The Last Minute Change

This week was the school Music Festival.  Monday - Wednesday are the heats, where (ideally) every child learning an instrument/voice gets up and performs.  Strings, thankfully, are divided into junior, middle, and senior.  There is a guest adjudicator, the kids get a certificate and great feedback about their playing, as well as the chance to get up and play in front of someone other than their teacher.  Students who are awarded a High Distinction in the heats get to perform in the Grand Concert on the Friday night. 

On Tuesday, I was asked if I was going to the concert.  Probably not... So you won't be going to drinks afterwards?  Probably not...  On Wednesday another teacher asked if I was going, was surprised I didn't have an invitation, and said to text if I wanted the address. 

All week, a friend had been bugging me to go dancing Friday night.  Friday morning, she called to ask me to please wear super high heels, as she would chicken out if she was going to be the only one wearing heels.  I was actually not that keen on dancing, but promised to have coffee beforehand.

When I got back from my run, however, there was a message from the viola teacher saying he could give me a lift to the staff party.  My first instinct for social occasions is, unfortunately, no.  And on Friday nights, no, as I teach Saturday mornings.  But especially when I haven't told the host, no!  However...  I knew this would be a good chance to have some fun with other teachers when not at school, and you get to see a whole other side to them.  Plus, having had one child get through to the grand concert, I wanted to know how that went (she played beautifully).

Apparently the host was fine with me turning up, and I could be picked up from where I was having coffee - perfect timing.  So, I went to a staff party, on a Friday night, instead of dancing.  It was so much fun, and I found out so much about my coworkers.  Seeing everyone relaxed and laughing, not to mention on a first-name basis (instead of Mrs Smith like we are at school, for example), was really refreshing.  My abs hurt from laughing so much.

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!