Tonight marks a record in my performance career. Tonight I played for the largest audience to date. I will have to check for the numbers later, but it was probably 4,000 people. In a stadium, miked, with big flood lights. All the deans and other big wigs of the school sat behind us on stage, and Steve Lopez, LA journalist talked about his friendship with Anthony Ayers.

It was an interesting experience, to say the least. Beethoven was requested, and so I played Ode to Joy from Beethoven’s 9th symphony arranged for two cellos. For the processional of the deans four of my students and I played a pavan.

The ode to joy sort of annoyed me, but when I began playing it, I thought it reflected the book well, a homeless man playing fragments of Beethoven symphonies for people on the streets.

Truthfully I think this is the only convocation that I have ever attended. Like all school ceremonies it was long.

But Steve Lopez spoke well, unliek me right now exhausted and ready for bed. But I wanted to write about it while it was fresh in my mind.