The Reason I'm Here.

Today was Day 1 with the LSO. It consisted of "Brahms Discovery Day" and a concert at 7:30. I woke up at 8, got to the Barbican at 9:45ish AM. The concert finished around 9:45 PM.

The Discovery Day schedule began at 10 AM with an LSO open rehearsal. I'm quite glad it worked out this way, as I am yet to hear from my contact about getting into rehearsals. I arrived a few minutes early, so Gareth Davies, the principal flute, and I talked for a bit. It was nice to see him again after a quick meeting in Chicago. The rehearsal was supposed to be finished at 1:30, but got out an hour early. Right after it finished up, I went up to David Alberman, the principal 2nd violin. I never thanked him for escorting me backstage to meet Sir Colin in '07 when the Keeper of the Curtain wouldn't listen to me. We talked for a few minutes. He asked me some questions, etc. etc.

With nothing else to do until the next event at 2:30, I walked the 8 minutes to the LSO St. Luke's, a church that has been transformed into a concert hall. I sat on a bench in the park for a couple of minutes before I realized that I was absolutely starving. To fix this, I walked out the gate and to the nearest cafe. As I sat there chowing down on my panini and sipping away at my Earl Grey, I saw someone walk in with two instrument cases on his back. It was Chi, one of the LSO clarinets. He was going to be playing at the Discovery event. I introduced myself and we chatted as he waited for his take-away (that's take out for you all back home).

The Discovery event began at 2:30 with a talk about Brahms the Progressive. I don't have the program beside me, so I can't give the official title. The professor who gave the lecture said he was suffering from the "piglet flu," but he gave a good talk. At 3:40, there was a little break. Things continued at 4 with a BBC Radio 3 personality discussing Brahms' Clarinet Trio (+piano and cello). After they played, there was another question and answer. When everything was finished, I asked the cellist (the only of the 3 playing in the evening's concert) if she could possibly get Joost, the 2nd bassoonist I met in Chicago, to wait at a stage door for me. He ran off quickly after the rehearsal. She said she would.

When I returned to the Barbican Centre, I had another hour and a half to kill. For half an hour, I sat at a Costa in the Centre and ate some fruit and drank another cup of tea. After the rehearsal, Gareth warned me not to fall asleep during the concert. This second cup of tea helped me to not do that. Tea finished, a little over another hour to go. I decided to go upstairs and switch my seat from the balcony to the lower level. That didn't take long. Still had an hour. I then went up to a walkie-talkie-wearer and asked what I had to do to speak to a player (Joost) after the concert. He told me to ask to be put on the backstage list at the advace tickets counter.

About 5 steps after turning to walk to the counter, who should be walking towards me, but Joost! I waved, and he smiled, stopped to talk, and shook my hand. He said, "Hello, Ashley!" and introduced me to his mother, who happened to be with him. He told her that we met in Chicago. His mother asked me how long I am going to be here. He admitted that he had been running around quite a bit. He asked, "So will you be playing trumpet, or only conducting?" I was very surprised that he remembered what instrument I play- I had only mentioned it in passing in March. "You are so talented...you play trumpet, conduct, and do art..." At that, I pulled out a small gift I had thrown together the night before I left for the UK- a tiny painting of part of a bassoon (Gareth got part of a flute, as well!). We then departed and I sat until the concert began.

I didn't realize that the seat for which I exchanged my old ticket happened to be in the FIRST row on the end nearest one of the stage doors. I'll tell you that my neck was not happy with me for watching Sir Colin most of the time. Almost 90 degrees to the right for an hour and a half. While waiting for the concert to begin, I was shocked to hear someone shout my name from the next level up. It was Brian, my hostel friend! I was happy to see someone actually came after I told them about it. While we were standing around during the interval (that's intermission for those of you back home), Sharon, the piccolo player went running past- but not without saying, "hello! Sorry, I'm in a hurry...we'll catch up later!"

I am pleased to say that the energy of the evening's performance, several chance meetings, and the added help of the tea kept me on the edge of my seat (not literally...that would have hurt my neck even more). The Brahms Violin Concerto soloist and the orchestra definitely deserved the applause they received.

Tomorrow is a bank holiday. This means either everything will be closed or everything will be packed. Perhaps I will go to the concert at St. Martin's....

I believe this post is long enough. Questions? Ask!