Reflections on the I-ORP in Lima by Manuel Emilio Otero Ramírez, a youth orchestra participant

I still sigh deeply every time I remember…for me (and I believe for all of us), that week was a precious and unforgettable memory. A week in which we got to know music and musicians in a whole new way. A week that inspired us all in so many different levels and showed us that hard work and respect can help you to accomplish any goal in life.

It all started with the long awaited results of the auditions. Even though some of us already knew the results, seeing them printed on paper was a great relief and the beginning of happy expectations. Everyone was so excited!

Then, the first of many amazing and unexpected things happened: Monday dinner with Midori. This was completely unheard of! I’m sure no one even thought that someone with such great talent and a distinguished career would have dinner with the orchestra before even rehearsals had begun. I didn’t get to go for I was busy with school, but you could tell just by the look at people’s faces in the pictures! However, the most amazing thing about such a detail was the humble character Midori showed at every moment and the respect and value for the people she would play with. I was just stunned when I heard all of this from my friends. How could that be? I would find out the very next day at rehearsal.

I arrived at the National Museum for rehearsal a bit early and was about to warm up when a friend tells me: “They’re here!” I immediately looked back and there they were: Midori and Moni, entering the room, though they looked a bit confused. My friend and I almost ran to greet them although it was a short “nice to meet you!” They didn’t know much Spanish so we translated for a bit and helped them find a very needed (though a bit improvised) place for Midori to warm up and practice. I met her for the first time, but it really became apparent she was a really good person.

Before the rehearsal began I recognized some friends and met some new people. We were all part of three different orchestras, so I have to admit it was kind of weird at first to have someone you didn’t know at all playing next to you. It was the first time we would play together! Then, Maestro Harth-Bedoya entered the room and talked to us for a little while. It was great! It was a short introduction of Midori, Moni and himself, and he seemed really excited to be working with us and surely we were too. We would be playing Tchaikovsky’s Romeo and Juliet Fantasy-Overture, Francisco Pulgar Vidal’s Symphonic Huayno “Cascay” (a Peruvian composer and a Peruvian type of music) and Beethoven’s Violin Concerto. The program was demanding: Tchaikovsky’s play is full of notes and Peruvian contemporary music has a great but unusual (very interesting and even fun to play) rhythm, and Beethoven’s concerto demanded complete attention to such delicate notes and the wonderfully emotional solo part. However, everyone was eager to practice and even more after the first sectionals. Moni’s directions for us (strings) were great, they were easy to understand (and translate) and they made a quick difference in how we played. By the end of the rehearsal, no one felt weird at all, our sound wasn’t perfect, but we were all completely sure that we could make it sound great.

The next rehearsal was such a great experience! We got to know each other some more and we played through all the pieces. However, the most special one was definitely the violin concerto. Midori’s playing was just…amazing! It wasn’t just the perfect technique; it was that and much more. You could hear so much from her music it was like you weren’t in the room anymore… Her feelings, love and dedication for the piece, music, and everyone who was playing with her was all directly transmitted to everyone in the room. Maestro Harth-Bedoya was so easy to follow and he understood exactly what Midori meant with every note, we just knew right there that this would be an amazing concert. It became hard to keep going and not stop playing just to watch and listen to them! After this day, it felt as if time had stopped. Hard work was the least we could do to make this concert a success, and to thank Midori for teaching us so much just by playing. The orchestra would not be the same after this.

The next few days were full with many happy experiences: fun sight-reading chamber music class, master classes, and being able to share with Midori, Moni, Maestro Harth-Bedoya and your friends laughs and musical experiences. It is moments like this that make you realize one of the most wonderful and unique qualities of music: it is a truly universal language. It made people who didn’t even know each other work hard for one common purpose and understand each other. It didn’t matter where we came from, we all wanted to play and make wonderful music for us, our guests and the people who would go and hear us.

Opportunities like this don’t come often and sometimes you don’t even know how it all even began. Being able to play in such a great orchestra with so much potential and with such great artists; you know you’ll give everything to make it work and happen again. The concert was getting closer, but it was clear these wonderful feelings wouldn’t go away, and we would never forget what we had learned from these true musicians. Maestro Harth-Bedoya reminded us quite often how hard Midori had worked to be able to play so well, to show us what we can accomplish anything if we give it all, but without even having to tell us, we learned something important by ourselves: Music is not just about technique or acknowledgement, it is about passion, dedication, love for people, humility; it is so much more than just going through notes!

That concert will be an inspiration for all of us forever. An unforgettable experience that surprised us and taught us so much! We will never forget the admiring humility of Midori and the moments we spent with her and her friends behind the stage. Such a gratifying experience was worth all the hard work in a short, but wonderful time. Specially, we will remember the short but touching speech Midori gave us at the end. That speech was not only the critical moment for everyone who was trying to hold their tears, but the true summing up of a week full of amazing memories.

