April 3, 2007 at 11:13 PM

It’s Spring Break for most of Georgia – yea! I am enjoying my easy mornings around the house and working in the yard - the pollen count today is only 600 instead of nearly 6,000!*she cheers* I’ve put out annuals way too early, so I’ll have to keep my fingers crossed that we don’t have a late cold snap. We are 2 to 3 weeks ahead of schedule with all things blooming here and it has been hard to resist getting the yard spiffied up. We have lots of family coming for Easter weekend, and as usual; I feel pressure to make things perfect. I am trying to get over that particular malady, but it’s tough after all these years of being the designated family holiday planner.

The Beethoven (Prometheus and Egmont) concert went well. Reviews were good although attendance was slim. Our next concert will be Made in America and will feature, as suggested, American composers. The music is fun and I can play most of it already. We are partnering with members of the Southern Crescent Youth Symphony for a few pieces. My stand partner is a 12 year old home schooled cutie. She makes me laugh.

I had the privilege of playing in a string ensemble last Saturday. It was for “A Service of Celebration of the Passing Over of Gene Priest” and all ensemble members were friends of his. Gene was a wonderful gentleman with a rich history – Methodist Minister, professional violinist, orchestra founder, concertmaster, founder of the Crescent String Quartet, Arts Clayton director, public school teacher, Sunday School teacher and inspirational friend/teacher/counselor to many. He waited patiently for a kidney transplant to no avail. As principal violinist, he welcomed me into the church orchestra his last year of playing and taught me something new every week at rehearsal. I was so intimidated and he bent over backwards to make me feel at ease. Gene wrote out directions for his celebration in detail and we played the pieces of his choice – Polovetzian Dance, Ode to Joy, Slavonic Dance, – there was to be nothing sad or dreary. One of his favorite and most talented high school students, now a 29-year-old professional violist, played a solo on Gene’s violin. Gene had given it to him a few years ago when he became too ill to continue playing. The performance was beautiful and heartfelt – there weren’t many dry eyes around. Gene Priest will be welcomed with open arms by those who have gone before him. We will miss him on this side.

From Pauline Lerner
Posted on April 4, 2007 at 4:11 AM

I'm glad to hear so much good news from you.

From Patricia Baser
Posted on April 4, 2007 at 10:52 PM

It's wonderful you can honor your musical mentor through continued music making. And while you may be on spring break, we are CRCTing it here in Macon-break is not until April 16 (truly insane!).

From Terez Mertes
Posted on April 5, 2007 at 10:12 PM

Oh, what a touching post, Donna. A touching tribute to a wonderful person, it sounds. As for these musical favorites:

"...we played the pieces of his choice – Polovetzian Dance, Ode to Joy, Slavonic Dance"

Oh, YUM! Surely a wonderful man.

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