When we got in the car to leave yesterday, the first words out of my 16 year-old son’s mouth were ‘That was really fun.’ I don’t think I’ve ever been to an Intimate Afternoon before, and it was great – what an opportunity to be so close to a musician and his/her instrument, and to be able to engage with him. I heard some of the guests afterwards say they hadn’t been familiar with the marimba before, and now have an appreciation for it – exactly what you want to accomplish with these events!
My “a-ha” moment was that the music actually had a story to tell without words. I was guilty of being one who listened to music as background. Now I see the benefit of truly listening to the piece with my undivided attention!
Maestro Maull brought new life and meaning to music that I have adored since I was a young child. Now when I listen to the Four Seasons, I hear birds chirping, dogs barking, gunfire and stomping feet! Who knew?!!
Thanks for taking on the issue of multi-tasking and the price it exacts on the quality of experience. I agree entirely that art asks us to stop whatever we were doing to attend to what is being offered to us. And this happens, I believe, whether we are talking about music, or dance, or poetry, or sculpture, or painting, or ceramics, or architecture, etc.
I’ve been a professional musician all my life, yet coming to your events these past years, I never fail to learn something new about the music!
