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Subject: +*+*+*+ Stephen's Secure Blog #254 "Road to the Third Concert" +*+*+*+
Date: Wed, 20 Nov 2013 17:58:40 -0500
From: " +Grant. " <+Grant@grant.grant>
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Stephen's Secure Blog #254
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, after the Winter holidays of year 7 of his
special school.
Stephen's Secure Blog #254 "Road to the Third Concert"
START Page
I met with Chad about the program for the next concert in Thailand. I
said "First, Srinoy sings the anthem. I don't know yet if the band or
the orchestra will be doing that. Srinoy will play the Grieg, but I
don't know where in the program yet. I don't know about a solo or
concerto for me yet. I would like Hawk and I to do the bumblebee duo.
For singing, I would like to end the concert with Impossible dream." He
said "I do like that last one. Apropos." I said, "There is something
else. I would like to conduct. That might not go over well with the
orchestra or the conductor." He said "That shouldn't be a problem. You
could tell them you would choose another orchestra if they didn't
agree. ANY one would practically die for the opportunity to play for
you." I said "One more thing to consider. I've written some symphonies.
I don't know if one, or if so, which one, should be in the program." He
said "So let me hear them." I said "Er, it might not be that simple.
The effect on the listener might be a little too much, to allow more
than one a day." He said "Oh? Then let me hear one, first, and we'll
see." I projected it, using my virtual instruments. It was in three
movements. 45 minutes later, Chad was frozen in shock. When he could,
he said, "Wow!" I said "I might be able to hear that."
He said "Nobody ever did anything like that before. I don't know how
you are ever going to get them to play it. You put melodies together
like other composers arrange notes. If you could ever get them to play
that, only you could conduct it. Too complicated for anybody else.
Next?" I played him another one. When he could speak, he said "A lot of
people are going to be annoyed with you, with parts of that playing in
their heads for months." I said "Maaaaybe." He laughed. I said "Maybe
the next one will fix that." He nodded. After he recovered from that
one, he said, "NOT for a live audience! At least not televised.
Inciting an orgy isn't going to do your reputation any good." I said
"In some circles, it might." He laughed. I said "So which one, if any,
for the concert?" He said "The second. But you still will have to
conduct it. Save the first one for a major orchestra in the States in
concert, and the third one for a studio recording." I said "I would
love to conduct the Grieg for Srinoy, because HE would love that a
lot." He said "Do it. The regular conductor can do your song, and take
the final bow."
I said "How's this? I conduct the band for Srinoy singing the
anthem. If the band doesn't want to do it, then the orchestra will.
Then Hawk and I play the bee. Then I conduct the orchestra doing the
Grieg for Srinoy. Intermission, probably for the PM to make me a
citizen. Rose, Hawk, and I, do the Saints. Then I conduct my symphony.
Then I sing Impossible Dream." He said "Sounds like a plan. Go for it!"
I said "I'll talk to the band and the orchestra, and get back to you."
The band said they wanted to do the anthem, even though it was the
only thing they would be playing in the concert. In fact, they were
very honored that I asked them. Then I brought Srinoy with me to meet
with the orchestra conductor. I told him the program, and he liked it,
even though he didn't know how my symphony would be. I said "I will
have to conduct my symphony. It's so complicated, you wouldn't have
time to learn it. And there is something else. I want to conduct the
Grieg, for Srinoy. He wants me to. I don't want to disappoint him." He
could see the love and pleading in the boy's eyes. I said "I realize
what it means for you, so I will provide a large personal bonus for you
in the financial agreement. I would not like to use another orchestra
for this. And you will have the final bow with the orchestra." He said
"I understand." He said to Srinoy, "I can't disappoint you. I don't
know who could." Srinoy hugged him with love. He looked surprised, and
said to me, "Your student?" Srinoy said, "Everybody is his student." He
said "I accept that. We have learned much from him."
I said "Chad will get back to you about scheduling the concert date
with the hotel. Srinoy has school and other things to do, so I would
like us to perfect the Grieg, and then the Impossible Dream, before we
go on to learn my symphony. And I have things to do about poking the
Chinese." He grinned and said, "I wouldn't want to stand in the way of
THAT!" Srinoy laughed. The conductor said, "We can work on the Grieg
right now, if you would like." I said "Alright, but one thing. And I
mean it, Srinoy. He does not play it more than once a day. If more
practice is needed for the others, I will play it." Srinoy was going to
argue, so I said, "But you need your hands for other things. Well, at
least one hand, or you'll never get to sleep." He had to laugh. It took
a few seconds for the conductor to get it, and then he laughed, too. I
said to the conductor, "You will announce the program to the orchestra,
and how we will do it." He said "Thank you."
