# "Outrageous" but "sincere" classical music dreams, for the musicians mostly



## clavichorder (May 2, 2011)

*"Outrageous" but "sincere" classical music dreams, for the musicians mostly*

Maybe you are at a point in your life and career where you are content with your lot in musical pursuits, you have a good job or are a passionate and skilled hobbyist doing what you love to do or had previously aspired to do.

Or maybe you are like me, and have some sincere hopes and fantasies, of performing this or that kind of music, writing such and such music, owning this instrument, having this kind of knowledge or job, ect.

I presume that even if you are in the former category, there is more yet which can capture your imagination or at some point in your life, you had ideas of where you wanted to go. By sincere I do not mean that you necessarily are 100% confident that it will happen, and so I added outrageous to point the thread in the direction of the not entirely sober and practical, but still possible and something that would sincerely make your dreams come true. That being said, however you prefer to think, be it very realistic and standard or more creative and ambitious than life would permit, you can share it.

I'll share one to start.

One of my funnier ideas is to have a virginal and put it to a certain kind of use. Not just any virginal, but one that would be fit to busk outdoors, maybe under a rain cover if needed, in a charitable climate like the one I live in. I'd like to have made that virginal from plans, maybe with modification for its outdoor use, cover, legs ect. Its timber and loudness would be suited to the nice little semi busy/public nook that I selected for my set up. I would have lots of music memorized, Virginal music by the likes of Byrd, Bull, Tomkins, Farnaby, Gibbons, Phillips and more; and I would also carry sheet music. I would also have pieces of my own that were composed in that style and play them. I might even get to the point where I played at music festivals, arranged music for virginal, and other fitting instruments like Lute, Viola da Gamba, Recorder, or maybe even some more unconventional ones like Guitar, Oboe, that still sounded good with it. Last, I might have some solid faculty for improvising on it in appropriate styles. Maybe occasionally I'd try something totally different on it.


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## clavichorder (May 2, 2011)

And what I wouldn't give for a really compatible woman who plays an instrument and is into classical music.


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## Musicforawhile (Oct 10, 2014)

clavichorder said:


> And what I wouldn't give for a really compatible woman who plays an instrument and is into classical music.


Well you're in the right place to find one.


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## clavichorder (May 2, 2011)

Musicforawhile said:


> Well you're in the right place to find one.


Ha, believe it or not, I did in fact date someone from this site for a while.


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## Musicforawhile (Oct 10, 2014)

I would love to accompany myself singing with the lute...that's my future dream.


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## Musicforawhile (Oct 10, 2014)

And also...get more familiar with Nigerian instruments like the talking drum and Nigerian lute.


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## clavichorder (May 2, 2011)

Musicforawhile said:


> I would love to accompany myself singing with the lute...that's my future dream.


Would you play your own music, or songs like John Dowland's and Robert Johnson's or something else?


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## Musicforawhile (Oct 10, 2014)

clavichorder said:


> Ha, believe it or not, I did in fact date someone from this site for a while.


I am sure it happens quite a lot, in this forum and other forums.


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## Musicforawhile (Oct 10, 2014)

clavichorder said:


> Would you play your own music, or songs like John Dowland's and Robert Johnson's or something else?


Definitely John Dowland yes. And there is something I am working on composition-wise actually! I had thought it was an original idea, but found out it's not actually, but that doesn't matter. Rufus Wainwright had the same idea ... I am trying to compose some music to poems...the poems of the most famous English poet/dramatist. I got the idea because there is just a natural rhythm and music when you speak the lines of poetry (and in normal speech anyway) and I wanted to sort of amplify that.


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## SiegendesLicht (Mar 4, 2012)

I want to play the organ. At least I want to try just once, since I am not much of a musician. If I could play Wagner on the organ, that would be even better. I can even think of a certain church where I would most like to try (St. Severin, the island of Sylt, where the wind howls and the sea roars outside and where the natives of the island worshiped Odin before the church was ever built), but anywhere else would do too.


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## Ingélou (Feb 10, 2013)

I would like it if Taggart & I could find other baby-boomer hobby-musicians, then we could form a group that played folk music but also early or renaissance and a bit of pop-baroque; we'd call ourselves The Codgers and tour church halls and old people's homes until they paid us to go away...