Maestro Harth-Bedoya, Moni, Midori, please be sure that everything you taught us will not be forgotten, and that we will all work hard to make this experience happen again. Until then, we will patiently wait, remembering what that week meant for every one of us.

International ORP in Lima: Reflections from Maestro Miguel Harth-Bedoya

The first week of September 2011 was one to be remembered forever by the young musicians in Lima, Peru.

I was so happy that after years of discussing with Midori the idea of coming to Peru, my home country, to play with youth orchestras, it finally happened.

Midori did not just come to Peru to play with a combination of youth orchestras (the Conservatory Orchestra, the Youth Orchestra of the Ministry of Culture and the Youth Orchestra of the Ministry of Education), with whom she performed a sublime Beethoven Violin Concerto, but also to devote her time and attention to the needs of local young musicians. She taught several hours a day, engaged in open conversations with orchestra members where students asked all kinds of very interesting questions, and above all, she showed her professional attitude at all times: plenty of time for warming up, practicing and performing at a high level at all times.

The inspiration that Midori brought to these youngsters is something that I have never seen before in our country. You should have seen the expression on the kids’ faces.

Needless to say, watching and listening to Midori created an atmosphere of  excellence in which everyone wanted to do and be their best.

Unfortunately, Midori did not see much of Peru in this trip, but I do know that she got to get try some of the best Peruvian cuisine, and once you have tasted our food, you’ll never forget it!

Midori warming up before a television appearance.

I want to share one anecdote that shows how much Midori cares for music:

On Thursday afternoon, after rehearsal had ended, Midori and I were asked if we could make an appearance at the local TV news live at 8:30 am the next morning, to which we agreed.  Midori was asked if she could play. She graciously agreed to that as well, and asked if she could arrive at the TV station at 6:30 a.m. so that she could warm up properly!  She had planned to play Bach’s Prelude to the E major Partita, and naturally, warming up in her hotel room was not the ideal scenario. Needless to say, everyone was shocked and impressed by such a request.  However, unfortunately, there was nowhere at the TV station where she could warm up. So we decided that the best solution would be for Midori to come to my house at 6:30 am and then we would drive together to the TV station. Everything went as planned and we arrived at the TV station on time.  But there was one glitch: even though winters in Lima are not really cold, the high degree of humidity makes it feel as if it is freezing, and there is no central heating. This was not helping Midori’s warm up. Just before we went live she took her violin out of the case and she kept warming up in the reception area where there was one security guard (who I am sure enjoyed a private “recital”) and myself. (See the photo above for proof).

The interview went well and Midori played superbly.

I think that this anecdote demonstrates what Midori is all about: the music. There is really no difference if you are going to play 3.5 minutes of music or an entire concerto. The preparation and dedication is at its maximum at all times. That’s why she is great. That’s why she is the best.

Thank you Midori for having invited all those young musicians into your world and inspired them for life.

-Miguel

International ORP in Lima, Peru: Day 4

Thursday, September 1

 

Today was one of the easier days… or am I just getting used to the international ORP schedule?

This time the driver didn’t have to wait for us and we are already wrestling with Lima’s morning traffic shortly after 7 a.m. Midori’s going on and on about some new departmental projects she has waiting for her back in school and I nod occasionally pretending to stay engaged while I am studying the landscape. I can’t count to three without hearing a car honk at another, and the buses are so packed around the doors that some are tilted to the side. No one has it easy in the morning.

The conservatory feels colder than yesterday but we are told it’s just the extremely high winter humidity that makes it seem so. There is a heater in Midori’s practice room. It doesn’t do much good, as the ceiling is over 5 meters high. I try to peel an orange and fail miserably. The oranges here are all juice! I devour it half-peeled and while washing my hands, notice that the sinks here dispense only icy cold water. How do the students practice after washing their hands?

 

Midori and one of the Conservatory students work during the masterclass.

The class today is shorter and after it, there is a short but sweet ceremony. Midori receives an honorary degree from the National Conservatory on behalf of the Ministry of Culture. There are various officials and students present, and several figures from the Conservatory give short speeches. The director of the Conservatory reads a few really touching emails he got from students. In the middle of the ceremony, all the lights go off. I guess there were too many appliances plugged in at once! That doesn’t seem to startle anyone as the event continues and the lights go back on gradually.

 

Midori receiving an honorary degree from the National Conservatory.

During the masterclass, one of the girls tells me that there is no violin maker in Peru, and that the person who usually fixes everyone’s instrument currently resides in France. The only other option becomes sending instruments and bows to Argentina but that gets to be too expensive and rather dangerous. This girl plays the Sibelius concerto beautifully but her violin looks like it needs emergency medical assistance.

After the ceremony is over, Laszlo and I leave Midori at the National Museum and go to get lunch. The coffee shops here all serve delicious cooked food and are equipped with a full bar. I use the free wireless to catch up on some of my own correspondence, but it does feel nice not to be so easily available while I’m here.

