Chapter 15

Richard came to the wings and escorted me to the center of the stage. I could see an audience of more than the dozen or so I had expected.

He went to the microphone, “Tonight we welcome Edweena as our pianist for the piano concerto, but now you will see the violinist in her.”

Pet smiled at me, and we checked the tuning as the orchestra readied themselves. Richard took the rostrum, raised his baton and we played Danse Macabre. When we finished there was definite applause from the press so I guess that we might get a good report tomorrow.

Pet went to the microphone. “I really hope that there will be a request for an encore tonight. This is one we prepared earlier.”

When we finished the Paganini, Kelly came back on stage and went to the microphone. “Now that’s something to save for when your grandchildren tell you that classical music is boring. I know that you would like to hear a little more of Edweena on her own so we will close this half with her. We started with a bunch of swans, now we finish with just the one.”

I looked at Antonio. “Antonio, could you bring your seat up front and join me?” He looked a little shocked as this wasn’t on the program, but he picked up his cello and a couple of violinists carried his chair and his peg stop to a place beside me.

When he was set, I said. “You start and I’ll come in with the second stanza.” So that’s what we did, a violin and cello duet which I thought it was beautiful. When we finished, most of the audience, whoever they were, gave us a standing ovation.

Rick brought Pet back on stage, and then led us off with the orchestra following.

In the wings, Kelly said to me, “That was very naughty but wonderful. Make sure you do it that way tonight. Fifteen minutes and you’re on again.”

I had a drink of water, checked my make-up, and went up to the wings again to wait with Kelly. I asked her about the people in the audience and she told me that there were journalists and photographers from all the papers in Boston, and its suburbs, as well as some national music scribes that she had managed to cajole into being here. The rest were members of the board, various helpers, and the crew who would be front of the house tonight. It was nice to let them see what everyone else had paid good money to witness.

“Besides,” she giggled. “It stops them all taking sneak peeks and not doing their job.”

The orchestra came up and walked past us with smiles on their faces. Rick came and stood beside me.

When the orchestra had finished tuning, Kelly went out on the stage. “Tonight, you heard the wonderful Edweena Grosse play violin and now you will hear her again. Because our original soloist pulled out of this performance this week, I asked her to come to play tonight’s performance of the Warsaw Concerto and the Tchaikovsky Number One. Please welcome Miss Edweena Grosse back on stage.”

Richard took my arm and led me out to the piano where we both bowed to the audience. He made sure I was comfortable before going to his rostrum and waited until everyone had stopped fidgeting. Then we were into it with a bang.

When you’re in another musical world, time seems to stand still, and then it races at double speed as you approach the final chords. As the last notes faded, I sat with my hands slightly raised and Richard stood facing the orchestra. When he put his baton down and turned around there was genuine applause, which I hoped would be replicated for our real performance.

I stood and took a bow and then sat down and we did the Number One. At the end of that we left the stage. He took me by the hand while the orchestra stood, and then they followed after a short time. It would depend on how the audience reacted tonight whether we would come back, or not, for a second bow. I would think that Pet would be included if that was the case.

We were given lunch and the press was on us like a swarm of flies at a barbecue. Any questions regarding our classical careers we deflected towards Kelly and Allan, any regarding us folding up the Pixies got a resounding “Never!”

Helen came over to us and hugged us both, telling us that we were the best two girls on the planet -- pop or classics. The crowd was finally led out of the hall, the doors closed, and it was time to run through the Saturday show.

You guessed it! Kelly and Richard were having a very close conversation. She came over to us and asked us if we would consider more involvement for the Saturday show. We waited.

I could see Allan standing back with his mental calculator ready to tote the extras.

Richard started the discussion, “We’ll go into the first half with the program and do the Dance of the Swans and then the Serenade but instead of the program I would like to bring Petunia on to play the Lark, seeing that it would make a trio of violin music.”

Pet nodded as if it was expected.

He went on. “For the second half we’ll do the Warsaw and the Number One as we did it this morning. I would like you, Edweena, to do an encore. Do you have something?”

I said that I thought an etude would be enough and he nodded.

“Then” he said “I know the audience will want more so I’ll bring the two of you back with your violins and do the Paganini. I would like you to do the Swan with Antonio if they are still applauding. Will that suit the two of you?”

I said it sounded doable. Pet said she was happy with that.

So that afternoon we went through the revised program in full, complete with announcements, the proper moves, and we finished around five, without encores.

