Dr. N.A.N.’s Blog
News, views, and how the world skews from Lincoln, NebraskaArchive for Piano in Tow
Margaritaville
Ahhhhhh, back in the land of warmth and margaritas. I love coming home. For me, home is peaceful and warm–year round. Home means really fresh tortillas, balmy temperatures, the world’s best salsa and the reassuring sound of my parents’ old clocks.
On this visit, I am really busy. I am meeting with music students at the University of Texas at Austin to share with them my “Piano-in-Tow” experiences, giving an evening performance with Daniel Bernard Roumain for the 180 Group as well as a mid-day presentation at Sul Ross Middle School. All of this activity will probably interfere with my visit to my favorite nursery–Hill Country African Violets. HCAV has one of the biggest selections of African Violets that I have ever seen. They have dedicated a very large greenhouse entirely to violets. And, then of course, there are the rooms in another building where the proprietor propagates new plants…I will also miss the opportunity to visit the gravesite of a former colleague of my father’s. Many years ago, we started a tradition of visiting this gentleman’s grave whenever I am in San Antonio. Part of the tradition is to drive the old green Mercedes out to a cemetery just east of Boerne, TX. 
Better than ketchup
I have promised several Nebraska friends that I will bring back jars of La Fogata’s Roasted Salsa. As far as we are concerned, it is the best salsa available! My mouth is watering just thinking about it…
Spaghettification and other buckyball-like discoveries
My stalwart road manager having a moment...
When I submitted my application for the Layman Fund Grant, I included in my project description a list of benefits that could come of “Piano-in-Tow”. This list included blogging, media coverage and the possibility of an interview with a stray dog. Well, I didn’t meet any stray dogs during the tour but I did meet some wonderful folk that I would like to mention. The first person is Heath.
Heath and Penny hawking “Piano-in-Tow” memorabilia
He was the muscle behind Dietz’s Music House piano moving services. A little background–Heath is a musician by trade who loves cats, physics, books and is currently building a car in his living room. Heath provided a great deal of comic relief throughout the tour including teaching us about spaghettification. Who would have thunk?
Then there was Paul H. and his wife Lori and their children–they were the main organizers of my presentations in both Petersburg and Albion and all of them contributed to a very well-organized event. I will not forget their hospitality nor their enthusiastic commitment to the arts!
And then there is Janet R.
Janet and me
who has been studying with me for over 10 years, driving the 100+ miles from Albion to Lincoln once-a-month. She met us at Boone Central Middle School in Petersburg (12 miles north of Albion) to attend “PiT” and introduced me to the students. Her introduction included little-known facts about me such as my love for cats, cycling and reading! Janet’s words meant a great deal to me.
This is what it's all about.
Last but not least there were the kids. Wow!
Students at Columbus Middle School
So many of them enthusiastic about the piano, the music and me. Two questions they asked at every stop (and sometimes more than once at each stop!) were–”How many hours a day do you practice?” And, the ubiquitous question, “How old are you?” I narrowly skirted this last one…
More students at Columbus Middle School
Finally back home where the follow-up details never seem to end. And, then of course, there is the spring “Piano-in-Tow” tour to start planning. Sigh.
One of my best moments...
If it’s Wednesday, this must be Beatrice
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.
Do you have any extra energy I can borrow?
Boy, am I’m pooped. First, Rafaella insisted on waking me up at 6a.m. because she wanted to crawl under the sheets and she always asks by repeatedly tapping me with her paw. I eventually got out of bed because I knew sleep wouldn’t be forthcoming until tonight…
A piano needs at least 3 legs to remain upright...
Fast forward to 10a.m. and Penny and I are standing outside of my studio watching the piano movers making quick business out of disassembling my Yamaha in preparation for its trip to Schuyler, Nebraska. It took some time to convince the movers that the piano had to go on the elevator without a piano board because it won’t fit any other way. We’re finally on the road around 11:15. We arrive at Schuyler Grade School just as lunch is being served. (They didn’t offer us any…)
Ready to go...
Fast forward to 1:30pm and the piano is upright in the school gymnasium, the speakers are setup, the risers are in place and I’m just waiting for the first bunch of kids to arrive.
