Thursday, February 19, 2015

    It was an early day for me since I had to be ready to go to school with Gina by 6:15 a.m.  It was a long harrowing drive across the city again, with a stop at the school where her three youngest attend, and then on to the music school where Rebeca attends and Gina teaches. 

Gina did not have students today, so we were able to spend more time practicing.  First, we had to find a key to the hall; then we couldn’t figure out how to turn on the lights and had to go for help.  The piano (a grand) had been moved off-stage, so we had to unlock the wheels and maneuver it through the small doorway onto the stage and lock the wheels up again.  Then we were as ready as we could be since we couldn’t do anything about the very poor lighting.  The fixed lights either shone right in our eyes or left dark spots!  But we adjusted J 

She asked a couple of teachers to come listen to us play and check for balance, etc.  Yes, it made us both nervous.  The balance was generally pretty good, but there are still a few places where we are not quite together.  There is a term I can’t remember that means “artist’s prerogative” or “artist’s lee-way” or something like that; and Gina takes it but often changes it from one performance to another.  And then there is my own lack of consistency!  Anyway, I will be happy when the stress of it is over—a week from today.  It will be sad too, however, because it will be the end of our playing together.   It has been such a blessing and a real bonus in this whole experience.  She told me today that there are no viola teachers in Honduras, and they need pianists.  They would love more help at this music school and it would be so rewarding to teach and help out there.

It was a long busy day; Glade is totally “done-in” with his back tonight.  We are praying for restorative sleep.

Good night—And love to all of you!