Fireworks

I had intended to write a post about all the music I have been playing the last six weeks, ending with a performance of the entire Daphnis and Chloe ballet by Ravel on Saturday night, but then the fires happened and I spent the weekend worrying about my daughter and her family who live close to one of the fire areas. They are fine; didn't even have to evacuate. But I kept checking the LA Times maps and the wind direction every few hours.

Earlier on Saturday, I played a wedding at the Wayfarer's Chapel where my grandson was christened. The air was filled with smoke and ashes like it was snowing. The smoke suddenly stopped out over the ocean and surprisingly, Catalina Island was perfectly clear. I felt sorry for the bride. I know how much detailed planning goes into creating such an event and you want everything to be perfect. The particulates in the atmosphere did make for a gorgeous, if somewhat eerie, sunset. I didn't have my camera with me, but Grace took some great photos while at the tide pools nearby. My stand partner at the symphony played a wedding that afternoon also, but hers was outdoors. Musicians usually wear black to play so you can imagine what she looked like all dressed in black and covered with white ashes! I forgot to ask her about her violin. I hope she was using a spare and not her good one.

Update:

Thanks to Rich Capparela of KUSC, I found this link to a video put up by some of my classical musician colleagues who were on the 91 Fwy last Saturday when the flames started to jump across the road. It gets really hairy about 47 seconds into the video. The music is Shostakovich No. 10, second movement. It's all part of a day's work for us classical musicians here in So. Cal.