Stephen's Secure Blog #216
These stories about Stephen began was when he was 10 years old, and
moving to a new part of the country to attend a special school for
gifted students, in the 1950's. This was from a time before computers
would fit on a desk, and when people communicated with friends in other
countries by actual letters sent through the postal service. He wrote
225 of them to a friend. He stopped writing to his penpal, but found he
still wanted to record his life, in case he lost his memory again, and
wrote 30 entries in his first logbook. Then he wrote to an artificial
intelligence called Geenee, in the master computer in his school for
gifted students, which he started attending in 2016. Now it's after
2018, and he's continuing to save his memories in a secure blog.
All characters are fictitious, even if some of them might have names
that belong to some actual people, or act like people we know.
The stories may not be posted in chronological order.
Stephen is 16 in this story, in the Summer after year 6 of his special
school.
Stephen's Secure Blog #216 "Musical Rehearsals"
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I ported to the museum in Thailand, and went to the office. The
director and I, and our instruments, ported to near the music hall
where the orchestra was, for a rehearsal. We went inside. At the door,
I asked were to go, even though I already knew, and we were escorted to
the office, and introduced to the conductor. After some polite things,
I gave him the schedule. He said "This is a strenuous program, and on
two instruments. Are you sure you can handle it?" I said "Yes. But your
comment needs to be totally resolved. I can do what I say I can do. I
never lie. This is MY show, and I will rule as much of it as I wish. If
you don't comply in everything to the best of your ability, I will find
another orchestra that will, even if I have to go to another country.
This will be an historic performance, and I may not do another. Why
historic? At the end, I will broadcast my love again. Yes, that was me.
It was centered in Thailand, too. Do you want the next one to be as
well? Then don't doubt me. Are we clear on all that?" He bowed deeply
to me, and said, "Yes, Master!" I said to the director, before he was
about to comment, "Yes, I was more er, insistent than usual. I knew you
were going to ask about that. For why, well, how well do you know
conductors?" At that, the conductor burst out laughing. I said "I see
HE knows."
In the auditorium, I asked the conductor about the choice of
concertos. He said "Can we try a selection of each, to see how well we
work together?" I said to the director in a loud whisper, "He passed
that test." They both grinned. I said to the director, "Are you willing
to play your selection in front of them, for some respect gaining?" He
said "If you think we should, yes." I said to the conductor, "That's
what we will do first. Then another test of me, for the group." I went
to the piano, while the director was assembling his flute. I tested the
tune. I said "When was the last time this instrument was tuned?" He
said "Three weeks ago." I poked a key and said, "Does this sound right
to you?" He said "I'm not sure." I said "How about now?" He said
"That's better. How did you do that?" I said "I can do a lot of unusual
things. If you keep asking about them, we won't get anything done.
Don't ask again." The director and I played the Hora Staccato. I said
"That was better than before, and in front of more people. We are going
to have a great show. Conductor, how do you rate that ametuer
performance?" He said "Middle professional level. He would be welcome
in my orchestra if his ability in that extended to all he plays."
I said "Thank you." Because the director wasn't able to say anything
at that time. Then I said "Now a test for me. I will play any solo
instrument here you choose, if its owner agrees to let me of his own
free will. Please make it something I can really work on. Not the
flute. I don't want comparisons." He said "I was just going to choose
that." I nodded. He said "Trumpet." A player came forward and
volunteered. I said to him, "What would you like to hear on it?" He
said "Danish March." I grinned and said, "Good one. I'll do a warmup
first." That warmup really got their attention. Then I played the it.
It works better with accompaniment, but I still showed them I could
play it well. I said to the conductor, "I can play as well on any
instrument. And conduct as well, too. Satisfied I'm good enough?" He
said "That was the best I have ever heard that instrument played." The
director said with a big grin, "Until he plays it again." I laughed.
Then we played the first half of the first movement of the Grieg. I
said after that, to the conductor, "Not good enough." I moved to his
post and said, after calling out the names of the musicians, "Please
tune your instruments more carefully." They looked at the conductor,
who said, "Follow all his orders." Some had trouble rising to my
standards, and I went and tuned their instruments for them. All but one
agreed the result was better. That one couldn't hear any difference. I
saw the conductor note that. Then we played it again, with a noticeable
improvement, which I announced. Then we did the Tchaikovsky. It was
better. They obviously had more practice on that. The conductor and I
nodded. We would play that one in the show. I had already given them
a disorganized mess. The conductor was red with embarrassment. We went
over it in small parts, and then ran through it two more times. It was
better. Not good enough, but getting there, which I told them. Then
they took a break, and I played some things on the violin while I
waited.
They were very impressed. Then totally astounded when I played the
Wabash Cannonball and Orange Blossom Special, in fancy fast country
fiddle style. The conductor, who was examining the director's flute at
the time, looked up in amazement. Then he came to me and said, half
jokingly, "In how many lifetimes have you studied music, to become so
accomplished?" I grinned and said, "Are you sure you want to know?" He
looked confused, and then surprised, and then awed. He whispered "Yes,
Master." I said "In all my 74,000 years of remembered lives, I did not
make a serious study of musical performance until this one, even though
I did occasionally make some instruments." The director announced "He
made my flute, and his violin." The conductor was speechless.