Hi! My name is Dr NAN.
They start to show up at 2pm and I start engaging them in conversation, hoping to make a connection with some of them so that they will stay focused on my presentation. (I think I was somewhat successful!) My presentation begins and they are active participants, clapping after every piece as well as asking lots of questions. The microphone that I was given chose to work only intermittently so Penny kept handing me a different one until we found one that worked.
Playing the piano is the easy part...
At one point during the show, a little girl asked me why I tapped my foot during Jam! I explained that I thought the empty measure needed something. Somehow, the kids took that to mean they could all bang their feet on the risers so we had about 70 kids tapping their feet at the same time. Mix that in a gymnasium and you can only imagine the noise. After the show, I invited students to come look at the piano and they literally descended on the instrument and me. They were poking around, playing notes, looking inside and causing general mayhem. This moment might have bothered their teachers but I loved it. I felt like the Pied Piper. It was great to be surrounded by so much positive energy. As the children were filing out, we handed each one of them a “PiT” temporary tattoo. The tattoos will probably end up everywhere but on their arms…
Before I realized it, the gym was empty, the piano was already on the truck and it was just me and Penny, reliving the past hour.
Me and my wonderful road manager
I offered to find some good coffee for P but we couldn’t find anything resembling a coffee house so had to settle for a convenience store. We got back on the road and drove through a torrential downpour to Lincoln. As soon as I got home, I took a nap. Whew–keeping up with 6th graders isn’t easy!
On the eve
If my watch is correct, 19 hours from now I will be in the middle of my first presentation of “Piano-in-Tow“. I have been preparing for these two weeks for the past 6 months. I can’t believe it’s almost here. The car is packed, the movers are scheduled, the “Piano-in-Tow” t-shirts are folded, my notes are printed and hopefully, my fingers are ready to move. Now all I have to do is get there. Thankfully, Penny will be by my side the entire time. As I have mentioned in this column before, Penny is my steadfast friend and road manager!
As part of the continuing promotion of “PiT”, William Stibor (NET-Radio, host of Friday Live) interviewed me on Friday. As always, he made me laugh and hopefully, I convinced a few more folks on the importance of “Piano-in-Tow”. I have another interview on KFOR-1240 (a local AM station ) next Thursday morning. I’ve been told they have an electric piano in the studio so I might share with their listeners my rendition of “Turkey in the Straw”. (That is if the keyboard
What were you saying about me????
has enough notes on it!)
I would like to give special thanks to another person who has been instrumental in my successful promotion of “PiT”. His name is Mike and he is on the staff at the School of Music. He was the cameraperson for the attached photos. (When Mike isn’t hard at work for the school, he can be found drawing cartoons, cariactures and various other funny things…)
I’ll be checking in on this blogsite tomorrow after my first go. Stay tuned for some memorable experiences!
Tow it and they will come
Another "PiT" convert
I don’t remember what 8 hours of sleep feels like anymore. ”Why?” you ask? It’s called “Piano-in-Tow“. I have spent more time on the phone, writing emails, practicing, making lists and whatever else I can think of in preparation for “PiT”. In10 days, 1hour, 57 minutes and 1 second Penny (my trusted adviser, road manager and confidante) and I will hit the road. First stop, Schuyler, NE where a group of 6th graders will be anticipating my arrival with a large grand piano.
Penny and I spent some time today decorating the backside of cardboard that will support my music–a couple of girls with magic markers, a box cutter, several feline assistants and lots of coffee. A potentially very scary scene.
Then there is my father who comes into my parents’ kitchen yesterday sporting a “Piano-in-Tow” t-shirt. May I say adorable?
