The value of a photograph.

Yesterday, I had a huge concert for this ensemble that I auditioned for in November. Its the kind of thing where you have two long (6 hour) rehearsals, and then play a concert in a beautiful hall. Anyways, I always love these because I get to meet new friends, and see my old friends...etc. But i've done so much music and so many concerts that I almost don't appreciate every single one. Anyways, this year I noticed this one kid. I remember him singing in the hallway during our break in rehearsal, and I also saw him when we went out for pizza during our 4 hour break before the concert. While I was sitting at a table nibbling on the crust of my sister's cheese pizza, the boy walks in and starts dancing, all by himself, to the cheesy 80's music that they were playing. I never really thought to understand why this kid would sing and dance in these situations where it isn't typical to sing and dance. Oh and another thing about him. He would get up during rehearsal to take pictures. 

Right before we went on stage for the concert, I noticed a poster hanging on the wall. With pictures, of the orchestra, and I knew who had taken them. There was also a description of why he had taken the pictures. I don't recall exactly what it said, but he talked about how one of the conductors for this festival from previous years said that there would never ever be another moment like this concert. even if everyone came together, and played the same instrument in the same chair in 20 years, it would never be exactly the same because everyone would be in different points of their lives. Something to that extent. I was so touched. I went up to him to tell him about how great that simple little poster was and I almost cried. I yapped about it in the car the whole way home, with my parents rolling their eyes because I was talking way too much. Now I understand why that kid  was always dancing and singing. He was enjoying life; enjoying the current situation that he was placed in, with the current people that were placed in this situation. 

He also wrote that the reason that he took pictures was because they were a glimpse into this moment in all of our lives, a moment that we would never get back. That precious 1/16th of a second of a minute of an hour, of a day, of a week, of a month, of a year, of a decade, of a lifetime, that we would never get back. Yet in this picture, we were all together piecing together beautiful music, section by section.

During that concert, I did something radical. I didn't just play for my mom sitting in the balcony, trying to get a good shot of her 3rd chair daughter, or the audience who was scanning to see which musician is the best...I played for myself. And I enjoyed every moment of Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition, and I enjoyed every moment of Brahm's Hungarian Dance. I wanted to savor those moments, and never let them go. And even though its all over now, I know that for the rest of my life, I will never forget that kid's impact on me. He wasn't just some random kid dancing, and singing, and taking pictures, he was a source of inspiration to me when I needed it most. That is probably the best gift that anyone could have given me. 

My mom has this magnet on our fridge that says:

"The best way to pay for a lovely moment is to enjoy it"

-Richard Bach

So go out there and take some pictures. Make those memories last.

I sure will.

Love,

Fred