Then we played the Carman Fantasy. The orchestra was very good, and I
told them that, which had more meaning for them then, than it had
before, because of their higher respect for me. I said "Should the
orchestra hear my Liszt piece which is in the program?" He said "It is
not necessary for their performance, but it would be better they do not
have surprises, considering they will play right after that." I said
"Alright, I'll play it." I did. They all applauded loudly. After that,
I loudly whispered to the director, so the conductor could hear, "Maybe
I shouldn't tell them that was just the third time I played it." He was
surprised again. Then he joked, saying, "And the the Danish was your
first?" I said "Did you think you were joking? It was." He was
flabbergasted. I said "If you're going to keep reacting like that,
maybe I shouldn't tell you more unusual truths." He recovered, and
said, "My doctor would agree, but don't listen to him." I said
"Alright, that was the third time I ever played the trumpet, and the
first time on a trumpet I didn't make." He had to sit down. The
director said to him, "Do you know about the shield in my museum? Its
maker's name is Stephen. Yes, this one."
what we did. Still not acceptable, but better. I said "How many
rehearsals do we get?" He said "Three more, at the most." I said "I
think we can do it in two more." He said "I hope so. I don't know what
our country has done to deserve your love, but I intend to make this
performance the best possible for you, the orchestra, and all of us!"
The members of the orchestra stood and applauded in agreement. I bowed.
Then I said, "They will demand an encore. It will be something I played
at the Siam hotel, which got me noticed." I played my Scheherazade
violin solo, with all my heart. There were some not so dry eyes after
that. I said to the conductor, "Please tell the promoter about the
finalized program. Grieg is out. And I will not speak with reporters."
He nodded agreement. I said "We'll be here for the next rehearsal. I
suggest you keep what we do here a secret. If word gets out that I'm
here and doing this, with the other things I'm doing, and with what
some people know of who I am, there will be a lot of trouble with
public er, over-interest." He said "I think I understand. Is it because
you dress like that Buddhist Saint who is doing impossible things?" I
looked at the manager, and nodded, and he said to the conductor, "There
is only one who is dressed like Stephen. Stephen." The conductor's
mouth dropped open. I said to the director, "He should close that,
before somebody puts a clarinet in it, and he starts honking like a
goose." The director laughed his head almost clean off his shoulders.
I went to the conductor, and hugged him with all my love. I helped
him to sit down. He whispered, "You ARE he!" I said "I sure am. A
musician named Stephen, for YOU and the orchestra. And a friend. That's
all, right?" He nodded. I said "Good. If it becomes anything more, we
probably won't be able to put on the performance." He sat up straighter
and said, "Right! I should tell the hotel to hire a lot of security!" I
said "Good idea. We'll see you soon. Thank you, and farewell."
The next day at the rehearsal, things were different. There were
guards at the door, outside. I decided to port us to inside the
building. We walked to the office, and there was the conductor. He
stood, and we bowed. He said "Did you see the guards outside?" I said
"We did, but they didn't see us." He said, "So the stories are true?" I
said "I don't know what stories you mean, because I haven't heard any,
and they are not important to us right now, are they?" He said "Yes,
just music." I said, "Well, and a few jokes." He smiled. We went to the
music room. They all stood and bowed, and we bowed in return. I said "I
improved, which I told them. Then we did the piano concerto. I said
"Unless you think so, I think we are set on that one." He said "Given
the time we have, I agree."
I said "They can have a break, while my friend and I practice the
Hora." He agreed, and the director and I ran through that twice. Then
we did the Carmen. I said "I like that!" That made them very happy.
took the podium. I said "Who here has some martial art experience?" Two
said they had, both with kickboxing. I said "Do you fight better all
tensed up, or relaxed?" They said "Relaxed." I said "Right. I teach
you are tense and trying too hard. So, let's try it in a different way.
Who here doesn't like the basic song?" No hands. I said "I like it, so
that means you have good taste, right?" Some laughed. I cupped my ear,
and they said "Yes!" I said "Why don't we play it just for enjoyment,
then, just for fun this time." I went back to the piano, and we played
it, and it was terrific! I said "I don't have to tell you that was
terrific. You already know it. Still, I have to say, I LOVED IT! Want
to play it again?" They did, and we did. I said "I don't know how you
did it, but that was even better. I love you!" They knew I did, because
I couldn't help letting them feel that.
The director said to them, "Please keep that to yourselves until
after the performance, or we might not be able to have one. Agreed?"
They did. I didn't expect that to hold. I played my Scheherazade solo,
and while they were deep into it, I planted a strong suggestion in
their minds to keep my being that Saint with the love broadcast,
secret. That was all I could do, ethically. Just that much, because
they would benefit from agreeing with it.
The next and last rehearsal was an undress rehearsal. We did it just
like we would do it in the real performance. It went very well. I said
"That, and you, are world class. We are going to put on a performance
the whole world will love. Thank you very much!" I said privately to
the conductor, in his office, "You have done a great job." He said "No,
Master, I have to disagree. I am only a second rate conductor of a
second rate orchestra. YOU have done a great job in raising us above
ourselves." Rose walked into the room, and said, "You are correct.
Stephen does that to everybody he works with. He really is The Master
Teacher." I said "Meet, Rose. It is she who I think of when I play my
Scheherazade solo." They both said a knowing "Ah." I said "Right. Now
I'll show you there might be some truth in the stories. See you at the
hotel. Farewell." I ported us to the museum, with the silvery effect.
I said to the director, "Have you told your wife yet?" He grinned and
said, "No, not yet." I said "You might want to do that before she
suspects you are seeing another woman." He said "Not if you come home
with me tonight." I said "That would be unfair to her, unannounced." He
grinned and said, "It wouldn't be. I told her it might happen." Rose
winked. I thought she must have been snooping, or maybe even set it up.
We went, and had a good time. His wife is nice.
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Grant
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