By Phyllis Galowitz

Last Saturday evening, July 9th, was the first of the Summer Honest Brook Concerts. I look forward to them every year. Held in a huge, red barn, surrounded by beautiful gardens, they offer more than the delight of fine classical music. Even though it poured that night, the rain, hitting the roof and bouncing off the windows, seemed to add to the music. The program featured Ji, a young Korean pianist whom we had had the pleasure of hearing two years ago, when he was 23 years old. At 25, he still looks like a boy, small boned, with smooth, baby skin.

Because of his boyish appearance, it wasn’t at all shocking when he appeared on stage in electric blue pants, rolled up to his calves, black kidskin, elf-like shoes and a pink and cream striped shirt, the sleeves turned up above his wrists. Why should that be shocking? Rock musicians and country western performers certainly dress in some weird outfits and hairdos and we accept it from them. Why not from classical musicians?

As soon as Ji sat down to play, I knew we were being treated to a very special evening. His fingers danced over the keys, one hand over the other and back again, while his feet danced, back and forth, between the pedals. His face, which I saw in profile from where I was lucky to be sitting, was constantly changing expressions, mostly of joy, as he played the Bach’s “Goldberg Variations,” an hour-long piece that he seemed to have memorized completely! It was a magnificent evening and I’m looking forward to the next performance, this coming Saturday night, of the Horszowski Trio.

My garden is not doing well. The chipmunks think the garden is theirs. They skip over the containers on the porch, snipping the most colorful and tempting delicacies; an eggplant leaf and blossom here, a lantana blossom there, the newly regrown Johnny-jump-ups that they tasted before and found to be delicious! Whatever can I do?

The Catskill Recreation Center is my third home away from home. The first, of course is my very own. The second is the library, where I spend countless hours, helping where I can and socializing with those others who love being there as I do, putting the Gazette together, getting books ready to be distributed and all the other things that I find to be fun at the library.

The Recreation Center is my playground: swimming, t’ai chi classes and all the other activities that I could avail myself of, if I had the time, all of which keep me healthy and happy!~