Quite a Day

After a quiet “not-much-happening” kind of week, yesterday was a 4^th of July explosion of fireworks celebrating so much that I care about. It started with me performing at Flower Piano 16 short piano pieces composed by Kirke Mechem while he told a little story for kids that the music was expressing. He spoke, I played and on we alternated through these little compositional gems. Simple and childlike, but actually some hidden difficulties with unexpected harmonies and challenging rhythms. I was a bit nervous trying to fulfill someone else’s compositional ideas as he heard them instead of just improvising in my voice, but I believe I did well. Oh, did I mention that Kirke is 100 years old? And walked without a cane or any assistance the half mile from the entrance to the piano and then back to his car. I want to be like him when I grow up!

 

When it was over, I went to the library in the Arboretum where my Secret Song film was being shown (it’s opening and closing scenes take place in Flower Piano from the Fall of 2020 —or was it 2021?) — hence it’s inclusion in this year’s Flower Piano. I greeted the people at the beginning, then left to find an open piano with some 60 people gathered and played my little Tea for Two improvised Fantasia and a couple of Bach’s Cello Suites to appreciative applause. Then back to the movie at its end for a short question/answer. Felt good to use the movie as a reminder that we can be so much better than we currently are and truly give kids what they so deeply need and richly deserve.

 

From there, a dinner with Orff Colleague Yari Mander, who I have mentored at his school for the last four years, working directly with his Middle School kids while helping him craft his curriculum and choice of pieces to play. The school did pay me some money and don’t think they want to pay me anymore, but there is a particular talented group of 8^th graders who I have worked with in 5^th, 6^th, and 7^th grade. When Yari told me that when school started, some asked if I was going to work with them again, that sealed the deal. I have time this Fall and money is money. Nice to get it, but at the moment don’t need it, so we happily planned a repertoire of some great pieces for the kids. 

 

And then. We both drove to the old Mills College (now Northeastern), a place rich with memories of the 12 years of summer Orff Courses I taught there with my wonderful colleagues. The occasion was the Oakland Film Festival and premiere of the film some 7 years in the making of Body Musician Keith Terry’s life’s work. Preceded by another completely different film about a man wrongfully incarcerated. Both of them deserve their own entries. (Coming in a moment!) 

 

Meanwhile, as I said, it was quite a day. Got into bed at 1:00 am and woke up today wholly energized by touching base with so much that I love and care about and remembering people I love and care about. Not only the echoes of our time at Mills, but so many people in Keith’s film both local and far away whose lives have also intersected with my own. In combination with Josh Kornbluth’s show the night before, it has been a rich remembrance of every reason to keep hopeful.