I work with a LOT of talent. When I came to ships from Branson, I was used to performers at that point. I had shared the stage with plenty of amazing people doing amazing things….but then I got an even broader spectrum coming into an entertainment community that branches out across the world. Cruise lines hire from everywhere and honestly, NOT a lot of Americans. I am a minority in my circle of work peers. When you DO meet an American performer on ships chances are they are a musician. So when I met the new show band pianist I was not surprised to see he was from PA. This guy though, all things considered was mildly rough around the edges. I have to say, musicians usually are for the most part which is why I usually end up hanging out with the dancers (not a LOT less rough but less so for the most part!) as well as the fact that musicians are also almost always men. Strike out on my end again. Anyways, this new guy was young, tall, bald with little glasses, white as white can be but had a mouth on him like a kid from the projects. And with a name like Dimitri you just couldn’t add it all up…..I was amused to say the least my first conversation with him. He happened to be standing in the atrium during a set of mine (which made me nervous……fellow performers are always the worst critics) after which I came down and thanked him for watching and chatted a bit. He was kind hearted as could be, but like I said….a little rough in conversation. I imagined another rock/pop/jazz pianist who couldn’t even begin to appreciate what a classically trained pianist would have to bring to the table and was mildly intrigued when he mentioned he was working on some “pieces” of the classical genre. I gave him a standing offer to sit in on any of my sets and see what he could do.
So I was pleasantly surprised today when out of no where, at what happened to be my “classical” set of the day, Dimitri showed up. He complimented what I had just been playing and I said I would be glad to let him play….it just had to be classical as it was “tea time” and that was the preferred vibe for that particular setting. From what he had told me about his background and what he had been working on I was expecting perhaps my equal at maybe a few random well know classics.
There are many times when I am humbled and dare I say speechless at certain people’s talent and humility as performers. Dimitri sat at my piano, un tucked polo shirt, striped shorts and dirty sneakers, glasses sitting on top of his bald head and played. I was immediately breathless. From what he had told me….he was somewhat of a novice at this style and I was NOT listening to a novice. His long fingers literally danced across the keys to some of Chopin and Lizts and even Mozart’s (my personal fave’s) more difficult sonatas and etudes. I am RARELY made emotional by performers at this stage of my career. I have seen too many to count……this time was different though. I was choked up at the simplicity of this person who I had made too many quick assumptions of based on one conversation, playing such intricately difficult and stunning pieces that I could not even fathom playing unless hours were put in practicing and even then my small hands would probably never be able to handle the amount of notes and length it takes to play that sort of classical piece. I was choked up too by the humility of someone who could just sit and play so effortlessly with so much precision and emotion and still be able to turn around and tell ME I was a wonderful musician. And even with all that he still, after finishing his first selection, turned and asked “Was that ok? I know YOU’RE much better at this style but I really wanted to come play some of this since I never get to”. All I could do was smile like an idiot and say…it was perfect.
I have been so lucky to meet so many people like Dimitri, who not only show me what amazing talent looks and sounds like, but also what true passion for art and true humility look like as well. I have seen dancers who could be gracing the stages of national ballets and heard singers who should (some who have) been on Broadway and listened to musicians who could solo in any band or orchestra I have ever heard. And more often then not, THOSE are the ones you want to spend time with. They’re the ones who have usually been my long standing friends in this crazy life style and have been my inspirations and motivations to better myself as a performer AND as a person. I find often that the truly talented ones are usually the most down to earth and humble. I am SO lucky to be surrounded by them every day of every contract I take. It’s them that make doing what we all do together that much more worthwhile and fulfilling. I hope at least some of them get to read this because they know who they are…..and to them I want to say thank you. I am a very fortunate person to work with you and call you my friends. Hopefully I can one day match the level they’re all at as a professional AND a person…..
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