Hi! It’s me! Lily!!!!
Well, that’s finally over. Months of preparation for one night. But it really did go well.
Everyone was there!!! Even Emiko and family came from Houston (which had some REALLY severe storms yesterday but they were okay.)!! And even Rebecca and her mother (and her friends) came too! Even Mrs. X!!! Jack and Grace and Liz’s family!!! Everyone!!! Well, except for Joe and Anathema, who are currently off at the coast probably not seeing much of the water. Or clothing.
I came on stage wearing my “school uniform” and said in Japanese and English something like “Welcome to everyone who came, and especially our Japanese friends! Please keep a respectful silence during the serious compositions. However, at the end, there will be a performance by several former Japanese Idols” (and I said their names) “and you are free to wave your glowsticks, if you have them, and show your appreciation in any culturally appropriate manner.”
Everyone politely applauded, and the Japanese people (about half the audience, as expected) turned on their glowsticks and waved them around a little.
The conductor then had a little bit to say about my story, about how I had lost my memory, but somehow knew how to play piano, and that I was a up and coming young pianist who he was very pleased to work with. I translated into Japanese (mostly) because, well.. half of the audience was Japanese… I’m not perfect at Japanese so I didn’t get it all but it was passable.
Then the entire orchestra, including me, stood up, and the concertmaster led the traditional Japanese salute (everyone bowed, and said “onegaishimasu”). Then the performance started.
It went so well. i played as well as I ever did, and I didn’t look out into the audience until the very end, and Sabby was crying. Awww. The idols (who actually sat by the side to watch) looked really amazed, and… well… I was happy with how it turned out.
Second half, the orchestra played a piece on their own (New World Symphony), and then, at the end, the idols came out and the audience went nuts. They bowed, and then did their three songs.
They sure did seem in their element. They played off the audience and the audience played off them and at the end the cheering was uproarious. Even some of the older people got into the act.
At the end they had a little table where the idols greeted their fans, and that lasted for about a half an hour… while that went on, I greeted everyone as well, and everyone told me how much they enjoyed it.
So after that we all went out for sushi. It just seemed appropriate.
That was our after party. The violinists invited me to theirs. I politely declined. Hahaha!!! The rumors may not be true, but if they are… Jack would be pissed and I don’t want to get pregnant…
Anyway, I’m home now, and we’re all still kinda wired, so we’re just chatting and talking about how good it went. It’s already on LINE and some Japanese media picked it up “idol reunion in Texas of all places!”
I’m just glad it’s over. Honestly. That was a lot of work.
Now… I have to accompany Liz… some graduations coming up… and… other things too.