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## senza sordino (Oct 20, 2013)

When I retire, in about seven to ten years from now, depending on how much energy my employer sucks out of me, I'd like to return to university to do a music degree. Or perhaps between now and my retirement, I could complete the ARCT (Diploma from the Royal Conservatory of Toronto who credits music students across the country) in violin performance. Then after retirement I could teach beginners and this could supplement my income.


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## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

SiegendesLicht said:


> I want to play the organ. At least I want to try just once, since I am not much of a musician. If I could play Wagner on the organ, that would be even better. I can even think of a certain church where I would most like to try (St. Severin, the island of Sylt, where the wind howls and the sea roars outside and where the natives of the island worshiped Odin before the church was ever built), but anywhere else would do too.


I'm not touching this one! Oh how I long for a mod-free world!! :tiphat:


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## BaronScarpia (Apr 2, 2014)

I have a dream, but it really is outrageous. But sincere. And maybe even possible 

I would absolutely LOVE to sing at Covent Garden one day... hell, any of the world's major stages would do it for me! But ROH is my 'local' theatre


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## violadude (May 2, 2011)

I want to be the greatest and most trusted composition teacher in the land that all kids come to and have an interest in classical music introduced to and fostered within them. 

And it would be nice to become a part of the "great composers" canon too.


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## Badinerie (May 3, 2008)

I wish I could sing... I can't though, well without people throwing things. I have played Guitar and Mandolin in bands and enjoyed it, but my dream is to play guitar AND sing in a blues band or Folk Band. Not going to happen though as long as other people have ears! It might not seem outrageous to you dear forum members but you havnt heard me!


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## tdc (Jan 17, 2011)

As far as classical music, my goal is to reach a reasonably high level of performance ability on all the plucked-string instruments and the various keyboard instruments. To be able to improvise well on those instruments in various styles, and to be able to compose well in a variety of styles.


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## Jobis (Jun 13, 2013)

To play organ at the notre dame de paris. Its technically possible!


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## OlivierM (Jul 31, 2014)

After only learning the piano for a few years when I was young, I would love to get the motivation to start again. Being single would leave the time, but lacking the motivation (feeling old, at nearly 40, to start something that won't give good results before ten years or more).


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## trazom (Apr 13, 2009)

Nothing outrageous too outrageous, I'm afraid. I'm well on my way to my dream, since it's modest/ not completely unrealistic to begin with, unlike, say trying to be the next great genius composer; rather, just to become an excellent keyboard player. Since I've been playing for ten years now(and the flute 2 years before that) and am already considered 'advanced' by my teacher, it's not something that's completely of reach depending on how much time, effort and quality practice I continue to put in. I'd like to learn some more classical and baroque pieces and I enjoy playing for small groups of people, which is what the music I like is best suited for anyways! So it all works out. Plus, I'm more driven towards a general direction rather than specific goals so anything I do accomplish along the way is more of a pleasant surprise.


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## ptr (Jan 22, 2013)

Jobis said:


> To play organ at the notre dame de paris. Its technically possible!


You're steeling my dream Job!!!, would love to play his transcription of "Le Sacre du printemps" four handed with Olivier Latry! (titulaire des grands orgue at NDP!)

/ptr


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## QuietGuy (Mar 1, 2014)

I would like to hear my compositions performed well. As a comp major in college, I had to give a recital. The pieces were not rehearsed enough, and, obviously, the performances were not good. My fault.

I believe the quality of the music is good, even if the harmonic language is not the most modern. (I had traditional harmonic practices etched into my brain before I got to college, and it was hard for me to let go of it and find a modern idiom which felt natural to me.) 

I was able to turn out a few good pieces. One of these is a short orchestral piece, fully orchestrated, which I've never heard, except in the piano reduction. I've got choral pieces, band pieces, songs, chamber pieces which are good enough to deserve some attention. 

If I were 30 years younger, I know there would be opportunities for my works to be heard -- festivals, competitions, etc. But not now. At 57, the parade has passed me by. I have no contact with any group or conductor. And no one close by with whom to discuss music on my level. (Except this forum. )

But I can dream, can't I?


