Sunday, Oct. 3rd, 12-midnight
Back now from this weekend sweep of gorgeous Mendocino County. A bit saddle-sore from the driving- I did it all. Fred did almost all the talking ( I know deep down he feels he has to keep up a constant chatter in order to keep me awake as he has done on so many a late-night rental-car drive!) We played concerts in Ukiah and Ft. Bragg which were both well attended and (more importantly for me) enjoyed. I think the gift we give is returned in the looks I sometimes see in the eyes of audience members. I can tell that the experience is a serious one, a reaffirming one, perhaps even a life changing one (whatever that means?) WOW. I guess for us musicians, seeing that look is the junk we are so hopelessly hooked on. But however I may get off on the adoration, I know undeniably that it was Mozart, Shostakovich and Dvorak who blew them away, not the ASQ.
The thing is, I can tell from the intensity of the reaction that this music can speak with remarkable power and that it is important. Not as a document but as a living moment shared within a community as we reenact and recreate the music. What a pleasure it is for me to be an integral part of this. Thanks to our friends in Ukiah and Ft. Bragg, especially our wonderful long time friend David Rounds, without whose values, vision and energies we’d all be much poorer.
Tomorrow, the quartet will meet for rehearsal (as every other home Monday) at 10:00am. What a great weekend, but not much rest, and I missed two Giants games! The Giants, however have managed without me to clinch the NL west. HOORAY!
Paul