I am going to play a run-through for a handful of piano students at UNL next Thursday. It will be much easier to keep their attention than a roomful of teenagers…
I finally cleaned the grime off of the Yamaha’s keys today. At least 10 years’ worth of it…
So, everyone, keep your fingers crossed that I don’t break a piano string between here and Petersburg, NE…
Penny and Rafaella working together on "PiT"
“Piano-in-Tow” update
I’m almost reluctant to mention it but I think the details for “P-i-T” are finally coming together. The reason that I’m reluctant to even write about it is that I have learned from experience that nothing is 100% reliable and the moment that I think it is, BOOM!, everything falls apart. So, with some fear and trepidation, I give you a “P-i-T” update. My first tour will include several towns in almost-central Nebraska and in Beatrice, Nebraska which is south of Lincoln. I will visit with 6th grade music students in Schuyler on October 14 and high school band students on the 15th in Beatrice. I will also give a more formal performance for Beatrice parents and community members in the evening. The following week, I will be in Albion and Columbus for both school and evening presentations. I felt a twinge of excitement when the temporary tattoos I had ordered showed up on my doorstep yesterday. Can you imagine 100 kids running around with “P-i-T” stickers on their faces, arms, ankles (and goodness knows where else…)? Parents will really appreciate me for that. “Piano-in-Tow” t-shirts should be available soon. Let me know if you would like to purchase one–they will be VERY reasonably priced!
One other note, I had a productive meeting with an enthusiastic producer from Nebraska Educational Television the other day. I am hopeful that she will be able to supply me with a video camera and tripod so that I may create video blogs from the road. Now wouldn’t that be funny. Your nightly update on Dr. NAN’s excellent adventure…
A Best Friend
Most all of us have had at least one best friend. I know I certainly have had several . But, there is only one friend I have had through the years that has seen me through more life experiences (and stood by me through those experiences) than any other person. Her name is Penny. I first met Penny when I joined a local health club because I was in desperate need of exercise and knew the only way I was going to get it was to pay for it. (Guilt can be a tremendous motivator.) I naively signed up for Penny’s spinning class thinking to myself, “How hard can it be to ride a stationary bike?” Whoa. Little did I know how challenging spinning could be and then to add Penny to the mix only magnified the difficulty by 10x. Although that first class was very humbling, I knew I wanted more. So, I signed up for Penny’s classes as often as I could, knowing that Penny’s way was the only way. It wasn’t long after I started spinning that I approached her about riding outside. She kindly agreed and our first ride was a 24 mile trek on crushed limestone from Lincoln to Eagle. (For those of you familiar with the extensive trail system in Lincoln, NE, we rode the MoPac trail.)
Standard issue: double latte in a "to-go" cup
Fast forward ten years later and thousands of cycling miles behind us, Penny and I are still riding, laughing, drinking coffee and yakking it up. Sometimes, Penny can make me laugh so hard that I cry. Frequently, in the late evening, I’ll find her logged on and we’ll start iming about the day’s activities. It is almost inevitable that our “conversation” will digress and Penny will have me howling. It is for this reason that I have asked Penny to be my road manager for “Piano-in-Tow“. I know she would be fantastic at engaging the students and keeping me in line. Now all I have to do is convince her to say yes!
P.S. I have also been pestering Penny to write a guest post for this blog. So, stay tuned…
Hear Ye, Hear Ye
Hello to all of you interested in my Jean Francaix antics!
This Friday, August 22, during the 9am hour, I will “sit” for an interview with Bill Stibor, host of the very popular radio program, “Friday Live” on NET Radio. Bill’s vast knowledge about classical music and his ability to ask insightful questions should make this a very interesting experience. I hope you can join us!
“Friday Live” can be heard at: netNebraska.org/radio
Finally, a day that makes all this hard work worthwhile…
I was beginning to wonder…When I applied for a Layman Fund Grant ($10,000) to initiate my Piano in Tow project, I figured I would hear the results mid-March. Well, mid-March came and went so I was really starting to worry. (I imagined that they contacted the “winners” first and then sent the losers a snail-mail letter. So, I have been approaching my school mailbox with fear and trepidation–knowing full well that any day, I would read that my project wasn’t worthy of funding…)
This morning, when I was checking my email, I found a note from the Vice Chancellor of Research. I was convinced that funding for P-i-T was not going to happen, especially when the first paragraph of this email was all about how the committee comes to their decision–I’m thinking, “Ok, let’s get this over with.” I keep reading and a little further down there are the words “pleased” and $10,000. I read no further. Time to get on the phone and tell the world!!
Many thanks to my parents and Mr. Ben for all of their help in putting together what must have been a convincing proposal!!!
