The concert went so incredibly well that I am amazed and grateful. I got a standing ovation from the audience, and was asked to sing about 40 min longer than I had budgeted…and I got two requests, one for a song that I couldn’t remember the words to, alas, and one for a rAgA (hamir kalyAN) that I could oblige.

Photos tomorrow….right now I’m all packed, ready to set off on the drive back to St.Louis, picking up Madhusmita and her husband Kusi on the way, so that I can reciprocate a bit of the hospitality they showed me in Philly in October…

I truly think your good wishes helped, because I was SO very rusty and worried about tripping up on the swara prasthAra, forgetting words, and not staying on pitch…oh well, yes, I think the god did bless me yesterday. I’ve got two more offers to give concerts…let’s see!

It’s a great source of satisfaction when I manage to do something really well, and this was beyond all my expectations. The acoustics in the hall were great, and Mr Lakshmanan, the mridangam artiste, was extremey supportive….things just came together, and this was one of the really good concerts that I have given :) I’m glad…and thankful.

But…it also makes me feel a bit sad. If I have concert-level ability in me, why don’t I practice enough? It’s like having a silver vessel and letting it tarnish…it’s just practising alone is so difficulty and demotivating, and getting concerts is too much of networking and PR work that I don’t really like to do.

Thank you, Murali…you’ve been as great a friend as you’ve ALWAYS been, with the unwavering support of Kousi.