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Francesco
Today was the last performance of our local music conductor, Francesco Lecce-Chong, who is moving on to other things, although as far as I know his only appointment is to continue conducting the small-town symphony in California where he’s been splitting his time. I had fully intended to attend tonight’s concert, until yesterday, when I listened to some of the planned piece online – Wynton Marsalis’s “Swing Symphony,” which is a musical history of jazz. The idea sounds great, but I think I would be miserable if I were stuck in a room for 75 minutes with all that frenetic trumpet-playing. So I went to the pre-concert talk (which nearly convinced me to give it a try anyway), and I left a note for Francesco’s book of well-wishing (which I’d written in advance and didn’t even need to recopy in my awful handwriting – just the note was fine)… and then I came home. I bought myself a treat on the way. I still think maybe I should have sat through it anyway, but that’s probably not realistic. Here’s what I said in my tribute to Francesco:
“Francesco! I could write about the musical worlds you opened up for me with your innovative programming, or the fun I had becoming the season champion at symphony trivia, but instead I’m going to write about the pandemic. In 2020, we were all shut down, confined to our households and the few friends we could find outdoors in the summer. My social world became my husband, my son, my husband’s sword-master teaching a weekly online exercise class – and you, Francesco, with your Thursday Night Live. Every week I could look forward to hearing new things, learning from you, and sharing thoughts with you, your guests, sometimes Chloe, your mom, and the other regulars online. If there’s anything I miss about those days, it was the special place you created for us. Thank you for that. I trust you’ll have wonderful adventures in the years to come. Best wishes always – [signed, me]”
“Francesco! I could write about the musical worlds you opened up for me with your innovative programming, or the fun I had becoming the season champion at symphony trivia, but instead I’m going to write about the pandemic. In 2020, we were all shut down, confined to our households and the few friends we could find outdoors in the summer. My social world became my husband, my son, my husband’s sword-master teaching a weekly online exercise class – and you, Francesco, with your Thursday Night Live. Every week I could look forward to hearing new things, learning from you, and sharing thoughts with you, your guests, sometimes Chloe, your mom, and the other regulars online. If there’s anything I miss about those days, it was the special place you created for us. Thank you for that. I trust you’ll have wonderful adventures in the years to come. Best wishes always – [signed, me]”
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Aww, you will miss him.
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