Chamber Music Rocks!

We had our chamber music festival this weekend.  Twenty-two pianists got to play their pieces with with violin and cello accompaniment.  I love these events.  This year Mrs. Houser coached Book Four and above and I coached Books One to Three with a student violinist and cellist.  I enjoyed this very much.  Thanks to Christina for stepping up to the plate in a major way to substitute for the professional cellist who cancelled Thursday night.  She spent several hours on Friday learning the pieces for Saturday.  She did a very competent job, especially since she has only been playing the cello for a couple years.  What she may have lacked in professional maturity, she more than made up for in knowledge of the repertoire, having played most of the pieces on piano.  It was lovely.  Thanks also to Catherine McMichael who composed the majority of the arrangements we use.  One of the highlights was the trio for Chopin's Waltz in c-sharp minor--with hints of Chopin's waltz in E-flat in the cello--which I had the honor of playing on the second piano since Christina still deserved a chance to play her own piano piece.  I also particularly loved the moment in Good-bye to Winter when Jacqueline and the strings breathed exactly together on the "good-bye."  Another gem was little Britten listening to the subdivisions of the strings during Mary Had a Little Lamb.  You just never know what is going on in their little ears.  I thought my Mary was going with the flow, I couldn't tell if she was truly engaged.  Then in practice yesterday she said, "Mama, I really liked that part where it went. . . " and proceeded to sing the violin part over her own playing of Happy Farmer.  You just never know. . . what goes on in their little ears.  


Of course some of the more mature students have pretty big ears.  Seeing the older students communicate intelligently with the string players is such a treat.  They are really growing up.  Observing 13-16 young ladies and gentlemen learn how to cue each other and communicate musically is also interesting. There were a couple moments of frustration, strange things can happen when brains get overloaded.  Over all most of the moments were positive and some were amazingly beautiful. 


Ensemble playing is the team sport of music.  Cooperation, eye contact, communication, accountability, trust--all these elements make the sum greater than the parts.  Piano playing can be a lonely business--all those hours locked in the practice room alone.  Chamber music is a beautiful way to be on a musical team.  Congratulations to everyone who participated!