Ted's Place

 This is the view from Ted's place.  Ted is an 80-something-yr-old from church, who has been building a place up in the mountains for many many years.  At least once a year he invites a crowd up for lunch.  Every time, I have declined the invitation.

I am not a very social person.  The idea of being in the mountains with a group of oldies... well, it's not a terribly inviting proposition.  At a Christmas party last year, I had a brainwave.  I much prefer playing at parties rather than being a real guest, so I thought if I took my trio up and played, I could still accept the invitation but not feel socially awkward.  Ted was thrilled with the idea and has been handing out invitations for about a month.  Because yesterday was St Patrick's Day, there was a bit of an Irish/green theme.  I didn't actually end up taking the trio, as my brother (the cellist) was running a half marathon this evening, but Jeannie and I played duos. 

I wore a green bracelet from the Eumundi markets, and lime green retro platform stilettos.  No pic of them just yet, but I'm hoping to wear them this week.  It seems there were as many comments about my shoes as there were our playing.

We started with Jigs, Reels and Hornpipes and then moved on to tangos.  This group (maybe 40 people, at a guess) was the most appreciative audience we'd ever entertained.  They danced, they clapped, they cheered and whistled, and all at the right times.  They even fed us.  After we'd finished, another guest (who happens to be an actor, entertainer, amazing brain) sang a song and told a story, and another guest sang a song also.  There were a few tears...

I was very glad to be playing (and therefore have only a short time for socialising), and very glad to have Jeannie there as well, but even gladder to have finally accepted an invitation to see Ted's place. 

Outfit #12 - Bonus! - Staff Concert

 Tonight was the school's annual Music Staff Concert.  I can humbly say, it was pretty spectacular (as it always is).  I can't really imagine wearing something other than black to perform, so the black dress came out again.  I love these shoes (I know I say that a lot, but still...).  They may look dainty and uncomfortable, but I've worn these for 14 hour days and still felt human.  Stiletto, but a mini platform, a strap to keep things in place, a cute little bow.  These photos were taken once I returned home, but I think it's the camera rather than the tiredness that's the cause of the red eyes.  Although, this was the least scary of the lot.

Outfit:
Dress: Hot Options.  Shoes: Pulp Noir.  Earrings: silver roses.  Hair clip: ???  Violin: made by Arthur John Parkes.  It's a long story, but he's now a bishop.

Obviously, the concert was not in my living room.  And I never actually play in this exact spot, ever, because there's a wall. 

I work with really talented people.  Not just great teachers, but really skilled performers.  We should be charging $50 a ticket minimum!  It's a bargain at gold coin donation.  I was part of 3 things, as well as the (unrehearsed) group staff thing at the end.  5 of us on strings accompanied our Head of Music and a singing teacher in 2 parts of Pergolesi's Stabat Mater.  3 of us performed the last movement of the Brahms trio for French horn, violin and piano (agh!  written in a key that's great for horn, not for violin).  And 2 of us performed the Handel-Halvorsen Passacaglia duo, on violin and viola.  This was the 2nd time I've performed that piece, and thankfully it went much, much better this time.  The last time, my E string slipped near the top of the last page, and I just could not foresee success for those ridiculous runs.  I had to stop, retune, and then start up again - it really ruined the mood.  This time, all strings stayed put, the music (mostly) stayed on the music stand, and after the first couple of bits my arms and brain calmed down.  And because I apparently have a smile fixed to my face whenever I'm performing, no-one could tell the nerves were there.  Success!