Concert

Today was the annual Crusade for Strings concert. I believe it started out as a way of attracting more attention to string players and teachers. There doesn't seem to be any lack of people interested in playing stringed intsruments now, at least, not here. I've played on it many times over the years.
I was invited to play again this year, since I'm back in town, and so I did. I played Song of the Birds by Pablo Casals, and the first movement, Allegro Moderato, of the Boccherini B flat Major Concerto. Song of the Birds is a lovely, simple little tune. The Boccherini is anything but simple and little. I've been living with a wrist injury for about six years now (it seems like forever), and by the end of the Boccherini I could not feel my hand, right hand, in fact, I nearly dropped my bow during the cadenza. By the time I'd walked off stage, though, I could feel my hand again, a surprizingly fast recovery. At this point, a couple hours later, it doesn't really hurt, though it doesn't feel quite right, but that's normal for that hand. This is why I did not pursue a solo career.
The price I pay for the performance is that I have to load the boys into the car to pick up their dad after work, well past their bedtimes. We are just waiting now until it is time to leave to get Daddy; Hemi is sleeping on a blanket on the floor, and Beau is sitting in my lap. A rare enough occurance with that young man, to be willing to sit and cuddle with Mommy. Usually he only sits still with me to read, and that not for long.