That's enough of the self-aggrandizement. Except for the rest of this whole post, in a way.
Got commissioned by a group in Asheville, NC - the Asheville Choral Society, as a matter of fact - and they had me down for a few days for the premiere and other doodads.
For context, I got back from Minneapolis on a Sunday, drove to Charlotte to visit my parents for spring break on Monday, then came partway back along the route to Louisville that Thursday. So it was a busy schedule! Felt like being a real, in-demand composer. Yes yes, I'll be at ACDA of course, then a stop by here, then a premiere there, busy busy, let me through.
Got in late morning so as to meet with the...executive director? I believe was her official title? And the artistic director, Melodie Galloway. You may recognize that name from the other excursion I made to hear a work performed. Repeat business! A good sign I'd say. Anyway, we were supposed to do a radio interview for NPR, but Melodie was sick, so instead it was the choir president Jeff and me, with Laurel (the Exec Direc) sitting to the side.
Here's me pointing at the station's call letters:
And here's in the studio itself, moments before broadcast:
That's Dick Kowal, who did the interview. It was only about 10 minutes, but I had a blast! Never been on a radio interview before. And live to boot! Here's the audio in full, for your perusing pleasure:
http://bpr.org/post/asheville-amadeus-asheville-choral-society-mozart-march-madness
Witness me: speak frantically, make odd jokes, and trail off the subject! Fortunately Dick is a tremendously good interviewer. See how he nudges me back to something straightforward when needed!
Here's me stoked to be talked to and about:
After the interview we went to a lil' sandwich place for lunch, then over to the church where the performance would be happening:
They had to set up for that night's rehearsal, and they refused to let me help, so I sat around and put photos on instagram. Later, the people who were putting me up for the couple-day stay took me over to their condo and let me put my stuff down. They had a very good dog:
Went back to the church to find Melodie in tip-top shape, ready to lead the rehearsal. I sat while she worked through the rest of the concert, then went up to work with the group on my piece when it was time. Had a blast doing it. It was a choir of nearly 100, by far the biggest group that's ever performed my music.
After the rehearsal, a small group went to have a quick drink at the local cool place, then we went back to the condo and I went to sleep.
I had very little to do for the morning and early afternoon the next day - there were no more events planned, and everyone was more or less prepping for the concert that night. So I went out by myself and found a nice park to wander around in:
Since my piece was called On Goes the River, it seemed appropriate to visit a park of and around a river. It was nice.
Got back, had plans to eat with my family at a place called Wicked Weed:
We got there at 5:45, thinking that would be enough time before a 7:30 concert. By 6:30, we still weren't seated, and I was worried I'd miss my own premiere. We spotted a grocery store across the street, so two of us went, figuring I could grab something to wolf down just in case. When we returned form the grocery store, we were stopped by the bouncer, who explained no one else could be let in. We explained our party was already in, and may have been seated by now, but he reiterated: they were at fire-code capacity, and no one else could be let in. I asked if we would be able to get in if indeed our party had been seated - y'know, maybe instead of people not seated who were just standing and waiting - but it didn't seem to get through. Frustrated, I left and went back to the condo to change, then made my way to the church.
The concert went well, and people seemed to like my piece. I'm very happy with how it turned out, both in terms of their performance and the piece itself. I am not usually taken by my own works, but there's something special about this one, at least to me.
Sorry, you're right. I did say the self-aggrandizement was over.
After, we journeyed to some swanky art gallery for the post-concert meet-and-greet and panel discussion with myself and, at last, Melodie. That was a hoot! I got to answer audience questions and be the center of attention. Again, like in Lake Junaluska, it wasn't anything like real fame, just a dose of it, to try out.
The panel ended, the event died down, and the free cans of beer began to dwindle. One of the younger members of the choir asked if those of us left would like to move on to a bar that her friend or partner or something along those lines co-owned or managed, and we all agreed that we would. So she led the half-dozen or so of us down the road, back to - you guessed it - Wicked Weed.
The person she knew set us up with free drinks and put us outside under the heat lamp, which was unbearably hot - I mean it was like an oven broiler. I didn't understand how it was possible for something that high above us to radiate that much heat. I moved to the very edge of the picnic table where the heat was less oppressive and talked to some group throwing what I believe was a bachelorette party. They were of course monumentally impressed with my self-professed fame and professional accomplishments.
Got up and had a nice breakfast the next morning at some cool little hip breakfast spot in town, then hit the road. Again, I leave wondering whether this is just me indulging a fantasy, or the early trappings of my eventual career, but I had a great time nonetheless.
Here's to more work like this!
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