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## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

violadude said:


> I want to be the greatest and most trusted composition teacher in the land that all kids come to and have an interest in classical music introduced to and fostered within them.
> 
> And it would be nice to become a part of the "great composers" canon too.


Old people like me think that wishing for just _one_ thing is asking a lot.

I wish I were young again. Go, violadude!


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## Musicforawhile (Oct 10, 2014)

SiegendesLicht said:


> I can even think of a certain church where I would most like to try (St. Severin, the island of Sylt, where the wind howls and the sea roars outside and where the natives of the island worshiped Odin before the church was ever built), but anywhere else would do too.


You sound like a writer.


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## Taggart (Feb 14, 2013)

Badinerie said:


> I wish I could sing... I can't though, well without people throwing things. I have played Guitar and Mandolin in bands and enjoyed it, but my dream is to play guitar AND sing in a blues band or Folk Band. Not going to happen though as long as other people have ears! It might not seem outrageous to you dear forum members but you havnt heard me!


Nonsense, we used to hear some very odd blues singers from the Teeside Delta- you couldn't be worse then some of them!


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## Taggart (Feb 14, 2013)

OlivierM said:


> After only learning the piano for a few years when I was young, I would love to get the motivation to start again. Being single would leave the time, but lacking the motivation (feeling old, at nearly 40, to start something that won't give good results before ten years or more).


Spring chicken! I started again at 61!


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## science (Oct 14, 2010)

Ingélou said:


> I would like it if Taggart & I could find other baby-boomer hobby-musicians, then we could form a group that played folk music but also early or renaissance and a bit of pop-baroque; we'd call ourselves The Codgers and tour church halls and old people's homes until they paid us to go away...


You'd be welcome at my house, but you'd go broke.


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## hreichgott (Dec 31, 2012)

I'd like to help make some more classical music fans.


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## science (Oct 14, 2010)

Perhaps because I'm so short on musical talent and can't easily imagine what it might be like to have some, my musical dreams tend to be about how I'd spend my money if I had a lot more of it.

I'd love to commission some operas - Beowulf, Dracula, Snow White, Søren and Regine (all about Kierkegaard), Briseis (the Iliad from that character's POV)... 

But especially, a long series of operas on 20th century history, of which I've put a little thought into a few (I have a list, and Google will explain any title that you want to find out about): Man of Steel in Baku, Ludlow, Who After All Speaks Today, Banana Massacre, The Bonus Army, The White Rose, A Piece of His Own Heart, The Long March, MacArthur in Korea, McCarthy, Not a Crook, The Dogs of Villa Grimaldi, Khomeini, Kill the Messenger, Al-Anfal, Field of Blackbirds, GKChP, Lion of Panjshir, Shock Therapy for Yukos (notice that framing device!)... 

Operas like that would probably bore most people to sleep, or hopefully frighten us awake, but if I had a billion dollars, we'd be able to see the Met perform them.


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## clavichorder (May 2, 2011)

hreichgott said:


> I'd like to help make some more classical music fans.


You and me both...!


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## aleazk (Sep 30, 2011)

To be a very good piano player (not necessarily at professional level). To be able to pull some decent improvisations in the piano (in a variety of styles). To compose a couple of successful pieces in some colorful contemporary style. To have these pieces played by some decent orchestra.

I'm not even remotely close to any of these goals. But hey... *insert optimistic joke here*


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## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

I dreamt I was swimming in the beautiful Mediterranean Sea last night off the breathtaking Amalfi Coast with Debussy's La Mer providing the colorful soundtrack. It was my best wet dream ever!!!


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## stevens (Jun 23, 2014)

To play a dense, astounding recital consisting of Rachmaninov and Chopin
(or Wohltemperierte 1+2)

(Im working at it)


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## Badinerie (May 3, 2008)

hpowders said:


> I dreamt I was swimming in the beautiful Mediterranean Sea last night off the breathtaking Amalfi Coast with Debussy's La Mer providing the colorful soundtrack. It was my best wet dream ever!!!


Apart from the Debussy....done that!


