Playing at St Johns on the Lake is always a unique experience. I love playing in church sanctuaries!  Playing music as devotion feels perfect. As always there were tons of cables to stretch out, positioning, sight lines and a minimal sound check.

Gracious Carol Hoffman–Guzman was there, smiling and ready for us to make a joyful sound in the church.

I had the set list with the new pieces and familiar ones we played as a trio. Sometimes Mitch and I would play and then Jeff and I. We had a brief Indian Music movement to present.

I wanted to introduce a few new elements and surprises in this concert. My friends and daughters would be coming:

-I spoke a little more about what the audience could listen for, and a little about the process.

-I performed Mark O’Connor’s piece for Solo Cello “Appalachia Waltz”

-I arranged Vince Guaraldi’s tune “Linus and Lucy” for myself.  Jeff and Mitch had the basic parts and formed the foundation. Have you ever tried to put unique pianistic flourishes on a violin? While holding a double-stop? (That had been a challenging technical hurdle for me to work up.)

-The other non-original piece we played was Bob Marley’s familiar “Three Little Birds”. Jeff and Mitch took the bull by the horns and began to sing the piece aloud!

I’ve played originals most of my life and the Classical Symphonies, violin repertoire and Raga. This was fun to put together and because everyone knew the songs, more challenging. “Gotta play it like the record” so they could sing along too.

I have a favorite photo of my daughters from this concert. I think it was the only time when both of them had been present, to hear me play and making this a very special “family event” for me to enjoy.  Many thanks to Carol Hoffman-Guzman for the invitation to play at St John’s.