Akemi’s
violin teacher walked in the NEC room just as I was unfurling a tablecloth I had
brought from home for the post-recital reception. “Ah, a mother’s touch,” said Mr. Buswell. His
gesture took in the flowers from Akemi’s roommate, which I arranged in a vase before
we transported them on the Boston “T.” I
told Mr. Buswell that I had the reception prep drill down after 10 years of
serving cookies and Martinelli’s at Colburn and helping backstage as orchestra
parent manager. He astutely commented, “You
must miss it.”
Yes,
it’s good to have things like ironing and gathering up refreshments to help your
child on performance day, because at that point, that’s all you can do. You can silently and fervently pray and hold
your breath during the tough parts, but the music is all up to her.
Fortunately
for the nervous systems of her teachers and mother, Akemi has been an
extraordinarily reliable performer. The transition
from a pre-college or “prep” environment to a conservatory, though, is a tough
one, for all students – having to adjust to the lack of
practice performances, the paucity of rehearsal time with the pianist, the
juggle of learning so much repertoire in so short a time. Her NEC freshman and sophomore recitals were
exercises in getting used to a different definition of preparedness. This time, her prep seemed in a groove.
This
junior year recital program suited her well: sonatas by Mozart, Martinů, and
Brahms, and a Bach partita. And however
she managed it, she went into this recital having had a very good lesson, and
she came out of this recital deserving to feel very good about it. I was
amazed at how much her pieces had come together even more so since she was home
just a few weeks ago on spring break.
A
number of her Cambridge University Ward friends were good to come, as well as
fellow double-degree classmates and other students from Mr. Buswell’s
studio. Henry and Linda, our Boston “family,”
made it, as well. Almost 29 years ago to
the day, Linda was my matron of honor – I could not have looked into the future
that day and imagined that I’d have a daughter in college in Boston and that Linda
would be our local support team. Akemi,
and I, were blessed to have so much love in that room to help celebrate another
year of her musical accomplishments.
The
next morning, she did not rest on any laurels.
After a breakfast of her favorite homemade cinnamon rolls, Akemi was on
to finishing projects for her Tufts classes.
She still has to stay focused on this program for another week for the
really important performance, what NEC calls the year-end “promotional” (“juries”
at other conservatories) when she plays for the entire violin faculty. After the promotional, then she can be on to
new pieces.
All
too quickly, my turn-around visit in Boston, with glimpses of spring flowers standing
sturdy in stiff, cold wind, was over. I
came back to my own academic year-end press of deadlines before commencement,
and can’t avoid feeling behind this week.
But the most important priority last week was to get to be violin mom
again, and marvel at the musician which Akemi has become.
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