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Magic moments in music

Incidents like the one I am going to relate often happen to people who play in bands and I’m sure many of you would agree that, some ‘magic moments’ occur from time to time. Like when recently I was playing with Diddychwy at a wedding in a winery in the Clare Valley.

During a break we were sitting around listening to speeches by the best man and others. The father of the bride mentioned how proud he was of his Daughter and her achievements and of how she was a ‘classical Flautist’ and had played in some of the great European Orchestras.

Later in the evening after we had played for the guest to dance and were about to play a few tunes while they got their breath back, I asked the bride if she would like to play a tune with us. She came on stage glanced through our music and said, “I’ll play that one,” pointing to the score of the ‘Belfast Hornpipe.’

So giving her my old beat up flute and thinking, “she probably plays an instrument that’s worth a thousand times more than it.” The band played the tune with her at a moderate pace, to the applause of her guests.

I was in no doubt that she was a brilliant flautist. So as the clapping died down, I cheekily asked her if she would like to play it again at a faster pace, she smiled and said “she’d love to.”

There she was in her bridal dress enjoying herself immensely. We played the ‘Belfast at a cracking speed and she got a standing ovation. 

By Tony Gill