A Rockin’ First Fundraiser

Monday night I had my first concert here at IU, and what a concert it was! The event was billed as a Katrina Benefit Concert, and the university brought in two vocalists (Sylvia McNair and Timothy Noble) to sing a couple of numbers with the band. I have to admit that I was pretty scared—the band had only a couple of weeks to rehearse, some of the tunes had only been played two or three times, and I had heard that the acoustics in the Musical Arts Center were terrible.

But once we were all out on stage together, things just seemed to go right. The rhythm section was really swinging, right in the pocket. There were so many good solos: Sean, the alto player, on “Cotton Club Revisited”; Zach, an amazing piano player, on “Nutville”; and Nate, who played the bluesiest trombone I have ever heard on “No Time Like the Present.”

The audience seemed to really love everything that was happening on stage, to be enjoying themselves immensely, and I know I was having a magnificent time. Then, at the very end of the concert, after the audience had been standing and clapping for a long time, I heard a shout from the balcony: “Yeah, Sophie!” I looked up and there were Sarah, Lisa, Seth, and Jenn—my friends were there! I blew them a kiss from stage, and Sarah proceeded to dance and blow kisses. Then they all ran down the stairs and up the center aisle to the front of the stage. We hugged and laughed and talked until my reed was dry and warped.

Monday night I got to see my parents, my saxophone teacher, and all my friends. I got to play music with the hippest band I’ve ever heard, and we raised almost $15,500 for the Red Cross. I really don’t know how it could have been any better.

Ahh, yes. Another day in paradise.