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Arrival of the Queen

...and how some music affected my mood.

Saturday evening, Husband and I drove up to Eustacia's college near Cleveland to hear her band concert. She plays trumpet in a concert band made up of students from all majors. Her college is known for its conservatory, and her band is for students who aren't going to make music their occupation. They just love to play.

We battled the weather on our way up there (a drive of about an hour and a half) because it's Winter 2010, and you can't go anywhere without battling the weather on some level. We had a quick dinner at our hotel, and then rushed over to the concert hall. We parked about a block away and then trudged through the elements. We stomped the snow off of our shoes as we entered the lobby, shook off our coats, sat down and took big deep breaths. We're in.

I can't say my heart was racing, but I certainly was not calm or in the right frame of mind for a concert. But then the first batch of students came on stage, a 12-piece trumpet ensemble (not including Eustacia). Some sat and some stood, some played B-flat horns and some played E-flat horns. And they launched into Handel's "Arrival of the Queen of Sheba" to beat the band. Sorry, but that phrase makes me giggle.

As they played, I felt my shoulders relax and my breathing slow down. In their quieter moments, I think I may have leaned in to hear, and in their more powerful moments, my eyes watered a little bit.

The group was followed by a brass quintet and then a brass choir. And then the entire band took the stage and played fun things like Lassus Trombone, sweet things like a Percy Granger number, and interesting things like Variations on a Korean Folk Song.

It didn't matter the least bit that I wasn't in concert-mode when I first sat down because the music took care of that. I didn't have to show up ready for anything because music has a way of reshaping your mood, and all you have to do is be there and take it in.

Comments

savannah said…
isn't it wonder? letting the music envelop you is the major reason i miss our club! it was hard non-glamorous work during the day, but the nights so made up for it. your night sounded perfect! xoxoxo
8:57 AM
dive said…
Hoorah for live music, Robyn.
You describe its effects perfectly.
2:33 AM
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