Musical Mishaps...

Hello there. Must share with you a number of brief musical stories that have taken place over the last week or two. I will be quick as I can, as I NEED to get more sleep and it's late for me even now. But I must share.

Last MOnday night, Dean, Maya and I had the priviledge of attending the finale concert of the 7th ANnual Phnom Penh Music Festival, sponsored by some German contacts. THe concert promised a symphony orchestra composed of Cambodian and international musicians, and the Angkor Youth ORchestra. I couldn't wait.
It was lovely! Maya stayed up late and we closed the show. Here are the funny details. THe Youth orchestra ranged in age from about 6 or 7 year olds, all the way up to late teens. They were all at a very beginner stage and played a number of simple tunes with piano accompaniemnt. There were about 70 in all, I'm sure.

Having a music education as I do, from a first world country, I know how the concerts are supposed to go: Who should sit where, how the tuning takes place, when to clap, etc. THose refined details that only the priviledged get to learn from experience. When the numbers of children started up on stage, it was funny to see a very young, little girl in a very pretty dress, sit in the "concert master" chair (the violinist closest on your left to the audience and the conductor.) This position is reserved for usually the strongest violinist, who tunes the orchestra. I actually considered for a minute that this little thing just might be a prodigy, and that she would actually BE the concert master! (My hope for this country prevails!) Sigh. Needless to say, as the concert began and she played, swinging her little legs on the chair, I realized it was just her seat for the concert! She, nor anybody else, did any tuning before they played! The entire youth orchestra had sat at the back of the auditorium waiting for their chance to come on stage for nearly 45 minutes, and when they finally all arrived in their positions, they didn't even bother to tune at all! The conductor, a man in his late 40's, simply counted them in, and they began their song! You can imagine 70 beginners who haven't tuned to each other. It was beautiful in heart and WONDERFUL to see the hope of a music education future for those younsters involved. Besides, Who needs to tune, when you could instead make music???

The best part about this evening was the preparation for this youth orchestra to go onstage. In perfect Cambodia fashion, the grand piano (donated as was the entire auditorium hall, by the Japanese) needed to be moved from centre stage to the back, to accommodate all the kids. One, two, three.. afew more stage hands headed to the piano. I noted it was on wheels, albeit they looked small. Before my very eyes, after a few more joined, to the total of 7 people, they all took their place around the expensive and precious grand piano, and on the count of 3, they all lifted! Yes, the piano was LIFTED across the stage by at least 7 people all shuffling with tiny steps. I think I gasped, as did others in the audience, then couldn't help but chuckle. It's Cambodia, why should I be surprised? The friendly American fellow in front of me, turned to comment that at least it wasn't being pulled by a moto! Within seconds, the audience chuckled even louder as the "lifting" team, realized they had shuffled the piano to the WRONG corner of the stage, and had to go all the way across to the other side! It was certainly something to see, the piano "floating" across the stage by muscle power!

I am currently teaching middle school music at Logos, where we have for the second year, commenced the beginner band program. We have a handful of trumpets, clarinets and flutes, and we're doing our best to learn to play them well. A very sorry story accomopanies a student who, while during her practicing at home, "lost control" of her clarinet (and I'l leave it at that!) and broke the bottom bell right off, including the attachment part from the other piece. I know, it's confusing. Suffice it to say, it was severely damaged. There is more to this story that I cannot post publically here, but the end of it is, I have seen the clarinet and can do nothing to repair it. It's performing life is over. IN an attempt to cover up the damage, it was "repaired" by someone who did not know it's worth, and the "glue" that was used, may as well have been contact cement, as it won't clean off, scrape off, nothing. (You know, when you WANT glue to stick in this country, it won't. When you want it to wash off, it is IMPOSSIBLE!) SO, no "insurance" to cover the damage here, no "rental company" to run back to. We need another clarinet, and getting them, especially a fine quality one as this one was, is so very difficult.

So to continue this story, I now have to replace this clarinet (to the family's expense unfortunately) and headed off just this past afternoon, to the shop in town that I know carries some inexpensive, Taiwan brand of instruments. The owner had some last year, not sure if he still carried them. Well, I walked in, and a young fellow tried to help me, but he had very little english. THe owner, who eventually came to our aid, has good english and although is a bit of a used-car-salesman type, certainly knows enough of his stuff to run a music shop. So, I ask the first guy for clarinets, he has no idea what I want, then I spy one shoved in the top shelf of a glass cabinet, so I start pointing to it, for him to get it. THe clarinet, a flute and two trumpets, one silver, one brass, are all laying on top of each other, shoved into this shelf. No cases, no stands, no protection, just laying one on top of the other. He takes off each instrument until he finally gets to the bottom of the pile where the clarinet is.(!) Bye this time, the owner with the english gets to me, and I ask if he has any new ones in the case. Yes, he has a few, but this is the "demo" model, so I could try that one. I guess all the instruments on the shelf were the demos! haha.

Sure enough, the clarinet has a reed on it (!) that is a little chipped, but I came prepared, and had my own to try out the instrument! I remove the "demo" reed and attach my own (without actually washing the mouthpiece, now, come to think of it, isn't that gross??? I've been here way to long if I actually think that is Ok. I guess I rationalized that it wouldn't be likely anyone had tried it recently and any germs would probably be dead, plus I could catch something just from the water even if I did wash it!!)

ANyways... I tried it, was ok, and asked the owner for one of the new case ones. So, while he's getting it for me, the original helper with little english asks me in Khmer if I want one, at least I think that's what he asked me, as I assumed he heard that the boss was getting me the new one. But what I think he really asked me was "do you want THIS one?" Because when I said yes, he took the clarinet from me, complete with the "demo" reed replaced, and started to put it into a small plastic bag. Just the clarinet in the plastic bag, like, no case, no paper wrapping, nothing. Just the whole instrument into the bag that only covered three quarters of the instrument! Was I on candid camera? WHen I objected, saying no, no, I'm getting a new one with a case (I used the Khmer word for new) he put the bag back, and, bless his heart, grabbed a larger, black bag, and put the clarinet in. By this time, I was laughing, the owner had arrived with my "cased" instrument, and he too chastised the clerk for trying to sell me the demo model in a plastic bag, and playfully smacked him upside the head. It was all so very amusing, although I'm still not sure the young fellow quite knew what he had done wrong. Sigh...

Such is life in Cambodia. Never a dull moment. My final comment, then to sleep. THe last performance of the night at the finale concert I spoke of, was an orchestra comprised of Cambodians, mostly the teachers of the youth orchestra, and some interntional performers. Clearly, the Cambodians were respected by given the first chairs for everything. Most of them were my age or older, so that meant that perhaps as children, they had had the opportunity to take lessons before they were smitten with the wretched war. I felt both joy and sadness at the completion of the performance (Which was very good!) as they all rose for their applause. Many did not smile, they just stood there with little expression. Maybe their hearts were broken with the same thoughts as mine: Millions of people in this country, and not even enough of a handful of expert musicians to complete their own orchestra! It was so sad, yet the hope is there, and the concert was definitely positive.

Well,that's all for now. Bless you and happy, safe, careful and CLEAN music making!
L
:)