2 days of rehearsals...

So I flew to NYC on Thursday, met up with most of the ensemble and we were bussed to Lenox, MA, home of Tanglewood, where we have been rehearsing and will perform tomorrow night. There is so much to write I don't know where to start. I was thinking though, if I had to describe my experience thus far in one word, it would be: uplifting.

When I got off the plane and started meeting the members of the Silk Road "team" and the members of the ensemble, I was amazed at how nice everyone is. But more than nice, down to earth. I have felt incredibly welcomed into this musical family of sorts who have been playing together for ten years, and it is an amazing feeling. The musicianship is astounding - so much heart and freedom. I've been jamming a bit with Yang Wei, the Pipa player for the tour. He is an amazing musician and something of a jokester too. We worked out the first couple phrases of Dowland's Flow My Tears with him covering the vocal line on Pipa, which sounds remarkably good.

On the first day of rehearsals, I arrived at the barn (literally) that we have been rehearsing in to watch Yo-Yo Ma rehearsing with a smaller version of the ensemble - an absolute treat. When they finished, I went to go introduce myself to Yo-Yo, my heart beating somewhat harder than usual in my chest, and I was taken aback when he greeted me like an old friend. He gave me a hug, and rather than ask the usual courtesy questions related to travel, etc, he immediately started joking around with me. He told me "I heard they've been hazing you all the way from New York. You probably had long hair when you got on the bus and they shaved it off. Well, watch out for your eyebrows, they'll be going for that next. You can put saran wrap over them to protect yourself." He then told me that if I needed any saran wrap, I could come to him and he would hook it up.

He is often joking around about something, but the main thing that strikes me about this man is his kindness. I don't know if I've met a kinder person in my life. He is so warm and very supportive of everyone in the group, and totally genuine.

The rehearsals, while fun, have not been completely without challenge, however. We were rehearsing the piece I am playing in the second half, Ambush From Ten Sides, and in a couple of parts where the guitar holds down a groove with bluesy/rock style strumming, I wasn't playing it with quite the right feel. I was pushing a bit, somewhat ahead of the beat, and accenting the wrong parts of the measure. Yo-Yo and Wu Tong (one of the arrangers) both began explaining to me how it should go, but it seemed like everything I tried wasn't quite right. I'll admit that grooving in the pocket isn't my strong point as a musician, but this was a little overwhelming, though I think I managed to keep a happy rehearsal face on. I knew I would be up half the night working on the passages in question (and I nearly was). I think I understand it better now. They both seemed to like it more today, but I am going to put in some more serious work tonight. Because hello, tomorrow night I have to perform this music!! We've had just one rehearsal so far for the other piece I will be playing, Wine Madness, and I started playing it in a different tuning last night, which works better, but is still a different tuning than I've been practicing all summer!

The thing about working with and learning from Yo-Yo Ma is that he is not a strict and intimidating figure. And with his ability and status in the music world, he totally could be. Instead, he is down to earth, and motivates through encouragement. I never feel like I am playing with an authority figure - he makes it feel more like I'm playing with a friend. One might think that this could foster a lack of serious effort, in that he is always very kind in how he gives advice and rehearses, but I don't think this is so. I (amazingly) don't feel any added pressure working with him, and he is very encouraging when things improve or when he likes something. But I know that this isn't because it can't be better. Instead, it makes me want to give more, to reach the next level in my knowledge of the piece we are working on, rather than stay on a plateau with it.