Tranquillo: go with the flow

I have a special love for Ecuador. 

It was there that I really learned the meaning of “tranquillo.” I was invited to give the world premiere of a new viola concerto with the festival orchestra. I remember my first time landing in Quito. The city is 10,000 feet above sea level! Such wonderful weather too. People there say all the seasons occur everyday. Rainy in the morning, dry and sunny in the afternoon and chilly in the evening. So, after being there for three days I go  to the rehearsal with the orchestra where I first meet the conductor.  He appeared very excited to see me. He said,”Maestro, welcome to Ecuador. Im afraid we cannot play your concerto.”  Attempting to contain myself, they explained that the orchestra parts never arrived.  Of course my first instinct was to blurt out,”Why didnt you tell me this a long time ago?” For some reason I held my tongue and just took it all in. “Well, Ive travelled a long way to play with you all, so what do you want to do?” He said that they did have one viola concerto in their library, the Telemann G major concerto...without the solo viola part.  So I asked them to show me to their office where after several attempts to remember my password to some free download sheet music site I managed to print out the solo part.  Id taught the piece numerous times but never learned it or performed it myself. So that night in my hotel room I practiced the piece ( with cadenzas I was not familiar with) and the next day had the “final rehearsal.”  they were wonderful! Such warm people. We got along wonderfully. That night we gave the performance in a lovely 17th century colonial period cathedral for over two thousand people plus live TV!  

It was explained to me that here in Ecuador you need to be “tranquillo” and just know that things will work out. It was a great lesson.  Two years later I was engaged to perform the Bartok concerto with the Orquesta Sinfonico del Loja and this time, when the prinicipal violist contacted me to say they did not have the orchestra parts to the piece I was much more laid back about it. I simply called my good friend from Caracas who happens to be the president of El Sistema and he overnighted the parts to Loja.  Rather than freaking out and being indignant I decided to be “tranquillo” and reach out to a friend. The result was the very first performance of the Bartok viola concerto in Ecuador! Sometimes when something happens unexpectedly our first impulse is to freak out but being there amongst those wonderful people made me realize that you must go with it, roll with it and trust. Things have a way of working out, perhaps not the way you imagined, but if you are “tranquillo” the music will happen.

There is a simplicity and humility in Ecuador that is refreshing. They love their local music, their Latin dances and their sense of family. It is a great place to go and “recharge” my battery.  The brass section of the orchestra can often be found playing in a a salsa band at night.  There is an amazing El Sistema youth orchestra in Quito that performs at such a high level the Ecuadorian president declared them to be a full time professional orchestra! When I go to solo with one of the big city orchestras there such as Loja and Quito I am always expected to not only give viola masterclasses  for the young people, but also conduct sectionals and often multiple private lessons with the viola section! At first this was a bit uncomfortable for me. Regardless of how good these players were, they were the local pros, the ones everyone went to for their lessons.  One would never do this in the US or Europe. But these pros realized they wanted to get better and that was all that mattered. What I found amazingly refreshing was how humble and earnest in their willingness to learn they were. It really was an amazing experience for everyone. I found that even though I did not speak Spanish, simple imitation and demonstration often sufficed.  There was a child-like eagerness in their eyes. After the group lessons we would all go out to dinner with their families at some smoky outdoor barbeque restaurant eating and laughing for hours. It was like being a part of a big family. 

And the economic situation there for professional musicians was so different. These top level musicians were making  less than 1/4 of many regional US orchestras,(less than 800/month) and they often lived in very small apartments with their extended families.  But you dont miss what you dont have or dont know. They live simply and are wonderfully content.  And people would talk to one another, not stare at their iphones! What a way to live.  Many wonderful musicians from Europe would retire from their jobs there and move to Ecuador to live more simply. I remember playing Harold in Italy one season in Quito and started talking to one of the cellists of the National Symphony. He looked European as he was quite tall and had light skin. Indeed I was amazed to learn he was a former member of the Vienna Philharmonic and moved to Quito to play in their orchestra and make soaps for a living! Every day there seemed to be something to celebrate. Such a joyous people where family and music were central to their lives.  I recommend this wonderful country to everyone. Though sometimes I get wrapped up in the day to day craziness of my life, Ecuador and its amazing people taught me all about “tranquillo” and to just go with the flow.