Weekend of Reminiscences

Well, this weekend took me back a couple of decades to my musical youth. On Saturday we attended a Memorial Mass for Tim Prior, one of my mom's students from when I was a kid. Tim became a fixture in our house for quite a while, mom would have chamber-pots (chamber music potlucks!) where a bunch of friends would come hang out and play quartets and stuff. People would linger (Tim among them) for hours, playing with the Ouija board, or honing their psychic abilities on old instruments, etc...it was the 70s you know. Tim was also concertmaster for some years of the then newly formed Cascade Youth Symphony, which I played in from age 9 - 18. Tim was in love with his viola and would play any job he was able to. I hadn't seen him in years until my sister's wedding, but kept up to date through mom. When I did see him again, it was like no time had passed.
I will never ever forget his laugh.
Then today, I had the pleasure of seeing my friend John perform a piano recital - all French composers from the Romantic period - Faure`, Satie, Debussy. It was a beautiful program, and his performance was flawless. I remember the first time I ever saw him play (in junior high) , I got a little crush on him because he was so talented!
Tim's memorial was full of gorgeous music too. He'd chosen his favorite pieces since he knew the end was near, and a group of at least 12 violists turned out to play a movement from the Faure` Requiem.