We went to the practice room, and the musicians were really happy to
see me. The conductor made the announcements, and introduced Srinoy,
too. They bowed to him, which I thought was very nice. They got the
sheets, and set up to play. Srinoy tested the piano, and didn't like
it. I fixed it and tuned it, and he still didn't like it. I said in
English, "What's the matter, you're spoiled?" He nodded. I announced,
"Srinoy needs a different piano. I'm going to provide one of mine. How
I do that will be a little different." Srinoy laughed. I said "You know
I can move from one place to another, instantly?" They nodded. I said
"Well, I can do that to objects, too. So please don't be too surprised
when I do that now." We moved the piano out of the way, and I made and
ported one in to where the other one was. Srinoy tested it, and I
adjusted it, and he tested it again, and have me a thumbs up sign, and
a big smile.
I said to all, raising my baton, "When you are ready!" When they
were, we began. They were better than I had expected, and Srinoy was
magnificent, naturally. I said to the orchestra, "What do you think of
him? Good?" They yelled he was much better than that. I said "So, we
have a lot of work ahead to equal his ability. Can we do it?" They said
yes. I said "Do you want to disappoint him in his debut?" They said a
loud no. I said "So we WILL be great, just like he is!" I cupped my
ear, and they said a very loud "YES!" I said to Srinoy, "I think they
mean it." He stood and bowed to them. I said to the orchestra, "I can't
conductor took the podium, and we played it through again. And then the
first movement two more times. I said "That's all for today, for Srinoy
and I. I have to get him back to where he's supposed to be."
We went to the office with the conductor. I said "Three more days of
practice on that, should take them as far as they can go." He nodded,
and said, "I will take them through some of the selections when you are
not here." I said "Good. Here are the sheets for the song, and this is
the symphony. I'll tell Chad we will need at least a month of
practice." He said "I agree. Your work is going to be very difficult,
but that is expected." I said "This is the easiest of the three I've
composed." He said "Oh. Er, thank you." We all laughed. I said "We will
be using that piano at the concert. I'll move it. After, would you like
to keep it?" He was surprised, and said, "Did you make it yourself? I
remember you saying you make all your instruments." I said "Yes. Want
it?" He said "I don't know what to say. Yes, of course! But it's
priceless!" Srinoy was nodding his head almost off his shoulders. I
said "It is what it is. A good piano. Now we go. See you tomorrow." We
ported away.
Back at Sera, he had to tell Rhamcha and Eli about needing the hand,
and they laughed. Then we discussed my meetings with the Chinese
president and the State Department. Then Rhamcha said, "I've been
thinking about what you said about what of the things you have made,
that we at Sera should have. I can't think of anything. That we have
all of you, is the best gift possible. All those other things, we don't
really need here. I know that if you see a need, you will tell us. And
I would like to think that serious students will chose us for who we
are, and not what we don't have that we don't need." We looked at him
with a lot of respect. He became embarrassed. That made us grin, and
then he had to grin, too. He said "Was it a test?" I said, "Not
intentionally, but then, all of life is always testing us." Srinoy said
They laughed.
I said "I just had an idea." They all looked at me very expectantly.
I had to laugh. They caught on, and laughed with me. I said "It may be
true that Sera doesn't need anything built. But what about leading to
Sera?" Rhamcha said excitedly, "A road!" Eli said, "If I know him, it
won't be just a road." Srinoy said "Absolutely!" I said "But what kind
of road?" Rhamcha said "Like that square." I said "We do not want
people walking on the road with their heads down, trying to read text,
and banging into each other. But it could have some of the same
features. Self cleaning, protection, heat, and some lighting. There
would be some bridges, and some steps. Colors. Yellow, with red edges?
And light posts with globes on top, along the sides. How is that so
far?" Rhamcha said, in awe, "The artist at work! I can have no
complaints." I said "Now for the special feature. Something I have not
done before. People who walk the road, will hear, faintly, your people
chanting, and some reading of parts of important texts, in their native
language. I don't know if I can do the language part yet. Materials
would be different gems, but not so you could see completely through
them. Rails on stairs and bridges would be of silver and gold, spiral
carved, and give you peace and love when you touch them. What do you
think? Any suggestions?" Srinoy said, "I was thinking of animal sounds
with each step." We laughed, and I said, "No." We hugged. With no other
suggestions, I said, "The road will glow a little from within, which
will make the swirls of different shades of yellow in the road look
very pretty at night. So, any complaints?" There were none.
I said "Eli and Srinoy, please check if the native language part
works." They knew what that meant, and all ran outside. After I walked
out to join them, I found them still staring at the line of the road
down the hills to the city. Even in the daytime, it looked beautiful.
We stepped onto the road, and they reported that the native language
feature worked. Then they noticed it wasn't just the road which felt
warm, but the air above it, too. I said "Well, who wants to have frozen
visitors? Oh, and I provided that for all of Sera. I don't want frozen
Monks, either, if that's alright with you." Rhamcha said "I didn't
think of that. I would have asked for that if I had. For all of Sera, I
thank you more than I can say." I said "The artist makes for himself.
That others might like what he does, is just something extra. I like it
a lot. Interesting what the Chinese will think of it." Eli said "Very!"
END Page
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Grant
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