The Arts Festival....so far

It was a beautiful day, there were lots of festival attendees, artists, and musicians filling up the library green, I played my "break" on Old Joe Clark very well, though stumbled a little at the end when I thought to myself, "this is going very well."

I played 2 As and 2 Bs (twice through the first part and twice through the second part, for those not familiar with fiddling jargon). About 35 seconds, total. When I finished the 2 As, I thought, "Did I play one A or two As?" So insecure.

But, as someone said afterwards, it really doesn't matter--everyone else is just accompanying until you finish. I haven't listened to the recording yet, but I felt it was very much in tune.

The flute choir performance was another matter entirely. I have never played so badly. And I was not the only one. There was a wind which occasionally moved pages of sheet music, but more often just sucks the sound out of the flute. Or maybe I was feeling really good about knowing this music, and didn't practice the last day or two. I worked on another selection of music, for another concert. Not a good idea.

The audience was friendly though, and it was still enjoyable. Not quite as enjoyable as playing well. I stayed to watch about four other groups, mostly people I knew, on way or another (ex-fiddle teachers, other people who play in Town Band), so it felt like a community of music. Though I ran into a cellist-friend today, there were no other playing cellists. Maybe next year.

Tomorrow, I will return to the Arts Festival with an armload or two of violins, violas, and cellos for the instrument petting zoo, and try to encourage some cellists for future events.