aged 5) studies the cello. [The baby (aged 2), by the way, while studying neither, can often be found in his car seat, humming “twinkle” and moving his arm as if he were handling a bow.] There were 160+ students on the stage last night. All of them dressed in white shirts and black pants or skirts.

The program lasted for an hour. We (I was there with my parents) had the worst seats in the house, all the way in the farthest most back row. The music was lovely and the children performed terrifically. The BC was seated on the stage the entire time, in the front row by the left side. The GC came on stage with the other beginning violinists towards the end. I suppose it was easier to make the little violinists walk in with their much smaller instruments than it was to make the cellists come in with their stools and straps and big cellos. The BC behaved impeccably during the concert. He didn’t drop his bow on the stage once, unlike some of the other kids. He was scheduled to play at the last song of the program – some twinkle variations.

The GC was on stage and playing and we were about three songs from the end when the BC did something quite strange. He put his cello down and stood up. He looked around for a moment and then walked over the stairs and descended into the audience where he then began to march up the aisle of the concert hall. He was on the other side of the hall from me. The Viking Bride was a chaperone and was backstage so really didn’t see any of this. I jumped out of my seat, ran around the outside of the hall and met him at the door on his side.

Me: BC! Are you ok? What are you doing?

BC: I have to go to the potty really bad.

Me: BC, we are one song away from your song. You’re going to miss the whole thing if you go to the potty! Can you hold it?

BC: [Bites back a sob] I’ll try.

Me: Good for you! Let’s hurry and get you back!

We walk very quickly halfway down the aisle and I stop to let him continue by himself.

He mounts the stage as the second to last piece is coming to an end.

Avery Fisher Hall erupts in applause as the BC takes the stage and picks his cello back up. Everyone clapped for him.

They launch right in to the last piece and he plays his cello with tremendous gusto. He gets up, bows, and exits.

The GC, by the way, was sick going in and did not want to play. But she got out there and played her best, even though, as she confided in me later on the way home, she was not able to make her violin sing.

And so the concert ends.

I was so proud of them both.

And yes, the BC made it to the potty in time. Or so he said.

While waiting for them to all come out of the stage door on 65th Street, one of the mothers told me

When he got back on the stage, at the end, and everyone applauded: I cried.

I didn’t cry. But I did stand in the middle of the aisle, in the middle of Avery Fisher Hall at Lincoln Center, bursting with pride and pleasure as I watched as my son mounted the stage to thunderous applause and played his very big heart out.

I wasn’t sure what to expect last night but I certainly didn’t expect that. It was a heck of a show.

Posted by Random Penseur at May 28, 2008 10:40 AM | TrackBack