How I Met Some Famous Musicians

One day, I spoke to the famous conductor, Sir Georg Solti, who conducted the Chicago Symphony Orchestra for many years. I had attended an "Open Rehearsal". Arriving early, I was able to sit in a box seat and I had an amazing view of the orchestra. After the rehearsal, I left. As I was leaving, I realized I had left my knit hat in the auditorium. So I scrambled back in there and got it. This time as I left Orchestra Hall I saw Georg Solti, about to get in a limousine, right in front of the Hall. There was no one around at all. I ran over to him and asked him for his autograph. He gave me a very stern look of annoyance, but he scribbled his name on the paper I gave him and flung it back to me without a word.



My next experience was much more pleasant. I met the great cellist and conductor, Mstislav Rostropovich. It was after a concert in which he conducted the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. I had been back stage (down in the lower level, where the musicians gather and where the dressing rooms are) for a memorial get-together for our former conductor who had died the previous year. This concert was played in his memory (Perry Crafton, conductor of the Symphony of Oak Park & River Forest and a first violinist with the CSO). I left the gathering with my husband and daughter and we walked down the hall. Suddenly, I saw him: Rostropovich was walking down the narrow hallway, too, accompanied by a young assistant. I ran after him, calling, "Maestro"! He turned around and welcomed me. He signed my program. I looked into his face. He was the very same height as I am! So, short for a man, hahaha! I looked into his very blue eyes and I couldn't believe it! I suddenly thought, "Here I am in front of one of the greatest musicians in the world." And then, and then, and then . . . . . . he kissed me on both cheeks! I'm not making this up! My husband and daughter saw it.

Later, I attended another concert which he conducted, another concert of the CSO. Rostropovich was apparently very pleased with the performance. He went around the entire orchestra, kissing all of them on the cheeks, as he had done to me! What a guy! Very warm!! But, when I saw that, the kisses he gave to me were less remarkable, actually! Hahahaha!