Playing for the Dalai Lama

During last week's orchestra rehearsal, our conductor mentioned that we needed to look for the invitation to play the last movement of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony for the Dalai Lama.

There is a 5-day event in Seattle in April hosted by a group called Seeds of Compassion, featuring the Dalai Lama. For the last session of the 5 days, the organization is partnering with the Seattle Symphony to gather a mass orchestra and choir to play the last movement of Beethoven's Ninth. Our conductor said that Maestro Gerard Schwartz of the Seattle Symphony wanted 300(!) people from the community to play in the orchestra, so he has reached out to many of the area community orchestra and choral groups to assemble a massive number of musicians to perform.

We got the invitation today. I signed up, hoping that I'll be able to fit it into my work schedule. Who could resist playing not only for the Dalai Lama, but for Desmond Tutu as well? There will be one rehearsal the night before the event. Maestro Schwartz will conduct. I'm kind of giggly about all of this...if I actually do this I'll be able to say that I've played for the Dalai Lama!