 

After the ceremony, with several representatives from the Conservatory and many of the masterclass participants.

Today’s a tutti rehearsal day and I am really happy with the progress the strings have made in the last two days. Midori plays through the entire Beethoven concerto and Maestro Harth-Bedoya has a chance to work out some textural issues. I don’t speak more than ten words in Spanish, but his rehearsal technique is so physically descriptive that I don’t feel lost at all. During rehearsal, we find out that Midori is supposed to do a live TV interview tomorrow and is invited to play something short as well. She’ll have to get up extremely early so I don’t think I’ll join her for that.

The best part of the day is yet to come. After rehearsal, some string players stay behind and we decide to read chamber music. All we could get our hands on are the Mozart Quintets. Midori sits in the second violin chair and students switch in and out. Everyone is ecstatic, parents are taking pictures, others are looking over the parts they are about to sit down and play (which is actually cheating since it’s all supposed to be sight-reading!). After about an hour and a half, we have exhausted all our sheet music. We agree to do the same tomorrow but before the rehearsal this time.

One of the boys that played first violin is extremely talented. I heard from his friends that his parents have always been against the idea of him playing violin and when he was applying for University, they hid his violin away so that he can focus on his career. All he wanted at that point was to apply to music conservatory but they told him that he can do that once he is done with his “real” degree. He has less than a year left!

 

-Moni

International ORP in Lima, Peru: Day 3

Wednesday, August 31, 2011

 

Waking up today felt much easier, perhaps because I had turned the heater off and the air in my hotel room wasn’t quite as dry. Midori was in the middle of solving yet another crisis at USC over the internet when I knocked on her door. Something was wrong with the elevators in our hotel, and while the view from the 15th floor at the top is pretty, going down the stairs was a real waste of time. I had also picked the staircase that took us out through the underground parking garage. Our ride was patiently waiting to take us to the National Conservatory.

The secretary of the Conservatory was out on the street to greet us and take us to our practice rooms, showing us the building on the way there. The Conservatory is in the old part of Lima (from the early 1500′s) and the interior has really retained the flavor of the past. A set of four balconies on the second floor overlooks a small courtyard and I imagine musicians practicing their instruments in it before the age of portable audio devices.

Laszlo, our interpreter, comes to say hello. A native of Romania, he moved to Peru with his wife 14 years ago to teach and play violin. He spent a few years studying in the States and speaks English effortlessly. The class starts fashionably late and lots of the youth orchestra members are in attendance. The first participant is only 8 and plays a really fast and clean Vivaldi concerto. She appears nervous but that doesn’t seem to affect her ability to go for it! I miss being 8…

Next, a Tchaikovsky concerto played by a 16 year old boy who started playing only 4 and a half years ago (a student of Laszlo’s) and a Beethoven sonata. Midori spends quite a bit of time on all the pieces but there is still time at the end for pictures and conversations.

Laszlo and two of the department chairs take us to a trendy coffee shop for lunch. I get two small tamales and a soup. Delicious! Laszlo shares that he takes every opportunity to give a masterclass in a different city because he is still getting to know Peru. His teaching has brought him to 17 cities so far and he visits 12 of them on a regular basis. One of them, he says, is deep in the jungle where they don’t really have music education programs, but they have gotten their hands on a few instruments and are happy to have people like him help inspire the kids with somewhat regular instruction and demonstrations. Apparently there are snakes around all the cabins where the classes are, and kids are discouraged from walking around at night as they may step on one. The things we take for granted studying music in the United States!

After the short lunch, we are back at the National Museum for the second orchestra rehearsal. This time Maestro Harth-Bedoya starts with the full orchestra and is able to play each piece before we go into different rooms for the sectional rehearsals. Yesterday’s preparation did not go to waste. The passage work is now clean and somewhat confident, but we still have 3 more rehearsals. During the break, the Museum gives each member of the orchestra a sandwich and a guava juice. We are all socializing and the time goes by very quickly. We decide that after tomorrow’s rehearsal, we will read chamber music in the museum until closing time. I also spend quite a bit of time talking to Manuel. He is 21 and has been playing the violin for 4 years but can’t afford to take lessons anymore. He really loves playing and saves money to purchase music that he might be able to learn in the future. He’s majoring in Chemistry in college but says will never stop playing. He heard about the audition for the youth orchestra from friends and prepared by himself. Manuel is really thankful that the orchestra gave him the opportunity to play with Midori and says he’s been practicing very hard. His violin is 3/4 size; I guess that’s the one he could get his hands on.

 

-Moni

International ORP in Lima, Peru: Day 2

Tuesday, August 30, 2011

 

I reluctantly reach over and shut off my cell phone alarm. It’s 6 a.m., but the thick curtains of my hotel room prolong the torturous process of beginning Tuesday. I washed my concert shirt last night and am glad to find out it’s dry already. Shower while CNN World is blasting the latest sensations, and I am nearly ready to open those curtains.

