No, I’m not talking about people. I’m actually talking about the number of musical services I’m doing just this weekend. I just finished playing the Vigil Mass with Benediction for Advent II, then I’ll play two Sunday morning services — one the monthly communion service at Nuuanu Congregational Church, the other the High Mass for St. Mark’s Episcopal. On Monday night, I’ll be playing another High Mass, this one will be for the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, for which the choir will be singing the lovely mass setting, Missa Brevis, by Becky McGlade (b. 1974).

But on Tuesday night, I will be accompanying violinist Maile Reeves at my condo’s annual Christmas party, and we’ll be playing festive holiday music for violin and keyboard. I’ll be taking my electronic keyboard downstairs to the Honolulu Park Place club and Maile and I will be playing as people pick up their free meals.

Do a Google search on Maile and here’s what it says:

Maile Reeves is a prominent Honolulu-based violinist, a first violinist with the Hawai`i Symphony Orchestra (HSO), private instructor, chamber musician (Manoa Strings Quartet), and studio recording artist, known for her versatility in classical, chamber, and Polynesian music, often playing for weddings and events while also teaching at Punahou School’s Music School and performing with HSO across various styles. She’s an active figure in Hawaii’s music scene, even dancing Tahitian as part of her artistic life. 

Maile and I used to play a lot of Japanese weddings together, and of course, she’s been part of the Bach Chamber Orchestra for decades.

A year ago, Maile was profiled in Bob Sigall’s weekly column in the Honolulu Star-Advertiser, where she said, ““I never thought I’d share the stage with the likes of musicians such as Luciano Pavarotti, Lang Lang, the Sons of Hawaii, the Bolshoi Ballet, Three Dog Night, Leonard Bernstein and Sarah Chang, to name a few. It’s hard to whine when collaborating with musicians who are at the top of their game.”

I believe this is the 11th year that I’ve been on my condo’s Christmas party committee, but the first in which I’m part of the entertainment. Do you know that I bought my Yamaha electronic keyboard at a garage sale over twenty years ago for only $25? in the last couple of days, I’ve been having fun experimenting with all the different sounds it can make. Maile and I will sightread a bunch of Christmas carols and will make things up on the fly! I believe this is a first for me (to play music for FUN!), and it’s likely to be more entertaining than serious music-making.

In addition to the poster above, and all the numbered tickets, I also designed the poster announcing the menu, where to pick up tickets, and encouraging people to bring a dessert for our first ever potluck dessert table. I myself am going to contribute two pans of cranberry bars, which I’ve made on several occasions and are absolutely yummy. The bottom layer is a delicious shortbread crust.

After Tuesday night, I’ll be able to breathe again, and then I’ll be playing a rash of Christmas services shortly thereafter. The life of a musician never stops!