Geoffrey took the four of us, and our dresser, back to the hotel where Pet and I had showers and had a meal sent to our rooms. When we were dressed in new, glittery dresses we were taken down to the hotel salon for a touch-up before Geoffrey came for the six of us, my parents having arrived during the day.

The performance that night was a carbon copy of the morning, only with a couple of thousand paying customers. They appreciated being given something new and different to listen to, played by two totally unexpected soloists. Everything we did was applauded and when we finished the Paganini, we got a standing ovation.

We were expected to mingle during the break and Mom almost bowled me over with her rush to hug me. Dad had a tear in his eye when he also hugged me. Then they both hugged Pet.

Helen stayed off on one side, with Allan, near the wall. With this crowd I thought it was brave of her to face her fears for us, so I went over to speak to them. Allan told me that we had a genuine future with this music and that he was looking forward to reading the papers over the next few days. All too soon we were called to go back.

It was time for our second half and my debut as a concert pianist. When we finished there was another standing ovation and Richard brought me back to the piano after our bows and “first exit.”

After the audience settled with my return to the piano, I played one of the softer etudes and then they wanted another. This time I played a little piece that I had been toying with for weeks whenever I was alone in the studio. It was a medley of our best tunes from the Pixies and Sisters albums, played in ragtime and was quite complicated. That got them standing again, and then it really was time to be off the stage, carrying a huge bouquet.

Back in the dressing room Pet held me close and told me that I was wicked, bringing the Pixies into a concert hall. I said that most of the crowd would think that it was a Joplin piece that no-one had heard before.

There was an after-show party that went to midnight. We stayed upright the whole time, taking in the adoration. I noticed Antonio in deep conversation with Kelly at one stage and I wondered if she was now planning a solo concert for him some time in the future.

It was Helen wilting that allowed us to ask Kelly if Geoffrey could take us to the hotel. When we got there, it was just the formalities of getting undressed, cleansing the face, and diving into bed, to go out like a light.

I slept late. Mom knocking on my door brought me out of my slumber.

I pulled a robe on and opened the door. She came in and fussed, telling me that there were a bunch of people downstairs, who wanted to see me. I had a shower, dressed in one of my favorite outfits, made sure I looked good, and joined her in the elevator.

Pet was already in the breakfast room, surrounded by a half a dozen guys with microphones and cameras. I went over to help her out. Together, we were able to answer most of the questions they had.

I finally said, “Look, we had a busy night last night and I want my breakfast. If you don’t mind, we need to eat.”

They took the hint and went off, leaving us in peace to have a very large breakfast.

I felt as if I hadn’t eaten for days and topped up my tank as we ate in silence. Finally, Allan couldn’t help himself. “Do you know that last night you two broke the mould. I don’t think that two girls from an all-girl pop group have ever had this many column inches in the paper, without doing something outrageous.”

He had a pile of papers and was busy cutting out large sections. All had our, and the other orchestra members, pictures. They’d written enough words about us to fill War and Peace.

I turned to Helen, “You were the brave one last night. It must have been hard for you in that crowd.”

She said that it taken a lot out of her, but she was glad she had done it as it would stay with her for life.

Mom added, “Amen to that. Watching those two playing was so wonderful; I was so proud I could feel my heart racing.”

I laughed. “Yes, and Allan could probably hear the coins chinking into our bank accounts.”

“You’d better believe it,” he chuckled. “This is one sweet gig. I think that you’ll be in demand, when all this hits the media.”

We were sitting with our coffees when the elegant Geoffrey came in and walked up to our table. “I’m so sorry to bother you so early but Lady Grove has got three TV stations at the hall who want to record tonight’s performance and talk to you lovely ladies. Would it be possible for you to come with me to the concert hall? I’ve never seen her flustered before, and that’s the only word that describes her this morning. I expect that you’ll want to bring Mister Allan with you.”

Pet and I stood, and she gave me a wink.

I looked at Allan. “Mister Allan, sir, I believe I can hear the sound of distant cha-chinking. Would you care to join us?”

He smiled and made sure he had his calculator in his pocket.

Geoffrey was upbeat when he took the three of us back to the hall, telling us that he’d never seen such interest in any of their concerts. Kelly, he said, was quite overwhelmed, something he had never, ever, thought he would see.

When we got there, we had to run the gauntlet of photographers. Pet said, “This is almost as bad as the Grammies.”

“Without the bad fashions,” I commented.