In a few moments, Midori and I are greeted by Alejandro and his wife Marina. Their house is close but they insisted on driving us. In their comfortable apartment, there are violin and piano studios, so both of them can teach their respective instruments of choice, and lots of pictures of their son, whom Midori and I met in Alabama three years ago. We practice for about an hour and have tea with our hosts. They met while studying in Odessa and after getting married, moved to Peru. The importance of the arts here has changed lots since they first arrived. They said that even a few years ago, someone would ask “What do you do?” The reply of, “I am a musician” would yield “But what about your profession?”. Now they both teach at the the Conservatory and maintain private classes with more than 30 students each. I guess things are changing! On our way out, Marina gives us two books she wrote. One is on the most common physical conditions that prevent musicians from functioning properly, and the other is on sight-reading.

The family takes us back to the hotel and the delegation from the Japanese embassy is already waiting for us. Our interpreter Yana (fluent in English, Japanese, and Spanish) joins us in the car along with Naomi Kuroda, the cultural attache. The orphanage we are headed to is about an hour away, but had it not been a national holiday, it would have taken us two. We go through the poorest part of town and hear a bit about the hundreds of thousands of migrant workers who come to Lima from the provinces, hoping for a better life. The ones who can survive living in self-made houses with no glass windows long enough are allowed to register and become residents of Lima. The policemen, abundant everywhere else, are nowhere to be scene in these parts. There are little kids playing with sticks, rolling around in the dust, chasing their adopted homeless dogs.

The orphanage, built with funds from the Japanese embassy, is like a little oasis in this sad desert outside Lima. Behind the high walls is a courtyard with farm animals roaming around freely. I like to think that the huge turkeys and the quiet sheep are not there to provide nutrition down the line. They are just for the kids to play with.

We meet Ambassador Masahiro Fukukawa and his wife, as well as members of the staff with the Japanese Embassy. The performance space reminds me of a really really large living room with three curiously large doors; so large that birds fly in and out as if they are confusing it for the outdoors. The first few rows are reserved for our hosts – the children. They are all wearing bright red sweaters with the name of their home embroidered in blue. Behind them are about 30 inhabitants of the nursing home, right next door. I can’t tell which group is more excited about having live music on the day of Santa Rosa.

Midori and I begin by playing some music together and then we do a couple of solos. Our translator Yana explains the forms of the pieces to the audience. Her background in music is helping quite a bit. Before the last piece, Midori asks the kids to come around the stage and try playing our violins. Easily my favorite part of the day. Tentative at first, they loosen up and start listening to the sounds they are making. Each one notices what they do when the sound is cleaner, and try their best to clean it up even more. If it only worked like this for professionals…

After the last pieces, we receive gifts from the home and say good-bye to our audience. Mr. Fukukawa has invited us for a snack before we hit the road again. Delicious seafood and informative conversations. We find out about how this home got started, about the demographics of the region, and about other similar homes. Before long, we say good bye to the Ambassador and his entourage and head back on the dusty road.

In about 20 mins, the colorful signs advertising internet cafes appear, then the billboards with shiny cell phone promotions, and finally the Coca Cola ads. We are back in civilization.

After an hour of practicing, we head over to the National Museum where the auditorium is. We are quite early but most of the students in the youth orchestra are already warming up. Some of my friends from last night are here and we talk for a bit.  Maestro Harth-Bedoya, who has just arrived, introduces Midori and then leaves with the winds, percussion and brass to a different rehearsal room. I take the strings and we begin with Tchaikovsky’s Romeo and Juliet. Today is a day for sectional rehearsals and we have 3.5 hrs ahead of us.

The students are very quick to respond to all my comments and we plow through the material very quickly which leaves time to touch on some specific points on string playing in large ensembles. I share some things I knew I had heard when I was first learning the orchestral repertoire.

Tomorrow will be our longest day here – a 4 hr masterclass, a 3.5 hr rehearsal,  and 4 hrs of practice. Time for bed!

International ORP in Lima, Peru: Day 1

Monday, August 29, 2011

 

On our way to Lima, Peru, for an international residency project modeled after ORPs in the United States, Midori and I had a late night flight. The flight to Lima is only half-full, so we quickly find places for our violins in the overhead compartments – places that we would have forgotten by morning. I seat myself in the middle of three adjacent free seats, none of which belongs to me. Late at night, comfort beats reason.

Midori falls asleep before most people turn off their cell phones and I keep myself entertained with the personal screen across from me. With the help of a cheap blockbuster about fast cars and furious drivers, I drift away somewhere between Tijuana and Ensenada.

About 7.5 hours later, my sleep is rudely interrupted by the flight attendant who slams the window shade open. I guess they are slowly waking up the plane in preparation for arrival. Once my eyes get used to the blinding light, I see the mountains of Peru towering over the perfect winter clouds. We soon dip underneath them and the brightness is gone. The earth looks dusty and so do the roads. But the houses make up for it with their happy colors.