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## tdc (Jan 17, 2011)

aleazk said:


> To be a very good piano player (not necessarily at professional level). To be able to pull some decent improvisations in the piano (in a variety of styles). To compose a couple of successful pieces in some colorful contemporary style. To have these pieces played by some decent orchestra.
> 
> I'm not even remotely close to any of these goals. But hey... *insert optimistic joke here*


Have you ever thought of composing a solo instrument piece or a chamber work you could perform as an accompanist? I'll bet you could pull off something quite nice.

*edit *- I recall you've done some solo instrument pieces already before, and they _are_ nice, imo you should continue to do more. :tiphat:


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## Weston (Jul 11, 2008)

I would loved to design or have a painting on a classical CD cover, but I think you have to be dead for that. Well, then a progressive rock CD. That's a dream I never fulfilled and probably never will. (I have done book and magazine covers though, back in the day, much to my ongoing surprise due to a kind of imposter syndrome.)


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## Figleaf (Jun 10, 2014)

hpowders said:


> I dreamt I was swimming in the beautiful Mediterranean Sea last night off the breathtaking Amalfi Coast with Debussy's La Mer providing the colorful soundtrack. It was my best wet dream ever!!!


That sounds like a highbrow version of the Dolce and Gabbana perfume ad featuring a gorgeous male model (may have been David Gandy) swimming in the Med to the sound of the lovely but cheesy song 'Parlami d'amore, Mariu'. I confess I wouldn't mind being in that scene, too. Except that 'Parlami d'amore' would be sung by Giuseppe di Stefano. And I would actually be able to swim.


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## MoonlightSonata (Mar 29, 2014)

To play in the Royal Albert Hall


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## GGluek (Dec 11, 2011)

I do not even pretend that I could conduct an orchestra in any way other than just waving my arms while the musicians ignored me and played the notes the way they known they go, but if I had the opportunity to lead a short piece that was probably within my compass, I would like to conduct the menuetto from Beethoven's Eighth Symphony.


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## senza sordino (Oct 20, 2013)

I'd like to give a violin recital. Nothing fancy, just a few of my friends in the audience. I'd hire a piano accompanist. But I get so nervous when I perform in front of others. Really nervous. So much that I don't do this type of thing. I have this conflicted brain, one part of me wants to share the music and I'm conceited enough to think they want to hear me, and the other get so nervous I won't do it, why subject myself to the agony of performance. When I do perform, it's in the security of the big orchestra, not in a small recital setting.


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## Art Rock (Nov 28, 2009)

Weston said:


> I would loved to design or have a painting on a classical CD cover, but I think you have to be dead for that. Well, then a progressive rock CD. That's a dream I never fulfilled and probably never will. (I have done book and magazine covers though, back in the day, much to my ongoing surprise due to a kind of imposter syndrome.)


My wife achieved that: link.


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## PetrB (Feb 28, 2012)

OlivierM said:


> After only learning the piano for a few years when I was young, I would love to get the motivation to start again. Being single would leave the time, but lacking the motivation (feeling old, at nearly 40, to start something that won't give good results before ten years or more).


I taught piano for decades, almost exclusively to 'returning' adults... _*so do it.*_

The pressure / possibility that you are probably never going to reach concert level can be actually quite liberating, i.e. you are doing it for yourself.

I feel some sadness for anyone who does not have a non-passive entertainment which engages them... there is something forever more 'dependent' about those who do not.


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## senza sordino (Oct 20, 2013)

I have more outrageous but sincere dreams. I would like to get some private lessons from a very famous violinist. Do they even have the time for private lessons? A couple of hours with James Ehnes, Hilary Hahn, Andrew Manze, Tasmin Little, Gidon Kramer, Maxim Vengerov, Leila Josefowicz. Anyone like this will do.


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## aleazk (Sep 30, 2011)

tdc said:


> Have you ever thought of composing a solo instrument piece or a chamber work you could perform as an accompanist? I'll bet you could pull off something quite nice.
> 
> *edit *- I recall you've done some solo instrument pieces already before, and they _are_ nice, imo you should continue to do more. :tiphat:


Well, thanks. Yes, that's a good idea.

