We left the equipment in our Jeep, Layla, to scope out the area in which we were to play for the evening. On the way in, we tried to imagine what it would be like to make music inside the library, in the same workspace that we treasure for peace and quiet. When we told one of the librarians that we were there and ready to set up, she greeted us kindly and assured us that people know the library as a community space, not always quiet, but always welcoming. On our way through the atrium, we walked by this sign.
It was quiet, though, and our first sound check brought people out of the nooks and corners to see what was going on. Melinda, the program director, had set up ten rows of six chairs each, and we wondered who would come to fill them. She said, "Our people appreciate music," and sure enough, the seats began to fill. By a little before 6:30, they were full, and Melinda was ready to introduce us. She waited a few minutes and remarked on the quiet anticipation, asking someone to tell a joke. There was still silence until Dean took a selfie to break the ice. Then an audience member (we later came to know him as "T") asked if the "e" in our last name is pronounced or silent and Dean told him the story we had heard from his dad about the French origin of his Italian name. We added a teaser, explaining that we would sing a few duets recorded by Andrea Bocelli and that Dean would try to sing a line of Italian for the first time (and he did!)
We began with "I've Got a Crush on You" and rolled through the decades from the 1920s to the 2020s. Melinda had given us a library cart, where we had placed a freshly cut bouquet of zinnias from the garden, and we pulled books and CD props off of it while we told stories about the songs. The audience participation in the Cheers to Duets program exceeded our expectations. Time flew.
The Atrium is a gorgeous place for music. After the concert, Melinda asked when we could come back, and we told her that we would come back in the spring. We had lovely conversations with some old and new friends: in the words of one of them, Deb, "Friday nights are magical." This one was, indeed.
As we packed up, we realized that we had been so immersed in the music that we had not gotten any pictures other than the pre-show selfie. Although it was Friday, some people had worked studiously through the evening as we sang. A few minutes before closing time, a woman walked by with her backpack and said, "Thanks for the music! The night was peaceful and productive for me." She explained that she was studying for her LPN, and the music created a conducive atmosphere for her evening's work.
Meanwhile, we felt the pull of the ocean tide, as we were heading to Delaware. While we were there, we stopped at Rehoboth Library to work, and we met the activities director, Jay, and discussed playing a spring duets program there on Earth Day and Arbor Day.
We look forward to other library visits, and we recently heard from Sarah at the Downingtown Library, where we had stopped this summer to have lunch at Kerr Park on the banks of Brandywine Creek's East Branch. This is not the last of our library love. It is only the beginning!
~with love and peace, Vicki and Dean
The Villones