Alberto is waiting for us and takes us straight to the hotel. After checking in, Midori and I decide to hit the nearest supermarket, which turns out to be an even more delicious version of Bristol Farms. We stock on fruit and snacks, and get a few local breakfast items that we hurry to eat right there.

Midori makes some calls to the US while I play with the Channel Guide, and in the early afternoon, Alberto takes us to Maestro Miguel Harth-Bedoya’s house, where Midori is to teach a masterclass. The maestro is still in the States, but the maids let us in and offer us some tea. I meet Asha, who is a great music lover and has been the president of the Philharmonic society here for many years. His education is in engineering but the love for music was instilled in him by his mother back in the Czech Republic where he was born. He introduces me to the two participants in today’s class, one currently studying in Dallas and the other somewhere in Germany. They both play wonderfully and Midori gives them about an hour each. After pictures and questions, we are on our way again.

Alberto stops at a local pastry shop and treats us to the local tamales – they quickly become my favorite rendition of this popular food.

After a shower and two hours of practicing, I call Midori so we can head to the dinner downtown. The youth orchestra violinists and the organizing committee are already waiting for us in a rather large Chinese restaurant. I meet with all the violin teachers, the director of the Conservatory, and the staff from the Symphony offices. One of the violin teachers is Alejandro, whose son played in the orchestra when Midori and I were visiting Mobile, AL for the American ORP… small world! Alejandro doesn’t speak much English but is fluent in Russian (being born in Cuba and schooled in the Ukraine) so we talk for quite a while.

Midori is circulating around the different tables of students, talking to them, taking pictures. I also join one of the tables and though my Spanish is limited to gestures only, I manage to have a pretty fulfilling conversation with the 10 violinists around me. They are happy, fun, and strikingly honest. It is really refreshing! Ranging from 19 to 24, they are all conservatory students and come from various places in the country. Two girls were born in a town bordering a large jungle and a few of them came from the far north, but they all moved to Lima to study music in the country’s only Conservatory.

I find out many things about the city and the education system here, and we also decide to get together and read chamber music in the next two days. I will be running their sectional rehearsal tomorrow and am curious to find out how long they’ve had the music for. I feel like this residency will be at least as educational for Midori and me as it will be for the students.

The taxi driver waits patiently while we all say our multi-lingual “good-byes”. The relentless evening drizzle is now a fully-blown rain. An American pop song is playing on the radio. I remember hearing it at the USC gym a couple of days ago. The world is really not that big!

 

-Moni

Moni posts from Bulgaria – day three

May 18, 2011

 

7:00 a.m.

Yoko Moscowitz was waiting for us at the lobby of the hotel. Yoko and her husband Ken have been in Bulgaria for two years. Ken is in charge of the education division with the American Embassy and the two of them have lived in several different countries since they got married. Before we started with the other activities of the day, Yoko took us to her house for a short practice session and breakfast. It was my first time in a car with a red license plate in Bulgaria. Within a diplomatic vehicle with this type of plate, the local laws do not apply.

The Moscowitz’s apartment was in one of the nicest neighborhoods of Sofia. It is considerably bigger than the average apartment and on display is art from all over the world. Since Ken has been working for the government on international projects for over 20 years now, I assumed that he had personally bought all the pieces. When we arrived he had already gone to work, but we would meet him very soon. Midori and I both started practicing, and as soon as tea was ready, Yoko called us to the table. She’s been studying Bulgarian and sings in a local choir, so she understands quite a bit.

9:30 a.m.

Ceco called me from downstairs to let us know that he was there. Midori and I changed into more formal attire and we headed down to meet him. Ceco took us to 134th School for the first presentation with the string quartet. Besides the students of that school, waiting for us were students from the 18th school, which offers Japanese language studies. There were screens around the school so that staff and students who were not able to attend or simply couldn’t fit in the auditorium would get a chance to see some of the event.

The rest of the quartet was waiting when we arrived, and we quickly went over the sequence of events. I encouraged them to also play some of it by ear. In presentations like these, a solid script is necessary, but going off it makes perfect sense if done in style.

The quartet began by introducing its members and the instruments. It was unnatural to see Midori so quiet – she is usually the leader in these presentations. But during the presentation the cello player had to speak for her and it seemed to work out really well. They played their first piece and everyone loved it. Then the cellist introduced me and I said a few words about the solo piece I would play. After I finished, it was Midori’s turn to play. The lights were bright and from the stage I couldn’t see the reactions of the audience, but the quartet seemed to be in awe – it’s the first time they have heard her play an unaccompanied solo, and it sounded very good!

The presentation is over in less than an hour and then it was picture time! Kids were happy, adults were happy – an overall success!

12:00 p.m.

Ceco took us and the quartet back to the Music School where we ate lunch and prepared for our rehearsal with the orchestra and Maestro Maxim Eshkenazy. He had just flown in from Los Angeles and it would be his first time reading these pieces with the Classic FM Orchestra. He knows the group well, of course, and there should be no problems.

