The Patience of A Saint

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For weeks we have been busy rehearsing to play at a local community event this week and though we are all very excited, we have to play outside in the open air. I can see we will be playing with rain coats on as it is presently raining and looks like it is going to be wet for a few days before the sun appears. Yesterday's rehearsal took an unexpected turn in terms of organisers turning up and having to make adjustments in terms of what we will be doing for the concert. One player in the band who is a professional musician took it upon himself to ask an "innocent question" when I asked everyone in the orchestra to repeat the last four bars in one particular piece. I said it about five times so that everyone could hear me but he asked whether that meant playing at the start of the bar since he had a tied over note. Everyone just turned to look at him in complete shock. He is the only professional musician performer in the whole band apart from a cellist who just stared at me. No one could believe that he didn't understand what I asked him to do as it was plainly obvious. Later on in the rehearsal we had a rather public argument where he kept playing stuff that wasn't written down on the music. Its a trying thing when dealing with someone who is sensitive - but when they don't listen in a full open rehearsal with music designed to complement others in the band, it upsets the apple cart. I have a rehearsal tomorrow evening. I have warned him that if he steps out of line, it will be the end of his participation in our ensemble. I have put up with insults, bad mouthing and silly remarks FOR MONTHS. As one of the elderly ladies who is an amateur musician remarked to me yesterday, I have the patience of a saint. Well, saints can have off days too! (c)NR2/crystalvisions2016. Image credit: