Having had a couple of days to reflect on my performances at the Hevelone Performing Arts Center at the Beatrice High School, I’ve come to the following conclusion:  10th-12th graders are a challenging audience with whom to connect but there is still hope for the future of classical music.  After my performance for band members and other interested parties, I invited students to come up and take a closer look at the piano.

What it's all about

I was approached by a young man who started asking me questions.  I was immediately impressed with his ability to articulate his thoughts.  I was also impressed with his awareness of the world around him.  I think this young man’s future is bright and I know now that there will be at least one supporter of the arts in the future!

My evening performance at the Hevelone Center was well-attended, mostly by community members.   They were an enthusiastic crowd, perhaps because the first entry on their iPod wasn’t NineInchNails?  Following the performance, I spoke with several people, all of whom were musicians.  I was honored that they shared their personal stories with me–one of the many reasons public performance is so important to me.

Havin' fun

I get to meet interesting people from all walks of life whose experiences are fascinating and even touching.  Kind of like a “small eye on America”!

This “Piano-in-Tow” double presentation received a nice write-up in the Beatrice Daily Sun.

And finally, in Penny’s and my never-ending quest for a good cup of Joe, we discovered a nice coffee shop near downtown Beatrice!

It it’s Monday, it will be Columbus Middle School in Columbus, Nebraska.