1:30pm

Maxim and I went over my pieces and later Midori did the same. We were ready to play with the orchestra!

2:00pm

I played first. There were lots of familiar faces in the orchestra but I decided to focus on the music now and make friends later. On the second try, Maxim was already guiding the orchestra along my rubatos in pieces that they know very well. During the break, lots of the players went out for a cigarette, and because I was done with my portion of the rehearsal, I began socializing. It turns out that I went to music school with lots of the members of the orchestra! It had been so many years, but we remembered stories together and they updated me on some of our other classmates who I had lost touch with. But soon the break was over and we decided to meet properly once the week was over.

Midori’s Tchaikovsky concerto attracted most of the teachers that are still in the building so there was a considerable audience. She’s played the piece hundreds of times, and I’ve heard a good number of them, but it still seems different every time.

6:00 p.m.

I went back to the hotel and changed for the reception we were about to attend. Midori brought her outfit already so she could stay and catch up on emails and eat yogurt.

7:00 p.m.

We were off to the reception. It was organized by Classic FM radio and the “America for Bulgaria” foundation, one of the main sponsors for our event. It took place in a historical venue in Sofia called the Army Club. The person in charge of the venue took us in through the back door since most of the guests had already arrived. He said that he used to play the violin and we started talking about it. One thing lead to another and it turned out that I know his son who completed his masters at USC in Double Bass!

Backstage. I could see the food that’s about to be taken to the guests. It looked delicious, but I couldn’t have any just yet. Midori’s interpreter helped to go over her outline and I practiced violin softly. There was a tall TV star with a deep voice to introduce us before our mini-performance. Once he had greeted everyone and told them a few words about Midori, we went on stage and played a little something for two violins. Afterwards, I quickly slipped off and a lady handed me a remote control to run the slides of the Power Point presentation Midori and her assistants in New York worked on for the last few days. She spent a few minutes on each slide and showed pictures from previous ORPs, International ORPs, and even of some of the events that had taken place in the last few days and hours. The goal of presentations like these is to familiarize the cultural and business leaders of Bulgaria with the value and importance of classical music and arts. The topic of this particular presentation was classical music and young children, but Midori touched on a few much more general issues. I was glad that there was a TV crew covering the event so that it could reach more people than the select hundred or so in the audience. The interpreter did not miss a beat, and I kept clicking that remote every time Midori exhausted a slide.

Finally, it was time for some mingling, wine, and tiny sandwiches–a nice reward!
9:00 p.m.

After the reception, Midori was approached by the director of the school for visually impaired children. In fluent English, he asked if it would be possible for Midori to visit some of their classrooms and perhaps play for the kids. She didn’t think twice and agreed to visit in the morning before our final concert.

We finally sat down to our dinner and went back to the hotel, exhausted but happy.

Moni posts from Bulgaria — day two

May 17, 2011

7:00 a.m.

I rolled out of bed and immediately put on the practice mute for a quick warm up. After a shower, I picked up all the clothes I would need for the day. The M button on the elevator took me to the breakfast hall, where the food smelled delicious. Virtually no Bulgarians stay in this hotel so the employees at the door greeted me in English. The food WAS delicious; I wish I had more time! Right before the soft music put me to sleep, I got a call from Ceco, who was already smoking downstairs. I took the stairs and heard the end of Midori’s warm-up routine. She’s probably been at it for a while. At Ceco’s request, the hotel unlocked a conference room for her to practice in the early hours of the morning. I gave her a signal and she packed up quickly. We were off to the National TV station.

Midori in rehearsal with Maestro Pavlov and the School of Music orchestra.

8:00 a.m.

Sofia looks very different in the morning. Although nearing the end of the year, school was still in session and the bus stops were crowded with young people.

Security at the TV station was unusually tight on the day of our visit. The morning block was about to feature a political debate and the foreign minister was in the building. Ceco took us to a converted green room where we could practice until it was our turn to go on air. People are still allowed to smoke inside and the employees really didn’t hold back, so I opened a window to let some air in. Midori changed and started playing while I made friends with the interpreter. When they finally called us to the studio, a young and very urgent-looking intern equipped us with microphones and gave us instructions quietly as the show was already going on. The director announced a commercial break and we took our seats around a round glass table with four beautiful cups of coffee that I doubt anyone will actually drink. I tried to remember the name of the host, I definitely knew her face, but the break was soon over and the cameras started wheeling around. With her enchanting voice, she introduced us and announced that our segment would begin with a performance by Midori. After a movement of the B minor Bach partita, Midori answered questions about her mission in Bulgaria. The TV station had already acquired pictures from Monday’s events, so Midori commented on what we had done so far. I answered a few questions as well, and they thanked us and then sent us off. In a flurry we took off our microphones, got into everyday clothes, and we were on our way again, only 45 minutes after we arrived.

