![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
In all my whining about the C's in Video Games Live, I completely forget the positive aspects.
Scott, our much-loved miracle of an accompanist and principal keyboardist of the Symphony, returned to us last night, after all day in a recording studio, no less. There's no way I can explain how happy it makes me when he's behind the piano for rehearsals. It makes all the petty little Charles drawbacks tolerable, even amusing. He corrects things Charles misses or ignores with a subtle enhancement of the erring voice part, plays little musical jokes off-the-cuff after the ends of particularly derivative phrases (there's a part in the WoW section that is so much like the Shire theme from LotR that it's surprising no one's sued for plagiarism), gives the slower readers clues in breaks to familiarize them with intervals or rhythms that are similar to ones in other pieces we've sung (the Sega chords are the same as a pair in a movement of Carmina), and lends an amiable presence to a rehearsal that could, and probably would, otherwise be frustrating. I may be repeating myself here, but it's worth saying again, and it's especially noticeable after we've had a sub accompanist. We all adore Scott. He is, in his unintrusive way, equal to Tom in both skill and sheer goodness of heart. He doesn't, unfortunately, run rehearsals, but they are much smoother, better, and more constructive when he is there. Everyone is in a better mood, learns more from mistakes, and has more fun. And that's all aside from the Olympic feats of technique and sight-reading he performs as our rehearsal orchestra. It's a privilege to listen to him, much less sing with him. He makes even the most amateur compositions (and some of this video game music is definitely amateur; the part-writing wouldn't pass a high school freshman theory assignment) into an interesting, beautiful, even profound experience with his interpretation. I'm not saying he's perfect, I'm not saying he never slips; but he always acknowledges it or catches it himself, which is more than I can say for anyone else in the room. He's hands-down the most awesome overall Pianistic Being I've ever had the pleasure (and it is a pleasure) of associating with.
Excuse me for raving. Rehearsal was better last night. Myst music is my favorite so far. It's rated the most difficult, too. How unexpected, that I would go for the piece with the irregular time signature and syncopation. :)
Scott, our much-loved miracle of an accompanist and principal keyboardist of the Symphony, returned to us last night, after all day in a recording studio, no less. There's no way I can explain how happy it makes me when he's behind the piano for rehearsals. It makes all the petty little Charles drawbacks tolerable, even amusing. He corrects things Charles misses or ignores with a subtle enhancement of the erring voice part, plays little musical jokes off-the-cuff after the ends of particularly derivative phrases (there's a part in the WoW section that is so much like the Shire theme from LotR that it's surprising no one's sued for plagiarism), gives the slower readers clues in breaks to familiarize them with intervals or rhythms that are similar to ones in other pieces we've sung (the Sega chords are the same as a pair in a movement of Carmina), and lends an amiable presence to a rehearsal that could, and probably would, otherwise be frustrating. I may be repeating myself here, but it's worth saying again, and it's especially noticeable after we've had a sub accompanist. We all adore Scott. He is, in his unintrusive way, equal to Tom in both skill and sheer goodness of heart. He doesn't, unfortunately, run rehearsals, but they are much smoother, better, and more constructive when he is there. Everyone is in a better mood, learns more from mistakes, and has more fun. And that's all aside from the Olympic feats of technique and sight-reading he performs as our rehearsal orchestra. It's a privilege to listen to him, much less sing with him. He makes even the most amateur compositions (and some of this video game music is definitely amateur; the part-writing wouldn't pass a high school freshman theory assignment) into an interesting, beautiful, even profound experience with his interpretation. I'm not saying he's perfect, I'm not saying he never slips; but he always acknowledges it or catches it himself, which is more than I can say for anyone else in the room. He's hands-down the most awesome overall Pianistic Being I've ever had the pleasure (and it is a pleasure) of associating with.
Excuse me for raving. Rehearsal was better last night. Myst music is my favorite so far. It's rated the most difficult, too. How unexpected, that I would go for the piece with the irregular time signature and syncopation. :)
