Classical Music Celebration - Reprise

September 1, 2012 at 3:17 AM

I have finally recovered from Interlochen. Not only did I meet up with old friends, but met a few new ones as well.

There I was in the lobby of the hotel after checking in when a woman asked me "Are you Mendy Smith?". To my surprise, this question was being asked of me from a complete stranger. A person I had never had an e-mail or facebook communication with before. I nodded an affirmative and discovered to my delight that she had decided to attend Interlochen based on what I had blogged about the camp here on v-com.

The classical music world suddenly became much smaller place that afternoon.

My first session the next day was coached by the teacher I had when I lived in Oregon. Though I only see him once a year now, it was as if my lessons with him never ceased - including trying to read the music around his hand while he marked my page with fingerings and bowing suggestions and interpreting a one-word suggestion as a greater musical concept.

The classical music world became an even smaller place that morning.

Later that evening, I played a piece of music with fellow musicians I haven't seen since last summer. I had practiced this piece on my own, but never with others. For the first time, I finally heard the parts that were only in my mind being played along side of me. Schubert never sounded so wonderful to my ears.

The classical music world became an even smaller place that evening.

Later in the week, when I felt as if my fingers would fall off from overuse, I played yet another piece of music that that I only had practiced alone. When I finally got to play it with others for the first time, tears ran down my cheeks. After all this time, I finally played Beethoven's Op. 132.

The world became a much larger place that evening.

From elise stanley
Posted on September 1, 2012 at 12:33 PM

Congrats Mendy - I know how much that piece means to you and obviously the consumation of all the effort was worth it. I do hope you made a recording .

Just wish I could have been there to hear it :)

From Emily Hogstad
Posted on September 2, 2012 at 3:59 PM

What a stunning performance! I hope someday I'm privileged enough to give such a lovely performance of this kind of rep. Congratulations!

(And the blog was lovely, too.) :)

From Mendy Smith
Posted on September 2, 2012 at 4:31 PM

Emily, the vid is not me ;) Its a professional group out of Vanderbilt University.

From Emily Hogstad
Posted on September 3, 2012 at 2:16 AM

ARGH I'm so sorry!! I was multi-tasking this morning, pressed play, and navigated to another tab on my browser. I'm really not that stupid, promise! :S That'll teach me to not multi-task when I'm reading here.

I bet you did just as well, though. ;) :D I think you should post a video!

*feels stupid*

From Christina C.
Posted on September 4, 2012 at 5:31 PM

thanks for the follow up, Mendy. As a chamber music workshop junkie it's always nice to be able to live vicariously a bit through others! That was one heck of a list of pieces you had mentioned in your previous entry. Glad you survived it all!

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Classical Music Celebration - Reprise

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