If only I played the bassoon...

Do you ever see people you don't know and make up stories about them. I do. I went to Jason's concert because he belongs to the Wheaton College Symphonic Band. The concert was a success and would have seemed like any other concert, however I knew what was going on under the surface. Or rather imagined what was going on. I find it terribly amusing to make up interesting drama about people I don't know. The following is a account of the events of that night, not as they happened, but as they are interesting to read.

The concert began with a piece called Monument Fanfare and Tribute. It was introduced by a young man named Ryan who was very proud of belonging to the Salvation Army church and Citadel Band as they had just played. He felt that his presence at Wheaton brought diversity to the college as he was representing the Salvation Army. The rest of us however just felt awkward around him as crowds often do around people who truly believe in a cause because we knew that soon we would be avoiding eye contact with him as he rings his bell outside of Wal-Mart with his red bucket.

The conductor of the first piece was the staff director. He was everything a director of a symphony should be. He was a short man with glasses that sat atop his rather pointed nose, dressed in his best and took his time getting to the podium prolonging the applause. It was a great piece that was executed with technical precision as bands technically do for their appointed conductors. At the end the conductor stepped down, his come-over out of place, and took his leave.

Then good ole Jeremy came to the front. Jeremy is the kind of guy that is gifted, but never takes himself or his art too seriously. He does an excellent job at everything he does, but he knows there is more to life than music... like laughter. The lanky percussionist pushes his glasses back into place as he informs the audience that his piece to conduct tonight is The Liberty Bell March which is, in fact, the theme to Monty Python's Flying Circus. He took the podium and began to conduct rather flippantly the band. They didn't care, because they admired Jeremy for his boyish charm and candidness. Jeremy no doubt was conducting because he could and was required to for his major. He knows he's not the best student conductor, but he doesn't care.

The band finishes in good spirits and moves on to the next song. Mr. Steven Carver, as the boy prefers to be called, walks purposefully up to the mic to introduce his choice for the evening. Steven is one of those kids who is described by the teachers as "...nice" or "a good student." Truth be told Steven takes himself way too seriously. He is a suck-up of the worst fashion. He is the kid of person that makes up for his lack of talent for trying too hard. He would be a date rapist if he wasn't afraid of girls. Steven has very few friends as he has no use of them on his way to the top. Steven has chosen a funeral dirge by Bach, which of coarse, he takes very seriously and is overly happy to introduce after having to play Jeremy's piece which Steven thinks is silly. The piece is seriously played and the audience seriously yawns. Not for lack of talent, but lack of passion. When Steven is finished he puts the stick back up his but, bows to the applause ment for the band, and sits down.

Everyone knows the people up next... because they were checking their programs during Steven's speech. Bubbles of fun Michelle Young steps up to the podium grinning from ear to ear. The grin all women have when they are in love or their crush finally spoke to them, asking them to pass the salt. Michelle introduces her piece which is sweet like herself. A young man named Dar Heinze steps forward to play the solo on the flute. Strangely, Dar is not the first chair flutist. A sharp looking blonde is. She is giving Michelle sharp looks. It is clear by the manner of her expression and the size of her breasts that this "first chair" is not used to not getting her way. I image that Michelle has given the solo to Dar at first as an excuse to talk to him and then as a way to spend time with him. Dar of coarse is oblivious as all sweet boys are and will most likely marry the "first chair" as she will make it her mission in life to be better than him and pay back Michelle for daring to pass her over.

And then a man who is barely a boy steps to the front. A man who can truly be described as beautiful in the Greek sense. Young Greg who's talent and passion are complemented by his beauty, brooding, and arrogantness. He sees life in passionate colors and chooses to conduct pieces of music that are described as "luscious." The boy is cursed with the stunning features of a Disney prince and behaives in a way that make the other men suppose he is gay. He will of coarse never be taken seriously because he is pretty and this will only frustrate him occasionally as the rest of the time he will be showered with praise. But it will frustrate him. He steps to the front and towers over his subjects. The girls in the front blush as they realize they are starring and then become flustered as they realized they are suppose to be watching their conductor anyway. Greg raises his hands as he raises the passions of the band. He is not only their leader, but their muse as well. What ever hatreds, jealousies, envies, or school girl crushes existed they are dispelled and only the desire to fulfill his passions exist. He doesn't lead the music, but inspires the instrumentalists to play from their souls. I admire him for his beauty, but pity him as I pity Dorian Grey, for it will be his undoing. But I applaud none the less.