MTT

Yesterday began far too early with 9:30 rehearsal at St. Luke’s. Today was Day 1 with Michael Tilson Thomas. I was a bit surprised to find myself right behind him as I got to the church. He was with his man, Josh, and donning blue Phil Glasses. A Spanish woman (currently living in Switzerland) was also sitting up in the balcony. At the break, she asked if I’m a conductor, too. My note-taking must have given me away. Her name is Gloria. We individually introduced ourselves to MTT after rehearsal. He couldn't have cared less about either of us.

I had some delicious Italian food for lunch. Pasta mixed with some eggplant-wrapped mozzarella from a vendor on Whitecross Street. I've walked past his booth many times and thought how delicious it looked. Soooo tasty. I’m going to be heading back down there some day soon with my fingers crossed that the same dish will still be available.

I only stayed for the first hour and ten minutes of rehearsal for the evening concert. I skipped out on the concert, too, so I could go to my first rehearsal with the New London Singers. I took a bus to get there. During the bus ride, I was in the company of two completely idiotic old American men. They had stupid comments for everthing out the windows. I wanted to say something to them like, "Thanks for helping to maintain our national sterotypes."

Part way through rehearsal, Ivor asked for a volunteer to sit at the piano so the woman who previously was could sing for a bit. I idiotically stood up. Another guy did the same at the same time. Ivor wanted me to. He asked me to play downbeats occasionally, told me to play the organ part at one point, and along with one line…I never knew when he wanted me to continue and he never gave me enough time to find my place or think. He had the other woman come back. I felt completely worthless. After rehearsal (which was 3 hours with no break), he apologized for his brashness. He was stressed (concert is next week) and sick and admitted that I wasn't 100%. Completely understandable.

Day 2 at St. Luke’s with MTT didn’t begin until 2:30. It was an open rehearsal today, meaning people had to buy tickets. When I took to my perch upstairs, a girl came up to me saying, “I have to ask for tickets today. Or are you with the orchestra?” We began chatting about conductorly things. She studied in Canada and asked where I study/who with. I said, “Oh, it’s just a small school…BGSU.” “A friend of mine graduated from there a year or two ago. Cathy O’Shaughessy?” It’s a small world! She caught me later and said she’d give me her contact info at rehearsal tomorrow morning. When I got home, she had written on Cathy’s wall, so I just took the initiative and friended her then and there.

At dinner break, the orchestra had a meeting. I went next door to the Central Café for a bite. One wall was completely covered in LSO pictures. I don’t know how I didn’t notice that on the Brahms Discovery Day when I had lunch there.

Some BG-ers are going to be passing through London in the next few days. I’m going to try and swing by Covent Garden Friday night on the way to Gatwick in hopes of finding them. I can’t wait to see Moss’s face.