9:45 a.m.

Classic FM radio station! It’s run by the same people that manage the agency that invited us to Bulgaria so it was easy to relax there. Midori went in for an interview and since I already did mine before Midori arrived, I enjoyed their refreshing drinks and company.

Moni joins Midori for the School of Music rehearsal.

10:30 a.m.

The School of Music is just a few minutes away from the radio station so we indulgee in our first real walk of the day. The green room is behind the concert hall where the School Orchestra was rehearsing one of the pieces I was about to play – Vladigerov’s Chant. Maestro Pavlov has developed a very strong relationship with these students and they sounded like they were really having fun. I waited for a quiet moment and went on stage to greet them. In a few minutes I began rehearsing my pieces, then Midori did her Mendelssohn and Maestro announced a break for 15 minutes. The students wanted to meet Midori, but very much like in the US, they were too shy to approach her, so instead they came to say hello to me first. As usual, I was happy to facilitate. After the break, the winds left and we rehearsed the Bach double concerto with the remaining strings. The kids were very well-prepared and we were all looking forward to a good performance. There were just a few things left to fix but we have two more rehearsals to go!

Midori works with a student in the masterclass at the School of Music.

2:30 p.m.

After a quick bite, we went up one floor and the assistant principal of the school, Maria Mircheva, introduced me and Midori to the participants and observers in today’s masterclass. Maria and I met in New York eight years ago and it’s wonderful to see that after receiving her education in the United States, she returned to Bulgaria and worked her way to this important position. She is still teaching and plays lots of chamber music.

The 5 violinists played wonderfully and were eager to hear what Midori had to say. Their teachers, more nervous than the students, also took notes. I did my best to make sure the colorful images Midori uses didn’t get lost in my translation. Afterward we took pictures, exchanged information, and Midori answered a few additional questions.

6:00 p.m.

Quick dinner, a few scales, and we were ready for the next event. The String Quartet was waiting for us in another large hall and they came prepared with the full presentation. It was very natural and definitely worked the way it is, so Midori and I decided not to change anything. After the playing part was over, they ran the speaking portion of the presentation to solidify it.

9:00 p.m.

Finally – a chance to recap on the activities so far. We both practice until midnight and head back to the hotel, exhausted but happy after a very busy day!

Moni’s first report from Bulgaria

In May of 2011, Midori and Moni spent several days in Moni’s home country of Bulgaria. During their trip, they sought to reproduce many of the engagement activities from residencies that have occurred in the United States, with a special interest in making them as appropriate and beneficial for the people of Bulgaria as possible. Moni offers the following report from the first two days of the residency:

 

May 15, 2011

 

My cousin Emi, her husband Ivo and I arrived at the New Terminal of the Sofia Airport at about 10pm. I’m sure there is a proper name for it but it’s only been three years since it opened so it’s still known as the New Terminal. Inside the building, we met Daniela Handjieva and Ceco Rainov from Cantus Firmus, our management, who were also waiting to greet Midori. Daniela is the Artistic Director and the brain behind the whole operation, and Ceco’s unique set of skills and contacts makes him indispensable when it comes to getting the artists around Bulgaria, arranging 24-hour practice space and getting locked buildings open with a phone call. Midori’s flight was scheduled to land in a few minutes, so all five of us approached the arrival gate. It was not easy to spot Midori in a room full of anxious people, all anticipating the arrival of a friend or family member, but soon I was introducing her to our party.

The drive back to Plovdiv took about 2 hours and Ivo was driving. He’s gone that route hundreds of times as he went to med school in Sofia. My mother was waiting at home to serve us a late dinner. We caught the last half an hour of a “Jazz in Europe” documentary on TV and then everyone went to bed in order to rest up for an early morning the next day.

 

May 16, 2011

Midori learns about the Gadulka, a traditional Bulgarian instrument

6:30am

No one likes getting up after four hours of sleep but some people mind it more than others. Midori doesn’t mind at all! Small breakfast – yogurt, fruit and some pastries, and then we were off to the Plovdiv Music Conservatory where my mother used her faculty ID to get us practice rooms. The Conservatory is at the top of the “Old City” hill and right next door to a Roman Amphitheater. The 7000 seat structure was built in the second century AD but wasn’t discovered until a landslide revealed part of it in the 1970’s. Before Midori began to warm up, I introduced her to the father of an old classmate of mine. He is a teacher in the folk department of the conservatory and was happy to give Midori a lesson on Gadulka – a traditional instrument, much like the violin, but it’s many strings are played with a baroque-looking bow.

