Delicious Miss Daisy

I was so excited when I got the email blast announcing that premier violinist Daisy Jopling would be performing with her band in my hometown at the Katonah Village Library. Daisy was my son Cooper's first violin teacher  at the Bloomingdale School of Music in New York City. (Yes, he was only in kindergarten, but Daisy's philosophy was to have children improvise and make up actual songs rather than technique, which would come later.) She had such passion and energy, I would find myself asking to sit in on her classes just to watch her.  (Eventually she was touring so much that she stopped teaching.)

So of course Cooper (now in sixth grade) and I weren't going to miss it. Last Thursday night we sat in the front row. Daisy, petite, beautiful and British came out in a hand-knit angora sweater vest and black pleather pants and began to play Vivaldi - but unlike any Vivaldi you've ever heard. This was rock n' roll, baby!  She was revelatory to watch: her face shone as every part of her body vibrated. The sharing of herself was so complete and intimate the entire audience was blown away.

I came away inspired to share myself more in a deeper way with people, to continue to find my own voice and not write what I think others will want to hear or read. (Marketing.)

We all couldn't get enough.

And we can get more of Daisy! She will be playing with her band in Peekskill at The Paramount Theater on Saturday May 19th. Let's get a posse together and sell that theater out!