Although my "Outrageous" but "sincere" classical music dream is a big and colorful orchestral composition


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## Richannes Wrahms (Jan 6, 2014)

hpowders said:


> I dreamt I was swimming in the beautiful Mediterranean Sea last night off the breathtaking Amalfi Coast with Debussy's La Mer providing the colorful soundtrack. It was my best wet dream ever!!!


Could you hear the Rheintöchter singing for you to tell the Sirènes that they are alive and well as is Das Rheingold? They might be confined to the Rhine but do they sing! Anyway, the poor Sirènes of the night and the Aallottaret of the day got their gold all disolved so nobody can really steal it, but their singing is rare and completely unintelligible.

There's a good load of irony in this message, I hope the readers will be able to catch most of it.


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## Perotin (May 29, 2012)

I'm a modest person, I wish I could hear four- and five-part counterpoint, i.e. each single one of the 4/5 voices distinctly.


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## AndyS (Dec 2, 2011)

I wish my voice wasn't deteriorating at the alarming rate it has over the last year (and I'm only 31)


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## Badinerie (May 3, 2008)

Richannes Wrahms said:


> Could you hear the Rheintöchter singing for you to tell the Sirènes that they are alive and well as is Das Rheingold? They might be confined to the Rhine but do they sing! Anyway, the poor Sirènes of the night and the Aallottaret of the day got their gold all disolved so nobody can really steal it, but their singing is rare and completely unintelligible.
> 
> There's a good load of irony in this message, I hope the readers will be able to catch most of it.


There's a little secluded but stony beach on Capri called the Siren beach where the Sirens were reputed to lure sailors to there doom. Not great for sunbathing,bit lumpy but I manage to sunbathe and swim there. Capri is my Fantasy home. I love it there.


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## Richannes Wrahms (Jan 6, 2014)

Perotin said:


> I'm a modest person, I wish I could hear four- and five-part counterpoint, i.e. each single one of the 4/5 voices distinctly.


Well, you will If you train your ears to do it (take your time with it, enjoy the process). It helps to begin by focusing on a single line at a time then two lines (soprano-bass being usually the clearest pair) then three and it does take quite a bit of patience to go beyond 4 but it is possible and very rewarding, It's similar to the step-by-step way counterpoint writing is usually taught. If it's well written you should be able to focus on each individual line without much effort. Imitative counterpoint makes it easier to pick up the lines . You don't really have to be able to score-read, I would say it's even better to do this eyes closed, but guiding yourself with the score can help you see the lines more clearly and to avoid getting lost.

This one is perhaps not the best example, but I bring it up for the sake of variety.


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## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

Badinerie said:


> There's a little secluded but stony beach on Capri called the Siren beach where the Sirens were reputed to lure sailors to there doom. Not great for sunbathing,bit lumpy but I manage to sunbathe and swim there. Capri is my Fantasy home. I love it there.


I was on Capri last May, but missed that beach.


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## BaronScarpia (Apr 2, 2014)

senza sordino said:


> I would like to get some private lessons from a very famous violinist. Do they even have the time for private lessons? A couple of hours with James Ehnes, Hilary Hahn, Andrew Manze, Tasmin Little, Gidon Kramer, Maxim Vengerov, Leila Josefowicz.


I know Vengerov does; one of my friends had a couple of lessons with him


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## BaronScarpia (Apr 2, 2014)

AndyS said:


> I wish my voice wasn't deteriorating at the alarming rate it has over the last year (and I'm only 31)


That's really terrible! Have you consulted a vocal technician?


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## clavichorder (May 2, 2011)

I want to write a set of 6 concerti grossi in a baroque influenced style, departing as little from that idiom as possible but with my own voice. Then, if I am never to hear these works performed, I will take the time personally to set up a "digital performance" with high end programs and samples like Native Instruments or Cubase.


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## CharlieCello (Nov 21, 2014)

For me, it would be able to perform in a front of an audience, somewhere outside in London (it's always sunny in London in my dream - ha!). I would be playing the cello perfectly, doing my own take on some modern songs, similar to what 2CELLOS and The Piano Guys do.

Just a dream, but would love for it to become a reality one day.


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