Inside we found Kelly sitting in the lobby with three guys sitting on chairs, all a little apart and looking grumpy. When she saw us, she got up, “Thank goodness you came. These gentlemen have been demanding things that I’ve never heard before. I am sure that you, Allan, with your experience, can help us manage. They all said that their management had been to the performance last night. It appears that two pop stars playing classics could be popular.”

The guys looked ready to start talking but Allan told them to stay seated and stay quiet. He needed five minutes before he would talk to them. We left them and led Kelly into the body of the hall where he asked her what they wanted. She said they all wanted to film tonight for a TV special, should it be good enough. They had demanded space in the stalls for fixed camera positions.

Allan asked, “What have they offered?”

She said that none of them have offered anything, seemingly expecting her to be grateful for the interest.

He then looked at the layout of the hall and asked if there was enough spare room if the last couple of seats on either side of the balcony were taken and Kelly said that those few patrons could use two of the boxes.

These, she told us, were hardly ever used. There were two each side.

Allan asked if the TV people could use the two front ones. She nodded and then we went back to the lobby where the guys were still waiting.

Allan addressed them. “Right, we’ve made our decision. We’ll allow one TV channel to record tonight, and the cameras must be small ones. You have that technology. The camera points will be in the front boxes on either side of the stage and the two ends of the front row of the balcony. We’ll allow a fifth camera in the center aisle of either the balcony or the stalls. You’ll be able to fit any microphones you like as long as Kelly approves, and the cables can run out the back to a truck. Are you all right with this, so far?”

They nodded.

“I’ll ensure that the two girls will stay in town to Monday morning if you have a morning show,” he added. The three guys nodded, seemingly interested.

One asked, “Which channel will it be?”

Allan grinned, “The one that puts up at least a half a million for the opportunity to make more back. If you syndicate the resulting show and add advertising, you’ll get your money back and more. I’ll take the resulting DVD and distribute it later with the profit being split between the orchestra, these girls, and the TV station.”

One of the guys asked if they could see the sightlines. We all went into the hall and Allan pointed out the four fixed spots. The same guy then asked, “How about some of the very small cameras, fixed in place on stage, recording to chip?”

Allan looked at us. I said it was all right with me as long as it didn’t mess with the lines of the piano.

Kelly said that one on the rostrum to show Richard’s face would be all right and others put around the orchestra would be all right as long as they weren’t visible to the audience and didn’t get in the way.

The same guy had come to a decision. “My station will put up six hundred thousand as long as we get immediate access to set up. Who do we pay?”

Allan said that he should put the money into the orchestra account and the other two guys thanked us and left. The winning bidder was on his phone barking out orders.

Kelly just stood there looking shocked. She then gave Allan a hug and a kiss on the cheek and told him that he had been wonderful.

She then looked at us. “You know that this is going to be big. I think we may have to rethink tonight and give them something that classics lovers will want to watch and then want to buy for their collection.”

She then pulled out her own phone and rang Richard to be in the hall after lunch. She went to her office, no doubt to call the whole orchestra in early. We wouldn’t need a rehearsal, just a sheet for everyone to know what went in what order -- as soon as that part had been decided.

When we left, I saw a couple of TV station vans parked outside with guys pulling cables out of them.

Geoffrey took us back to the hotel. “That was the best bit of bargaining I’ve seen in a long time. That money will go a long way to keeping the orchestra going. I think that Kelly would be without a reason to live if it closed.”

At the hotel, the two of us were sent off to the spa to be pampered for a couple of hours before lunch. After lunch, we were dressed in our final outfits which were fine, and full-skirted. With our hair up, we looked like royalty. Geoffrey came for us in the mid-afternoon, and we were taken around the back of the hall where there was a couple of TV trucks parked with a heap of cables snaking in through the back door.

Avoiding the guys moving things around we were taken into the inner sanctum where Richard was waiting, resplendent in what must have been a new set of tails. With him was the orchestra leader, and we all sat down to hash out the agenda.

The plan was simple. The Dance of the Swans, followed by the Serenade for Strings. Then Richard or Kelly to announce a surprise soloist and Pet doing The Lark, followed by me joining them for Danse Macabre and the first half ending with our Paganini, as an encore, if needed.

The second half was easy, just the piano concertos, a couple of encores if needed, and then me getting a violin and Antonio coming to the front of the stage to do the Swan.

Pet brightened. “I know that this is your bit, Edie, but can we do that as a trio?”

