Duet: Death's Recital

by Lizzie Vega

  Kelli sat forward in her chair, “Not nice, Doc.” A couple others cleared their throat as well but remained silent. All of them missed the quick wink to the class’s most timid freshman as he took his place at the piano.

  Mikayla heard a creak from behind them as someone stood up. Making his way quickly down the steps, Ethan took a seat at the front of the class. He smiled up at Mia, “You got this,” he said softly. It was the first words he had spoken in class in weeks.

  Mikayla’s eyes jumped to the empty seat next to him, looking for any movement. Kelli did the same and their eyes met, “Is she here?”

  No movement from the chair next to him, Ethan kept his eyes straight ahead, focused on Mia with an encouraging smile. She looked back at him, then up the rows to Michael. Putting her hand to her stomach, she looked at Evenson, his fingers poised and ready above the keys, “Stomach first,” she croaked quietly, “but, I want to do this.”

  The instructor looked out at the class with a smirk. Playing the instantly recognizable piano introduction to a country classic, the pressure in the room surged until Mia turned to them and began to sing an old Patsy Cline classic.

  Her low contralto voice nailed the first two notes and jaws dropped across the room. “Cra-zy, I’m crazy for feeling so lonely…”

  Mikayla gasped as she sang, then smiled as Mia looked down at Ethan with a thankful smile. One flawed musician making a gentle effort to support another. Mikayla felt proud for him.

  No sooner did she look at him, Mia turned and looked up the aisle toward Michael, but Mikayla was already one step ahead. With Kelli’s comment, she knew from the moment the song began, that Mia’s feelings might be directed upward. A sinuous line of blue light streamed from Mia’s petite frame, boldly contradicting both her stature and her earlier nervousness with a rich and oddly stage-worthy vibrato.

  Mikayla was staring at the colors so intently, she barely felt Kelli tap her on the arm. She blinked and looked away, nodding to her with a smile. Where Kelli had noticed a brief connection between the two performers, Mikayla watched as the colors surrounded the young man.

  To his credit, the professor continued his spare accompaniment, not wanting to take anything away from Mia’s performance. The short country ballad came to a melodic end and applause rolled down the rows to the beaming young singer. Kelli elbowed Mikayla in the ribs, “We so gotta hang out with her.”

  Mikayla nodded as she watched the last few wisps of blue and green lights swirl around Michael. “Yeah,” she nodded, her eyes shining as she clapped, “That might be the point of all of this.” She reached down for her violin and Kelli took her arm, “What are you playing anyway?”

  Mikayla shrugged as she picked up her case, “A little experiment,” she said quietly, “I won’t exactly know until we’re into it.”

  Kelli grinned, “Improv, oh God. Do you want me to come sit with you?” She pointed down to the front row where Ethan remained. “Oh, yeah, maybe not. Does he know you’re playing?”

  “No. Do I look scared?” she whispered.

  “A little bit, yeah.”

  “Oh boy. Here’s goes.” And Mikayla stood just as Ethan began to rise out of his chair.

  “Mikayla? You’re up,” The professor said loudly enough to be heard over all the post-performance chatter. Ethan looked up and grinned, promptly sitting back down. Kelli cleared her throat, “Well, look at that. Have fun.”

  Chapter 31

  Evenson was silent until Mikayla set her violin case on the piano, “How’s your paw?” he asked, “Still want to do this?” He made an adjustment on a small mixing board to the side of the piano and connected it to the classroom’s main sound system.

  Making a fist, she waved her hand back and forth, then looked up at her class, “I feel…apprehensive.” He nodded, turning back to the class, “Mikayla is taking a risk today,” he began, then pointed to Mia and Michael, “In addition to following those two, and other than a quick discussion when she agreed to do this, she has no idea what I’m going to play.” He raised his eyebrows, “How’s that for provoking some anxiety?”

  “That works,” Mikayla said, then stood still, “Oh right,” she tapped her forehead, then her heart, “It’s about equal chaos at the moment.”

