Posted by Helen on: 12.05.2008 /
It’s not as funny or professionally made as the Friday video I posted today, but if you want to see my son playing a violin concerto with his high school orchestra I posted a video of it on my personal blog. The first half is a solo cadenza; the orchestra does join him halfway through :).
Comment by: Eliza
1Helen -
Wow!! Ben is really good!!! That fingering, the bow work, those high notes - that long solo to start - wow!
Congrats on raising such an accomplished young man, and congrats to Ben on his mastery of the violin to this degree!
And, as an aside - it seemed at first like the conductor was a bald African-American man, which struck me because I realized I’ve never seen a bald conductor before, nor one who wasn’t white or Asian before (oh, wait, Bobby McFerrin - we saw him conduct once - but he had long hair). But once the orchestra joined in on this video, the conductor moved his head & hands, and then it appears he is white (with short dark hair). Anyway, that was an unexpected interesting bit in the background, even if it was only an optical illusion!
Comment by: Helen
2Thanks Eliza :)
The high school orchestra director, Mr Pearson IS African-American and bald - what you first saw was right. (Unfortunately the visual quality of the video is isn’t great so I can understand you having trouble making out the details of individuals in it)
Here’s a rather old photo of Mr Pearson - he must have got contacts and shaved his head since this was taken.
Ben will be playing a piano concerto solo on the same stage next month, with the local community orchestra, since he won their concerto competition also.
Comment by: Eliza
3I hadn’t picked up the fact that Ben plays more than one instrument - and he plays well enough to solo in each? Yet another feather in his cap!
Interesting that my first impression of the conductor was correct - I was so sure I’d been seeing things. Perhaps I could borrow Mr. Pearson’s contacts?! ;)