- Jan 9, 2001
- 7,572
- 2
- 76
Tomorrow I'm driving over to Northern Illinois University, I have a wonderful oppertunity, yet a nerve-wracking oppertunity. I'm gonna be playing piano for Don Walker, a professor there who, (at least in the world of classical music) is a world-renowned pianist. My current piano teacher is good friends with him, so she landed me a wonderful slot tomorrow at 1 pm to work with him.
It should be great, but of course I'm really nervous. A few months ago Mr. Walker had a heart attack, and since my teacher is good friends with him, people were obviously calling her for updates. In a particular one-hour period I spent with her following his heart attack, she received three phone calls about him: one from New York City, one from London, and one from Vienna. This guy's big, and now I have to go play for him for a few hours. :Q Incidentally, one of the things I'm playing for him he just performed as part of his program in his tour of China about a year ago. That doesn't help my stress.
I know, I know, he wouldn't be doing this for me if he wasn't a nice guy, and I've heard nothing but great things about him. He's apparently not only a great pianist, but a wonderful man. A friend of mine who has worked with him before I think put it really well: "You're not going to impress him. You won't. He's worked with the best pianists in the world. He teaches graduate students for a living. On a daily basis, people much better than you or I play for him. So, don't worry about impressing him. Just go there to learn. Play your best, and then just shut up and listen." lol. I hope this goes well. It's one of those things that I'm really looking forward to it, but I'm also really looking forward to it being over and done with.
edit: By the way, that first quote in my sig is his. Useless fact for ya there.
It should be great, but of course I'm really nervous. A few months ago Mr. Walker had a heart attack, and since my teacher is good friends with him, people were obviously calling her for updates. In a particular one-hour period I spent with her following his heart attack, she received three phone calls about him: one from New York City, one from London, and one from Vienna. This guy's big, and now I have to go play for him for a few hours. :Q Incidentally, one of the things I'm playing for him he just performed as part of his program in his tour of China about a year ago. That doesn't help my stress.
I know, I know, he wouldn't be doing this for me if he wasn't a nice guy, and I've heard nothing but great things about him. He's apparently not only a great pianist, but a wonderful man. A friend of mine who has worked with him before I think put it really well: "You're not going to impress him. You won't. He's worked with the best pianists in the world. He teaches graduate students for a living. On a daily basis, people much better than you or I play for him. So, don't worry about impressing him. Just go there to learn. Play your best, and then just shut up and listen." lol. I hope this goes well. It's one of those things that I'm really looking forward to it, but I'm also really looking forward to it being over and done with.
edit: By the way, that first quote in my sig is his. Useless fact for ya there.
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