WILD WEEKEND!

            The weekend was truly wild! I had three piano gigs in two days. I knew this would test my organizational skills. I kicked off with Autumn Boutique in Slayton, MN. At this event, I performed from 12:30 until 2:30, and sold CDs.  I played songs from each of my 3 albums, including material from my NEW release, Christmas with Holly. 

 

We chilled at home for a couple hours, and then it was off to the Atlas Fundraiser. This was a gala event which included an art auction where pottery and paintings sold for thousands of dollars at a crack, all for a good cause. There were other musicians too.  A cellist and an opera singer performed the song "Habernaro" from the opera Carmen. Wow, What a voice. The acoustic guitar and pop singer duo sang a song called “Vincent” themed after the Vincent Van Gogh’s Starry Starry Night painting, which was also the theme of the event. I played both as an entertainer and for music needed to chill while people were bidding on the art for the silent auction and finishing their fancy deserts. I played 2 songs from each album including my arrangements of I’ll Be Home for Christmas and God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen. The crowd told me they were impressed both with the sound of the music box intro of I’ll Be Home for Christmas and me playing Carol of the Bells and God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen at the same time during the interludes.

  

After the fundraiser I went back home and got all cleaned up, went to bed for maybe 4 hours, then at 5 in the morning got back up and was on my way to a day at the Sioux Falls Sidewalk Art Festival. I played piano and sold CDs from 8 in the morning until 5 at night. And of course, Isaiah, the boy next door who sold jewelry was my booth neighbor for the third year in a row. I told him I wore the bracelet he gave me when I played at my previous gig, the fancy fundraiser I mentioned above.  He complimented me on how beautiful my music is, and how it helps his sales. And out of the blue, he gives me a necklace to match the bracelet. So to make a long story short, the boy next door really stepped it up. Sweet!

  

After the festival was over we went out to dinner at Huhot Mongolian Grill, one of my favorite restaurants.  Afterwards, I went home, took a shower, and fell into bed.  I was beat.  All three gigs were positive and rewarding, and this whirlwind of a weekend paid off in more ways than one.

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