Friday 9 January 2004

New York City

photo L-R: Paul, Chris, me very jet-lagged, Jamie after disastrous haircut

An uneventful flight here yesterday (also lacking in sleep unfortunately). When I was changing flights at Heathrow, Katherine was in another terminal waiting to fly to Los Angeles - we nearly managed to meet. At this end, I did as the song says and took the A train through Brooklyn from JFK, and I emerged into the invigorating cold near Jody and Chris's apartment in Greenwich Village. Chris and I had time to play each other bits of our respective unreleased CDs, and we hatched a plan to record the Barsanti flute sonatas with Alison, then we all had dinner with Jamie and headed over here to Paul and Barbara Krieger's place  to rehearse. We ended the evening with Paul joining us in some Philidor. 
 

There's something invigorating about staying 50 floors up in Manhattan, especially when you have a rooftop balcony that allows you views in 3 directions. Despite the fact that it's about -9ºC during the day, I found it irresistible to go out there this morning and just drink in the sight of the world's greatest city going about its business. Mobile phone reception is a bit erratic this high up though.

I was the first to get to Merkin Concert Hall, so I used the time for some valuable practice, and then gradually everyone else (apart from Andy, who's not here yet) showed up and we worked on the stage layout and the transitions from one number to the next. As usual, I don't really know what instruments or notes I'm going to be playing yet, but I've stopped worrying about such things: onstage panic is just a symptom of playing in the CNE - or is it just me? After a seriously substantial meal (I'd forgotten how well and cheaply you can eat on the street in NYC: it's one of the things I like most about the place) Chris Jamie and I headed to the Met Museum for our trio concert there, playing for a private gathering of museum patrons, a well-educated audience who got Chris's jokes about Oliver Goldsmith while I smiled in almost blissful ignorance. On the way out Ken Moore accompanied me to the museum shop so that I could buy my longed-for mugs with the Museum's 'M' logo at a staff discount (!) - in the 18 months since I was last here I've been wishing I'd bought more of them, as they're the perfect tea receptacles, and when I'm working at home I get through gallons of the stuff. I think I could have bought them online but that wouldn't have been quite the same. Paul and Barbara then hosted a very enjoyable meal across the street in the Stanhope Hotel, and now I'm back in bed looking at the flowers by the window, the recipient of an open invitation to go and explore the museum's instrument collection. I fully intend to take this up before going home ...