Concert Truck – Ashwood Playfield, Bellevue – 30 June 2023
https://www.theconcerttruck.org/events
This was my final Concert Truck encounter of the year, where I finally came to understand the nature of the arrangement. The truck, which propels its self-contained functional stage and piano criss-crossing the continent, is headquartered in Baltimore. The travelling crew consists of pianists Nick Luby and Susan Zhang (see the post of 22 June), and collaborations are arranged with music organizations of the host locations, in this case the Seattle Chamber Music Society. No wonder that the programs all feature 4-hands piano pieces. Nick does all of the driving. Of the three concerts I attended this year, this one had the most accoutrements, courtesy of the nearby Belletini (upscale senior living complex); folding chairs were provided (if I’d known I wouldn’t have shlepped my own), as well as a complimentary bottle of cold water and snack bag! The guy delivering mine, noting my off-script seating arrangement, commented that I had chosen to sit in the “orchestra section”. Plus there was a program of the selections, which included both Debussy AND Ravel (La Valse, my favorite of the bunch). Luby’s brief curatorial comments, indicative of his passion for both the music and its promulgation, are a nice touch.
Rachel Lee Priday
Mark Kososwer