Well, dear readers, the film music thing went very well. It ran a little too long, as I knew it would, and we really should have cut two of the slow numbers, but ultimately the crowd (and it WAS a crowd) really seemed to enjoy all of it. In past shows it’s always been two vocalists and a pianist. The second year, flute was added. This year it was two vocalists, flute, piano, trumpet, violin, and cello. It was a little tight given where we do it, but it worked out fine. Robert Yacko and Meagan McConnell were in excellent voice and the show order worked very well given there were too many slow things. The commentary worked fine and there were lots and lots o’ laughs, most written, but some off the cuff, which I always enjoy.
Prior to the show I’d gotten about nine hours of sleep, which was surprising considering I don’t usually sleep well after a Kritzerland show. Once up, I just relaxed and did stuff on the computer, then I got ready and at about three I was on my way to the home where the film music thing is held. I got there at three-thirty, saw that the set-up that Tom Griep and I had sketched out on paper had worked perfectly, and he’d just begun working with Maegan. I ascertained that the sound was fine, so everything went along quite smoothly as we ran all the numbers from the show. We adjusted the sound to make the violin and cello stand out more, figured out where the trumpet player would stand for his two numbers and we finished running everything at six.
By that time the crowd had arrived and they ate and had some kind of Skype thing with composer Gerald Fried. I don’t eat before a show, so we all just hung out and relaxed. I’d invited Leslie Young and daughter Alexa (they were there last year), so they showed up around six-twenty and joined us, so we all had fun chatting. Then the Skype thing ended and the crowd came to the yard and got their seats and the concert began right on time at seven. After a too-long introduction (he said he’d be much shorter and he was, but it was still ten minutes) I was introduced and began the patter with off-the-cuff remarks about the length of the introduction, which got the patter off to just the right start. And the first written laugh line got a wonderful laugh and we were off and running.
After the show, so many nice folks came up to me – some had brought things for me to sign, which I was happy to do, there were quite a few members of the SCL (Society of Composers and Lyricists) and they all came up and introduced themselves, and a whole group of them said they’d definitely be at the October Kritzerland show. I knew only a handful of people, and I chatted for a bit with them, and then Leslie, Alexa, Robert, Marshall Harvey, and I went to the Coral Café where I had my first food of the day – a big breakfast (but I shared most of it with Alexa). Doug Haverty came and joined us and it was a nice end to a nice evening. Then I came home and sat at the computer like so much fish.
I have to say that it finally cooled down a bit yesterday – and by evening it was actually quite pleasant out. I’m praying we’re over this sickening heat wave. As Babs and Donna said: Enough is enough.
Today, I am having a damn day off, a ME day. I may write some liner notes for the classical release, I’ll eat, hopefully pick up packages, but that is IT. This was an intense and hugely busy week, and I need a day to clear my head so I can figure out the October Kritzerland show – want to do something interesting and fun that we haven’t done before.
Then the rest of the week is meetings and meals, attending an opening night at the Group Rep, casting the Kritzerland show and choosing the songs, and lots o’ other stuff.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, have a ME day, eat, do some liner notes, hopefully pick up packages, and relax. Today’s topic of discussion: When you were growing up what were your favorite family outings? Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland, happy the film music thing went really well.