Thursday, July 16, 2009

Friends, or Foe?

The title has a double meaning. 1) Yesterday, I went to see the new Harry Potter film. I loved it, but it could have been more dramatic. It seemed like everything happened too quickly and just barreled forward. I laughed. I cried. I enjoyed. Go see it. Only if you've read the books, though...or at least watched all the other movies and remember what happened in them. If you know the plot, you get the meaning of the title.

2) After the movie (which, by the way, the cinema only had about 5 empty seats), I came back to the flat to get ready to head out yet again. At 7, there was an "LSO Friends and Patrons" event at the Barbican. I was invited via letter to my house in Ohio back in June. Dad sent me an email containing the info in the letter with the subject like, "Ashley: READ THIS NOW." The letter arrived 11 June. I had to respond by the 12th.

When I got to the Conservatory Terrace (see picture- stolen from the internet as I stupidly didn't take my camera- below, but pretend you're looking down upon the scene), I found out that the woman hadn't gotten my email response. No matter, she was happy I showed up! I was worried that I wouldn't really find someone to talk to, but I ended up having a great time. 2 women came over near me and we started chatting. 2 more eventually joined. The first two were both "Friends (people who pay money to get orchestral perks)," the second two both people like myself who'd bought a ton of tickets. I saw that Ginette, one of the 1st violins, was there, so I went and sat with her for the recital portion of the night. Patrick, tuba, and Rinat, bass, serenaded us for an hour.

After the recital, we all headed downstairs to the garden room (with a door leading into the, well, garden, seen in the picture below) for food, drinks, and talk. I talked with some people who work as stewards at LSO St. Luke's. One woman came up to me and asked if I was in the orchestra. She recognized me via my shoes...she complimented me on them at the first event I went to there! Everyone wished me well and said they could tell I will be going far....I can only hope their crystal balls weren't too cloudy. One woman asked my full name so she could look for it in the future. I think that's one of the most powerful things people have said to me.

Tomorrow is the first rehearsal for the last concert. Sigh.

4 comments:

KMAD said...

You have certainly impressed a lot of people. I wish that I were a little mouse following you around London. haha Maybe I am one of those mice, listening in on all of your conversations. I wish I could. So the mice, "Friends or Foe?" <3

Ashley said...

Good question. Easy answer: foe. I did see some mice at a tube station the other day (running around on the tracks). Stalkers!

Aunt Wendy said...

This may be my last comment for awhile. U Ron & I will be heading West on Saturday, after we get your Grandpa settled. So glad you're having so much fun. And how wonderful that you're making such a wonderful impression on people, and the fact that they want to remember you. We always knew you were "Special"...

Ashley said...

Thank you, Aunt Wendy! Except you all thought it was a different kind of "special." :)