Moni posts from Bulgaria — day two
August 3rd, 2011 § Leave a Comment
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!
