A Moment of Leisure Amidst a Restless City by Lisa Li

            Walking through a staircase with a glass wall displaying the scenery of Boston, you won’t feel tired when you reach the third floor. Following the gentle breath of the flute, you will be drawn toward the entrance of the auditorium of Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. Decorated with dim, yellow lights and cushioned red chairs, the auditorium has four floors, with the stage located in the middle of the first floor and the audience seats located in the balconies that surround the stage. This is an optimum arrangement for chamber music. Once you pick a seat, you may close your eyes and experience the unprecedented leisure and peace in the In-And-Out Concerts, presented by flutist Paula Robison and Pianist/Celeste player Bruce Brubaker.

            The music will slow down your heart rate, lighten the pressure in your brain, and block you from the chaos, distress, and ugliness of reality. The music does not have a specific rhythm or melody. It is a fusion of dissonance—a combination of unresolved and unrested non-chord tones—between the three instruments, which brings a rather unearthly and mysterious tone to the listeners’ ears. The soft whistles of the flute may bring you to a mountaintop surrounded by clouds and bamboo or a shore with gentle waves and dim sunlight. The warm dissonance of the piano interacts with the flute, as if two heavenly creatures are enjoying a leisurely cloud-gazing conversation. The innocent sound of the celeste interludes between the flute and piano, like the shimmering stars in a restful night and the pure morning dews that perches on the grass in a foggy dawn. Musically, the amiable interactions between these three instruments create a perfect heavenly dissonance, building a simple world for the audience to meditate in, and setting humans free from the stress, turbulence, and pain in the human world.

            Although the music is brilliant, there are some distracting movements on stage. The piano player, especially, opens his mouth and widens his eyes constantly, as if he is aghast at his music score. He also squints at his score once in a while, as if he has a hard a time finding his place. When he presses down his keys, we understand that he needs to be careful, but he presents a combination of grin and frown on his face that looks very painful. If you were to see the concert, I recommend you not to look at the piano player because he WILL make you laugh.

            Just like the name of the concert, In-And-Out, you may feel free to come and leave at any moment. If you are seeking for a moment of leisure, even for five minutes, you are welcome to come to this concert. If you are experiencing some hardship, stress, and depression, I highly recommend you to attend this concert because it helps you to clear your mind. If you live in the city and have a busy job, I especially encourage you to attend this concert and experience a slower pace of life. This concert, however, is not recommended for young kids who would be bored by the slow pace and the lack of melody of the music. If you’re interested, the concert will be held in the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum on March 16^th and 23^rd, so make sure to mark your calendar.