Music! With Anya, and from Peru

Today has been absolutely fantastic.
Last night I got together with my bandmate from Minneapolis, Anya, who had her violin with her. We played some tunes and it was just wonderful to reminesce about Old Man Orville days and hear those songs again and to play with her. She's been in Paris for a few days (she's on break from studying in Italy for the year) and has been playing her violin on the street, earning between 12 and 19 euros an hour! I don't know if she plays longer than an hour at a time, but that's darn good money!

We were supposed to meet up today near the Louvre and play together so between two of my classes I went to the Louvre to try to find her but couldn't... we played text-message tag and agreed to meet tomorrow instead. It seemed pointless to go back to school without even trying to play and make some money, especially after hauling my guitar all around Paris, so I set up in a archway to the Louvre where the acoustics are quite wonderful for amplifying sound. I had seen/heard a flute player in there a few weeks ago. I played the 7 or 8 Old Man Orville and self-written songs that I knew and managed to have a large enough repitoire to not have to repeat them too often- I'm pretty sure no one heard the same song twice since they were just passing through.

At first no one was interested in stopping and sparing me some change- after about 4 songs a man stopped and emptied his coin purse- 70 centimes. That's a whole US dollar! After a few more songs someone gave me a euro. I played in the archway for about 35 minutes and then had to go back to class but in 35 minutes I collected 7.75 euros! Amazing! I was absolutely blissful when I packed up and headed home on the Metro.

When I got to Chatelet, the station where I had to transfer trains, I was walking through the tunnels and I heard an amazing flute band playing somewhere... I kept walking in my predetermined direction and came across a 5 piece flute and string band from Peru!!! What's more, one of the musicians I had seen playing at Gare du Nord just yesterday and had stopped to talk with his friend who was selling his CDs!

A sidenote: I've been dying to hear Peruvian music since I've arrived in France. It's not that I heard much when I was in Minneapolis either, but at least I had a real stereo that I could turn it up on and dance around my bedroom. Here, I only have my headphones.

I stopped and listened to this 5 piece band and almost cried with happiness. I was running late for class but figured that this moment was much more important than whatever my sociology teacher was presenting that day. (Turns out there was a very interesting guest speaker, but I only missed 15 minutes of class.) I talked with the band's CD seller for a while and he told me a CD cost 15 euros, but he would give me a deal if I bought two... I talked with him a little about the music they were playing and asked him if he knew a certain song that's been my favorite for a long time; he didn't know it but recognized it when I played it for him on my iPod. (Bless technology!) He asked the band to play it next and althought it wasn't my song exactly, El Comerciante, it was pretty close and I was in floored. I yipped and clapped and rolled my tongue and the musicians laughed but everyone else in the crowded Metro looked kind of alarmed.

I decided to buy a CD and gave the man a 20 euro bill and he gave me both of the CDs! No complaints there! I suppose I got each CD for 15 dollars instead of 15 euros! He asked me if I liked music (it was kind of obvious, as I was so ridiculously excited AND carrying around my guitar) and gave me a flier for a concert that's happening tonight. A somewhat well-known band from Venezuela is playing at a Cultural Center just nearby and I have decided to go to that instead of going to drawing tonight. Hands down. No question.

I am feeling quite overwhelmed by music at the moment; I hope I can retain my interest in my IES classes for the rest of the semester! It's been a good one so far.

That's all for now!
-Rebecca