About three weeks ago, Alice Kanack (of the Kanack School of Music and also a homeschooling mom) met Margaret Henry, Nadine's wonderful composition and theory teacher, in the hospital rec room. Margaret mentioned Nadine's composition ability, and in particular her trio for violin, viola and cello that had won the Howard Hansen young composers' competition. Alice said she was having a chamber music camp from July 6th through 10th and suggested that one of the advanced groups learn the trio and perform it at their concert on the 10th. Nadine was also invited to coach a rehearsal, and happily accepted.
Alice called early last week and Nadine agreed to coach the Thursday rehearsal at the school, which was on the day we were leaving MacDonald House -- she also asked for clarification on some passages, which meant everyone was taking it seriously. After Nadine's difficult and uncomfortable morning last Thursday, NAdine and I went off to the Kanack School for the rehearsal, with me toting camera and video.
NADINE SUDDENLY PERKED UP and felt wonderful -- and A NORMAL day ensued with her normal life, bubbliness, and creativity.
The school is in a nice large house on So. Clinton St. with a white picket fence and red trim; there was a recreation tent outside. Various rehearsals were going on all at once. NAdine's piece was happening upstairs, and there was Alice -- her daughter Daphne played violen, Isabella, another RPYO performer, played viola, and a young cellist named Ben rounded out the group. Alice, who had had sniffles or a sore throat the previous week, wore a mask. NAdine was able to take hers off.
The rehearsal started -- the piece was GORGEOUS. It was the first time either Nadine or I had heard the piece played by real instruments; we'd only heard the awful computer rendition. The piece was dignified, lyrical, and creative, in 6/4 time. Although the instruments were cohesive as a group, each one had its own identity. The piece "flowed" and the long slow ending was perfect.
Nadine also did an impressive (and fun) job conducting the rehearsal, in fully animated form. She asked for what she wanted, yet still paid attention to the young musicians' feelings. She asked for "snappy" notes at one point, and at another time she referred to one of her own passages as being "weird", and said she wanted it that way. She reminded me of contra dance rehearsals by asking for the players to "push" some parts forward timewise. After a break, the musicians "got it" at the beginning of the second half -- really nice.
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Friday July 6th was the "Big Day" for the concert, which consisted of about 9 performances including her piece. There was an outdoor pizza party first. Nadine put on a nice teeshirt and a patterned swishy long skirt, plus a really nice mottled blue silk scarf hand-dyed by Lauren Sample. She looked gorgeous and eminently non-sick.
There was pizza and company outside first and general socializing afterwards -- NAdine ended up in a circle of kids sitting under the big tent eating ice cream and later having a vigorous (card) game of "Pounce"/. Nobody, including Nadine, seemed to notice that she had anything like leukemia. She was an ordinary, highly social teen in her element.
The indoor concert was pretty full with a fun program, starting with littler kids (still amazingly well done) and ending with amazingly advanced playing. Nadine sat on a couch towards the back. I had to ro remind her to put her mask on, but also reminded her that she could remove it to take a bow if needed.
Nadine's piece sounded perfect! Alice gave a warm, tasteful intro after which Daphne, Ben, and Isabella played it beautifully. Barry and I sat proudly in the front row, with me video-ing. There was a large applause, and someone motioned to Nadine, who stood up, mask removed. She looked wonderful.
The concert ended with two more spectacular pieces, and a full orchestral piece passionately conducted by Alice -- it was nice to see her in action.
After the concert, Nadine was congratulated -- a violin teacher said she hoped the piece would go beyond Rochester. People were going out for ice cream. Nadine politely said she was too tired -- I'm glad she was able to recognize when she needed to rest.
I also experienced the joy of the normalcy that can be in Nadine's life, even with the other stuff she had to deal with.
I also felt that Thursday was definitely the right time for her to leave the "shelter" of the hospital and MacDonald House and be out in the "regular" world again.
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