I guess I’ll play, but I’m realizing I have a rather boring life because others sure list amazing (as in odd, frightening, or unbelievable) stuff. But there’s a game going around where people list things they’ve done that they believe no one else has done. What I’m realizing is that much of my list is more like “what I’ve witnessed” more than what I’ve done. But I guess I should be glad I’ve not actually died at a show or concert.

I started my list after reading Drew’s list. Drew put his list up after reading Terry Teachout’s list. Terry played because of
EveTushnet.com’s list. And a lot more people are playing too. (I did a search and, boy oh boy, I wouldn’t confess to some of the things people so freely post for the world to see!

So here we go …

Ten Things I’ve Done That You Probably Haven’t (mostly music related, too!):

1) Looked up the word “gullible” because my dear mom told me it wasn’t in the dictionary.

2) Had an endometrial biopsy and a rubella vaccine only to find out a few days later that I was pregnant with our first child. (The doctor missed “scraping the baby out” – her words – and we were in a study for the CDC to see if the vaccine transferred to the baby – it didn’t.)

3) Forgot my English horn reeds for a concert but only realized it during the intermission because I was enjoying the first half of the concert from the audience, so I made a reed during said intermission so I could perform on the second half.

4) While driving to a show got into an auto accident (a car ran a red light in front of me). My car was totaled. But, being a good musician, the first thing I did was say “Someone has to get this music to the hall immediately!” (They all thought I was suffering from shock, I think.) Got to the hall during intermission and attempted to play the second half on a now messed up oboe.

5) Played in an arena for a popular touring tenor. When his conductor came out he proceeded to trip and fall nearly face down in front of more people than you can imagine. The entire audience gasped in a magnificent unison.

6) Had a performance where the hall’s power went out, so Richard Stoltzman went out in the near dark (emergency lights were on) and played an unaccompanied work for the audience. (I think it was Stravinksy — it’s been a while!)

7) Watched as an opera chorus member slid off stage (due to his slippery shoes), fell into the pit, and, while missing the trombonist, managed to land on his trombone which was rendered unplayable. (Chorus member was fine.)

8) Watched as one of the “Russian Dancers” from Nutcracker did one too many flips and fell into the pit (sort of landing on a cellist’s shoulders).

9) Played a (very popular) musical after it was delayed by 45 minutes because an audience member had some sort of collapse … later we were told that he had actually died.

10) Played a symphony concert and didn’t stop but heard later that an audience member in the balcony had died. While we were playing.
—–