Last Day in NYC.

The Rutter concert was unbelievable. Carnegie Hall is ridiculous, especially with one choir of 175 and a second of at least 250. For once I had NO PROBLEMS getting backstage! The ushers were friendly in pointing me in the right direction and the house manager walked me to the elevator, called it for me, and told me how to get to his suite. When he saw me still standing there a bit later, he realized the elevator had been locked before as they were taking Rutter up, so he called it again and told the worker inside that I was to meet with the conductor. She knocked for me and waited around to see that all was well. When the door finally opened, a little old woman had wandered to the door. Mr. Rutter made a *hold on* face at me and talked with the woman for a while in the suite.

As I waited outside, a boy from one of the choirs came up and asked the stagehands if he was allowed to ask for an autograph. I told him he could go ahead of me. "Do you know Mr. Rutter personally?" Ugh. Little boy had to run off, though, so I resumed my 2nd in line position.

The door eventually opened again. A transcription of the conversation as I remember it will follow. I was going to ask to record it, as I want to remember the advice he gave me, but he was so easy to talk to I didn't find a moment to turn my camera on!

R: That was Virginia, the orchestra's director.
A: I'm Ashley Donaldson. I met Nick in Chicago, but for some reason he's not speaking to me now.
R: I'm sure Nick will speak to you again. He's just very busy right now. He's thinking about starting college in October. And he's going on an orchestra tour this summer in Greece. *sits at table and picks up a pen, so I get my drawing out. He stands up and takes it to look at it* Oh, you drew a picture of Nick! Is this me?
A: Yes; could you please sign it for me?
R: *sits back down*
A: I've never been to a concert here, before. The hall is amazing!
R: Oh, I'll write where we are. It's the 29th, right? So do you go to school?
A: Yes, I actually want to be a conductor.
R: Is that so? I find it to be very time consuming. Not nearly as much as composing, but I don't do too much of it. *by this time, he's wandering around the room packing*
A: Do you have any advice?
R: Study the music to get it just how you want it.
A: That's just what Colin Davis said.
R: You met Colin Davis? At school or a masterclass?
A: No, I actually went backstage at the Barbican. I was in London in December.
R: (something like:) He's a definitive conductor.
A: Nick and I both went backstage at the Chicago Symphony.
R: Oh, yes. Nick mentioned that. You met John Eliot Gardiner. He's a very temperamental man. But I guess you can be that way when you have your own group. He has the Monteverdi Choir.
A: Actually, he was with the Chicago Symphony that night.
R: Oh, then I'm sure that he was on his best behavior....which is still bad. He's been known to make sopranos cry, which I don't recommend. So, are you interested in choir or...
A: Orchestra.
R: What instruments do you play:
A: Trumpet and piano.
R: I recommend a string instrument. After all, they are the largest group in the orchestra. You have to know enough about each instrument to understand how to get them to play what you want. I'd also recommend singing with a choir. Well, I wouldn't be too worried about Nick.
A: Could I please get a quick picture?
R: Oh, yes! *walks towards door, stops suddenly* Actually, I'm not allowed picture back here. *pulls out phone* I'll have to find someone who's not official.
A: I can take it myself.
R: That would be wonderful. *walks to corner of the room in which there was a piano at one side and a bust in the corner* This'll be fun. That's Toscanini! 1, 2, 3...

I thanked him, asked him to at least say hi to his son for me, and left in the rain, only to walk by Radio City to see that Eddie Izzard was sold out for the night. Back to Kier's to shower, eat, and get my things. And that was that. In short, the trip I dreaded beyond all others was a success.