Silent Night

I posted this on Facebook, just around the time Christmas Eve became Christmas Day; a little more than a week ago.  I think it is worth repeating here.  Got to keep this site alive somehow.  Who knows...Maybe I should hang out here again more often...

When I was a third-year music major, I joined Duquesne’s Electronic Ensemble. Lead and featured parts were, naturally, given to seniors, while I mainly played comp chords and synth pads; background stuff. We played this arrangement of Silent Night at our Christmas concert. During rehearsal, someone noted that no one was given the “Toy Piano” part that comes in at the very end, which sucks because it is a really cool part. And then we realized that I was not playing anything else at that time in the piece. "Have Terry play it." I wasn’t familiar with this arrangement, and I was like, yeah, I’ll play whatever. I didn’t realize until we first played it, just how crucial the part was. But it’s only eight single notes, followed by three two-note chords. (Just one hand!) I remember the the performance, my heart racing and pounding, like never before, as the part approached. (Way…WAY more nervous than my audition for school two years prior, with pieces by Beethoven, Mozart, Bartok.) So, when I hear this every year in December, I not only hear a hauntingly-beautiful modern arrangement of a classic Christmas carol; but I also remember a time when I nailed my part on stage. Merry Christmas.