Okay, that was embarrassing
Feb. 19th, 2006 09:30 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
greybetaSo I went to the RUF art/coffee house thing last night. Mostly enjoyable I must say.
I was a bit late due to making a taco dinner for three of my good friends. Monsieur Maine, Blue Hen, and Night Fox all enjoyed good tacos, even if the tomato I selected was a "bit too green."
The acts were amazing! The Italian Stallion appropriately played an Italian waltz on the accordian, which he's been only playing for three months. Nice appearance, too. The Polymer Potter played a song from the Hayao Miyazaki's masterpiece anime, Castle in the Sky, on the piano AND sung the lyrics in Japanese. Very beautiful. (Hehehe, she's so humble that she asked everyone how she did. She nailed it, what else could we say?) A group called Orpheus Wire (or Lyre...I can't remember) played a nice string quartet of songs. After resolving some technical difficulties, a group performed a HILARIOUS dance interpretation of Bonnie Tyler's "Eclipse of the Heart."
Mixed in were poetry readings, several acts from the master of ceremonies, and a rather awesome rendition of the Hall of Fame "Who's on First?" Abbott and Costello joke.
I was supposed to be towards the end, and suddenly I begin to feel this great trepidation. Normally, I don't feel this kind of worry but I usually play the piano for myself, not for a group of over forty people (even if I know more than half the crowd). Besides, there was the minor detail of me forgetting my sheet music.
Well, actually, I remembered in the BSU. I had been busy doing work for my campus newspaper that I didn't have time to pick it up until shortly before the event. But when I went to pick my sheet music, I found the BSU building locked and dark. Oh, the intern must not be in for the night.
[censored]
I had promised to play a song though, so I went ahead and signed up. And then the M.C. announced that I would be the final act for the evening.
Oh crap, people are going to remember this one because I was the last one. You save the best for last, right?
Wrong. Dead wrong.
I smiled, explained that "Where Do I Begin" is the theme song to Love Story, an old 1970 movie that won an Academy Award for best musical score. I then proceeded to try to play the song from memory.
They probably thought I was lying as I got through the first fourth of the song decently well, but then I started jumbling it after that. I stopped and restarted, but I still couldn't do it. I was getting really really really nervous at this point.
What do you do when everyone else has nailed their acts and you've just screwed up yours...twice?
Smile, and try to play a different song. So I tried playing the Star Wars theme...but by this time my nerves were shot and I couldn't focus enough to remember the song. I was flustered with embarassment. Everyone started cheering though, so I smiled and decided to play the song I knew I couldn't screw up.
I went with "Battle Hymn of the Republic", a song that I played for a recital when I was ten years old and kept playing every since. I may have played it twice as fast as it should have been played, but at least I played the right notes. After I was done, I shook my head and scurried off the stage as fast as I could.
Afterwards, people were polite. They said I did a good job, even though I managed to bungle not one, not two, but rhree songs. A lot of people asked me how I recollected myself.
Just how did I recollect myself?
I am going to say that it was by the grace of God, because I wanted to run off the stage after my first two screwups.
Note to self: Don't leave home without your sheet music.
I was a bit late due to making a taco dinner for three of my good friends. Monsieur Maine, Blue Hen, and Night Fox all enjoyed good tacos, even if the tomato I selected was a "bit too green."
The acts were amazing! The Italian Stallion appropriately played an Italian waltz on the accordian, which he's been only playing for three months. Nice appearance, too. The Polymer Potter played a song from the Hayao Miyazaki's masterpiece anime, Castle in the Sky, on the piano AND sung the lyrics in Japanese. Very beautiful. (Hehehe, she's so humble that she asked everyone how she did. She nailed it, what else could we say?) A group called Orpheus Wire (or Lyre...I can't remember) played a nice string quartet of songs. After resolving some technical difficulties, a group performed a HILARIOUS dance interpretation of Bonnie Tyler's "Eclipse of the Heart."
Mixed in were poetry readings, several acts from the master of ceremonies, and a rather awesome rendition of the Hall of Fame "Who's on First?" Abbott and Costello joke.
I was supposed to be towards the end, and suddenly I begin to feel this great trepidation. Normally, I don't feel this kind of worry but I usually play the piano for myself, not for a group of over forty people (even if I know more than half the crowd). Besides, there was the minor detail of me forgetting my sheet music.
Well, actually, I remembered in the BSU. I had been busy doing work for my campus newspaper that I didn't have time to pick it up until shortly before the event. But when I went to pick my sheet music, I found the BSU building locked and dark. Oh, the intern must not be in for the night.
[censored]
I had promised to play a song though, so I went ahead and signed up. And then the M.C. announced that I would be the final act for the evening.
Oh crap, people are going to remember this one because I was the last one. You save the best for last, right?
Wrong. Dead wrong.
I smiled, explained that "Where Do I Begin" is the theme song to Love Story, an old 1970 movie that won an Academy Award for best musical score. I then proceeded to try to play the song from memory.
They probably thought I was lying as I got through the first fourth of the song decently well, but then I started jumbling it after that. I stopped and restarted, but I still couldn't do it. I was getting really really really nervous at this point.
What do you do when everyone else has nailed their acts and you've just screwed up yours...twice?
Smile, and try to play a different song. So I tried playing the Star Wars theme...but by this time my nerves were shot and I couldn't focus enough to remember the song. I was flustered with embarassment. Everyone started cheering though, so I smiled and decided to play the song I knew I couldn't screw up.
I went with "Battle Hymn of the Republic", a song that I played for a recital when I was ten years old and kept playing every since. I may have played it twice as fast as it should have been played, but at least I played the right notes. After I was done, I shook my head and scurried off the stage as fast as I could.
Afterwards, people were polite. They said I did a good job, even though I managed to bungle not one, not two, but rhree songs. A lot of people asked me how I recollected myself.
Just how did I recollect myself?
I am going to say that it was by the grace of God, because I wanted to run off the stage after my first two screwups.
Note to self: Don't leave home without your sheet music.
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no subject
Date: 2006-02-19 03:39 pm (UTC)What I'm most impressed by is that you stuck it out, kept trying, and handled yourself graciously throughout. That takes guts and fortitude, and says volumes about your character. More than anything else, the way in which you handled this situation tells me you will go really far in your life!
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