Concerto recital

The big day came and went and boy was it a big day.  Recital day is always a balancing scale of remaining calm, resting, and remembering to do everything that needs to be done.  For example yesterday I cut Jbird's hair, re-hemmed his trousers, ironed his shirt and trousers, polished his shoes, made sure he ate, hid my emotions about a few trifling matters that felt important to me, and dashed home to get his forgotten bowtie ten minutes before curtain call.  I also had a normal day with church, a baby shower (details to follow), and I went for a swim. Sometimes I wonder if I'm mothering him by being so completely in charge of his grooming matters, but I think it helped him to feel as relaxed as possible so that all he had to think about was the task at hand.  Or maybe it would have helped him to have that housekeeping to do, therefore taking his mind off the task at hand.  It's hard to tell. 

I might be biased but I thought he played beautifully.  There may have been a few minor mistakes but he exuded confidence and the audience was in his power.  It was exciting to have the orchestra accompany him but I was more focussed on him than what they were doing.
 

The Saint-Saëns piano concerto number 2 is an exciting concerto to listen to, full of wild virtuosic moments.  The last movement in particular leaves you on the edge of your seat.  There are so many notes and it seems as though there's a race to the end.  If you don't know this concerto well, you can listen to the Maestro Rubinstein playing part 1 here and part 2 here.  I'll post Jbird's recording when it's ready.

I was lucky enough to sit next to a wee budding five year old violin student.  She sat stock still during the overture (pre-concerto) which was exciting and full of swarming violin propositions.  The concerto proved to be too much for her and she became a wriggling little worm.  Didn't say a peep though.