During the masterclass at the Balabanov House in Plovdiv

9.15am

When our practice time was over, we headed to the Balabanov House. More than 200 years old, this house is now a fully functional art gallery and occasionally hosts musical events. It was also the place where Plovdiv Music School and Conservatory students were scheduled to play for Midori. We showed up a few minutes early but the space seemed to already be full of excited youngsters and their teachers. School gave them the morning off! The dedicated concertgoers were also present. Once everyone was seated, my old violin teacher made a beautiful introduction and the class began. When the first girl was done playing, Midori took her own violin out of its case and started commenting while I tried to keep up with the Bulgarian translation. The students ranged in age from 10 to 22 and were all very well prepared. They responded quickly and Midori was able to hear an extra student as well. After the class was over, the director of the school, Neli Popova, had us sign the music school’s “book of notable guests” and we saw a long line of students and teachers who were waiting to take pictures, ask questions, and simply congratulate Midori.

1:30pm

Ceco and Irena had acquired permission from the city of Plovdiv to take the company car into the no-car zone of this historic neighborhood and we were off to my grandparents’ house for a quick lunch. Midori was very excited to meet them and equally so to try her first traditional meal.

Midori and Radka!

2:15pm

We said quick goodbyes (I won’t see my family until the final concert), and we were off to Sofia. In the meantime, my cousin Emi arranged for us to stop in a small village outside Plovdiv. The Mayor, who was waiting for us on the main square, greeted Midori and quickly took us to a cow named Radka. This was Emi’s surprise – Midori is going to milk a cow for the first time in her life. The Bulgarian yogurt, which is really famous in Japan, has been a part of Midori’s breakfast until she moved to the States, and she’s always been curious about what makes it different. Radka is a very mild-tempered cow and her owner showed Midori how to milk her. She caught on quickly and got lost in the process, so much so that we had to remind her we were on a tight schedule! We thanked the mayor and Radka’s family and went on to Sofia.

4.30pm

We skipped checking in to the hotel and went straight to the Sofia Music School. I found a practice room and Midori completed three radio and two TV interviews. I met with the conductor of the school’s symphony orchestra – Maestro Dean Pavlov, and went over the pieces I will be playing with them later in the week. Midori, who also discussed tempos with the Maestro, decided to practice until our next activity.

8.00pm

Midori will be playing second violin in a student string quartet for a few presentations and their first rehearsal was about to begin. The chamber music teacher who had prepared the three youngsters recognized my family name. She went to high school and conservatory with my mother and late father, and she tells me some moving stories from their past. Such a small world.

She’s done a great job with the students and since they spoke English fairly well, I was not needed until the end of their rehearsal. I went back to my practice room. Once the playing part of the rehearsal is over, it was my turn to work with them on the logistics of the presentation. They were all so open and communicative that it was difficult to choose a spokesperson, but finally we decided on Georgi, the cellist. Organized musical presentations for non-musicians are not common here, so I felt that it would be right to give them a general outline. They decided to take the evening to think of cool ways to introduce themselves and choose passages which best demonstrate their instruments.

This will be a lot of fun!

10.30pm

After a short dinner, Ceco took me and Midori to the Kempinsky hotel. Considered the highest ranking hotel in Sofia, Kempinsky took an older building with a beautiful Japanese garden and modified it just enough to fit the world standards. Since we were on top of a hill, I could see all of Sofia and the snow on top of the Vitosha mountain. Unfortunately, I knew that it would be dark every time I looked out that window. They kept us very busy!

Reflections from the Quad City ORP application writers

Saturday, April 23, 2011

Midori and the Quad City residency application writers (from left: Mary Kae Waytenick, Laurie Skjerseth and Mary Decker).

Watching Midori walk through the arrival gate was the capstone of two years of planning.  A mere 24 months ago we mailed our carefully crafted, words counted, application.  Its focus was meshing our goals for growth with Midori’s residency goals.  After careful analysis of previous residencies, we included components that were a common denominator and incorporated some new ideas such as the Mi-Do-Ri  young composer competition.

Two months later we were elated to learn of our acceptance.  For the next 9 months we headed the volunteer education committee overseeing an already big schedule.  Then we turned our attention to what needed to be accomplished for the residency.

We began an awareness campaign to tell the Quad Cities the Midori story and why her visit was such an honor and blessing.  It included presentations to civic organizations, packets given to all public and private teachers, life-size Midori cutouts, displays of artistically painted violins, and media coverage.  Next we tried to involve every teacher and student in the residency events.  With a schedule that included masterclasses, open rehearsals, an honors string festival, Symphony Day, and 30 some additional activities, we were successful.

How do we measure success?  One way is the number of people touched by Midori.  We had two sold-out masterwork concerts.  We had over 12,500 people who heard Midori in 5 days, with an additional untold number who heard her speak on radio or television.  A better measure of success is anecdotal.  So many parents came to us to express their gratitude that Midori was here and left a profound impact on their children.  “This has given our family a musical renaissance,” said one mother.

Watching Midori walk through the departure gate at the end of day five was bittersweet.  We were sad to say good-bye to such a great person.  Yet we were happy to know that her journey to the Quad Cities was continuing in the heart of everyone she had met.

We had accomplished our own personal goals.

Mary Decker, Laurie Skjerseth, and Mary Kae Waytenick