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Monday, May 17, 2010

A Minor Case of the Butterflies

Today I traveled to Lake Conroe, Texas, in preparation for a recital that will be presented in Houston on Friday evening. I must admit that I am a little apprehensive at the moment. Is it common for professional players to still get nervous?

The past week has revealed some stressful facts about this program. I learned on Friday that I had not received two movements of the new trio that we are performing as well as working some of the kinks out of a new work that Sandra and I will present for the first time in this recital. These are minor details; I'm an experienced pianist and know that I can pull it off with grace.

The cause of my anxiety tonight is actually tomorrow's rehearsal. The featured performer at this week's recital is Jere Douglas, a clarinetist who is based out of Houston. He and I have corresponded online and became aware of each other through our mutual friend, Sandra. However, we have never spoken or met. Tomorrow morning, I will drive to a location I have never visited to meet a musician I only know as a persona in a social forum to begin rehearsing an extremely difficult work, Brahms Sonata in Eb Major, Op. 120, No. 2. I'm sure we'll be talking more about the rehearsals, the performance and the repertoire at a later date. For now, I'm going to try to use these butterflies as a springboard for an exciting rehearsal tomorrow as Jere and I begin the journey of making music together.

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