What I Gained From A Funeral

An appeal was set before the whole band re: who would be able to play solo gigs for Memorial Day. At first I blew it off thinking they wouldn't want me, I'm too terrible. Then Dave leaned over and said, "If you're good enough to play for a funeral, you're good enough to play a solo gig." Well, that was a new take on the situation. I stewed that over for a week or two, then sent the band manager, Ian, an email telling when I would be available. And heard nothing.

Oh well, I figured as much. Just have to keep practicing . . .Then, after Small Son's lesson last night, Ian came 'round the corner of the cubicle and asked if I could do a Monday morning solo. I checked my calendar in a daze and said I could. He said he would send me the details by email.

As a result, I have two half-hour solos on Monday, Memorial Day. I have to walk/stroll/amble around playing appropriate slow airs and marches, and quit after 30 minutes. I have one at 11:00 and one at noon. TWO!! And I'm not too worried about it!

'Course, Ian hasn't heard me play in a long time, and maybe he wouldn't be such a good judge of quality anymore, either . . . I dunno.

And 'course I'll make up a list of slow airs and appropriate marches (what is an "appropriate march", I wonder?) with their starting notes. Let's see . . .

Danny Boy
Amazing Grace
Cearcl a Cuan (sp)
Bells of Dunblane
Loch Rannoch
Dream Angus
Killikrankie
Summertime, Summertime
Farewell to Camraw

That's all I can remember right off the top of my head. If each one is 3 minutes long, that's 27 minutes of playing. If I can figure out what an "appropriate march" is, and find one I already know how to play . . . I can just go through the list one time per solo and be done! Yay!!

So what I gained from playing for that funeral was the confidence that I can do it again, and do solos, too!