Wearing out the rails, ugh! Great performance, 12/4/14

It’s Thursday, so I’ve got an early class. I’m gone by 6:30, headed for the train. When I arrive at school, I realize I didn’t pack my computer charger. It’s the first time this year I’ve walked out with it. My computer is at 50% power, but thankfully, it holds out for both classes.

It’s a weird day for classes. 60% of the 11th graders and 80% of the 12th graders are gone. They are taking the SAT test Saturday. Because they have to go to Singapore, or Kuala Lumpur, or Hong Kong, or Macau to take the test, there is lots of travel involved. I have 8 of 25 students in period 1, and 5 of 22 students attending in period 2. I guess there won’t be any orchestra club after school today.

After class, I go talk to Dr. Prettyman about the three classes I’ll be missing while we’re in the US. She mentions she needs help selecting music for a faculty participation performance at the talent show on Dec. 31. I’ll be in the US, but they want me to help find the music. She also needs me to present some of the ideas to the faculty at the meeting after school. Ouch! I have to go home, pick-up my computer charger, return to school for the meeting, and put together some ideas for the faculty meeting. Normally I don’t attend faculty meetings because they’re the same time as Orchestra Club, but with most of the students gone, no club today.

It’s an hour home, and then an hour back to school. With a charged computer, I put together some ideas (with help from Judy’s karaoke library). The presentation is short and the performance idea is “new information” to the faculty. They table the discussion to get their heads around what they might want to do.

Next on the list is Judy’s program at the Renaissance. I leave school at 5:15, loading up in a taxi (I’m in no mood for the subway after 3 long trips earlier today). Traffic is a beating. I have to travel from west to east, through the center of Beijing, down Chang’An Blvd., past Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City. It takes an hour for me to get to the hotel. I was beginning to sweat it a little.

Judy’s choir had arrived earlier and are enjoying a mini-buffet, provided by the hotel. I grab a quick bite, and then head out to make sure the sound will work properly. The students did a nice job in the restaurant, especially considering their age.

The program kicks off at 7:00 pm with a gorgeous tree-lighting. The students sing great, and the audience of parents and hotel patrons is enthusiastic, spurring on the students even more. They are a huge success!

This view is from the back of the choir.  Check out all the cameras

This view is from the back of the choir. Check out all the cameras

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Another view.

After the program, the props are put away, and the students are dismissed to their parents. We load everything in a small bus, along with Shannon, a couple of teachers, and a handful of students. Back at school, we unload and move everything back into the school. 15 minutes later, we’re in a taxi headed home. It’s been a great night! This was most likely Judy’s last Christmas program, and we’d be celebrating, if we weren’t so tired.

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