I looked at Richard and he just shrugged.

“Of course, we can. It’s the only thing from the program that hasn’t been rehearsed that way. We have the time, is Antonio in yet?”

The leader went off to find Antonio and we went down to the smaller rehearsal room. Antonio came in and we told him what we had planned, and his face lit up. Pet asked for, and was given a viola, and I got a violin.

We asked for the room to be cleared. The three of us worked through the piece four times, each time it got better. The addition of the viola, halfway in between the other two instruments, took a little while to blend, but Pet was an adventurous player, who took Antonio and me to a new level.

He had tears in his eyes when we stopped for a breather and then we did it the last time before the concert. That time we all had tears in our eyes.

Pet was wiping hers eyes with a tissue.

“I feel like I’ve just had a refreshing shower after a day soaking in a scented bath.”

I nodded as it was an apt description of how I felt, as well. Antonio gave us both hugs and thanked us for the interesting experience, and then we went off to get something to eat.

Kelly had arranged for a catered meal beforehand, so we stood around with our food and drinks -- making sure we didn’t spill anything. The orchestra were all in their finest outfits tonight and it looked like a scene from a Regency ballroom, with just Pet and me in bright colors, as befitting soloists.

Kelly told us that the TV money was in the bank, and she could hardly believe the orchestra’s good fortune. We also found out that the after-show party tonight would be us, Kelly, Richard, the leader, and the firsts, to be joined by invited guests only, to keep it from getting rowdy. The body of the orchestra would be off to a party of their own at a night club.

Pet, Richard, and I had a good look at the stage area before any public came in and we were happy at what had been done. There were microphones at most of the main points in the orchestra and some others on long stands to take in the general sound. The cables had been routed to be almost invisible from the audience in the stalls.

There were about ten small Go-Pro style cameras to show the soloists, the conductor, and the first violin, with a couple set for wind and percussion players. Looking out we saw cameras set up in the boxes and on the balcony as discussed. I felt excited by the thought of the resulting presentation.

That’s one DVD which will be in my collection, that’s for sure!

With the doors about to be opened, we made our way down to the dressing rooms, Pet and I being careful with our big dresses.

Allan joined us and told us that things looked like they were going smoothly. He said that he was now pretty pally with the TV big shot, who appreciated working with someone who told it and sold it -- on a handshake.

We were booked for the morning show on Monday, so would get a wake-up call. As far as he knew at the moment, we had Sunday off. That meant I could go with my parents to the airport and see them off.

After Allan left, Richard came to see us, and sat down. “I’ve come to apologize. I may have been a bit worried about what was going to happen when you arrived. I’ve worked with many big names in this business. But you two girls are up there with the best when it comes to professionalism and sheer hard work -- on top of your spectacular talents.”

We told him it was all right. We understood that someone from the pop world had to be expected to be treated as if they were beginners.

He went on. “Kelly had said something about a double violin program next year. I’m very happy, if the two of you find the time. I was quite taken by some of the tunes at your own concert last week and wondered if we could do something like a “Pixies meet Puccini” concert.”

Pet told him that she already had drafts of our Pixie and Stable Sisters music in orchestral form and could send him some to look at, if he was interested. We discussed the show tonight and asked him to make the announcements, leaving Kelly to sit in the front row and enjoy the show.

He said he would talk to her, and then he left us as the speaker on the wall said, “Thirty minutes, get ready.”

Pet and I made sure that our violins were correct and in tune while we waited, hearing the murmurs outside the door as the orchestra got ready, and then we heard the applause and watched on the screen as they went on stage.

The usual tuning followed but was quite short. They shuffled as they stood for the conductor and generous applause greeted Richard as he came on. There was silence as he stood tall, raised his baton, and then they were into the Dance of the Swans.

Pet and I sat in the dressing room and played complicated bits to warm up the fingers until our dresser came in to make sure we looked good and didn’t have any food smears down the back of our skirts. All too soon they were into the Serenade for Strings, and we went up to the wings, carrying the violins and bows.

As the applause for that died down, Richard took a microphone from his stand and turned to face the audience, telling them that tonight there was a change to the program in that now they would be hearing one of our soloists and asked them to welcome Miss Petunia Flower.

Pet went out to great acclaim, and then they did the Lark in all its glory. Pet made you believe that you were soaring into the sky. When she finished, the audience applauded and, in groups, they stood in ovation.

Marianne Gregory © 2022