  The professor turned to the students, “We’ll both make some mistakes. To be fair, I know what’s coming but I’m going to see what she does, and I might jam a little on my own.” He reached out for her violin, “Can I borrow that for a sec?”

  Handing him her violin, he produced a small microphone and stuck it just below the sound bar and above the fine tuners. “It won’t leave a mark, I promise,” he said. “Do a little warm-up so I can get a sound level.” He handed her an ear bud, “You’ll hear the pre-recorded track better this way. It’s tied into the sound system.”

  Rotating her wrist, she brought the instrument up to her chin, she was pleased to see the low-rise mic staying clear of her bow hand. Dr Evenson played a tuning A note and Mikayla instinctively played it back to him. It seemed loud in her ear, but the power of it felt good.

  “Close?” he asked. As she nodded, he smiled, “Rip something out, let’s test the volume. Like this.” He threw his fingers onto the keyboard and played a quick pop-sounding progression then finished with a bluesy ending, “Something like that.”

  She watched his hands but the uptick in volume surprised her as she played back the progression almost note perfect. A small slide at the end added a little honky-tonk flavor. The professor acknowledged an appreciative whoop from Kelli. “Yeah, I might be the one in trouble here.” He turned to Mikayla, “Whatever happens, just have fun okay? I’ll direct you a little and signal you with changes, when I point to you, play anything your little heart desires.”

  He turned to the mixing board, only then did Mikayla have any idea what was happening, “You’ve only heard this once, weeks ago,” he said with a subtle smile, “and I’ll admit, I liked your version better.”

  Reaching to the mixer, he pushed play. Instantly a prerecorded backing track of drums and a synthesized bass line began to fill the room.

  Mikayla recognized the overall feel of the music to what she’d heard in class many weeks before, then a passage quieted, and Dr Evenson began to fill in with a live, slightly classical sound on the piano. He looked up at her, “Think Mozart with a hint of Bach.”

  A snare drum filled in a solid 4/4 backbeat, contradicting the classical theme but Mikayla smiled and began to tap her foot as the background noise in her head began to fade. She knew the key, she felt the rhythm and with a quick glance to Ethan and Kelli, brought her bow up to the strings.

  Listening carefully to the next four measures, she found the right note and played a quick progression up the neck of the violin. The volume caught both her and their audience by surprise and she jerked back, hoping she hadn’t screwed up from the start.

  Looking to the students, she saw a wide grin from Kelli and a happy nod from Ethan. She looked at the empty chair next to him, then caught his eye, tipping her head to the chair.

  Grinning, he shook his head subtly to indicate Sara wasn’t secretly attending the impromptu performance. He fake-pouted for a moment then pointed back to Mikayla with a smile to encourage her.

  As the song continued, Mikayla assumed the role of a lead guitar player and filled the breaks with both simple and then occasionally, unleashing a flurry of pristine notes and blended chords. With one eye on her audience and one on the instructor, she heard him call out the next change, “Ballad in eight, go for the drama.”

  He played a final flourish that she mimicked just as a wall of synthesized strings rose out of the backing track, leaving the driving drum beat behind. With only the simple accompaniment of the electric bass and violas, she was completely on her own.

  All along, Mikayla had been processing, searching for the right combinations to accompany him. He’d been right about the classical structure, but there was something else carrying the theme, something just f
amiliar enough that maybe she could make it work.

  Her index finger poised, she began to hammer the next note with her middle finger, then a rest, she repeated the sequence, extending the fluttering notes and upping the volume, knowing what was coming would be brutal on her just-healing ring finger. Another flurry and a quick look at Kelli, she slid her hand up the neck of the violin, full pressure on the damaged callus to hit the high note. It rang out pitch perfect through the speakers.

  The professor looked up suddenly, his eyes locked on Mikayla. He glanced nervously to his students and held a piano chord too long in his quiet accompaniment. Catching the quick error, he adjusted and came back under the melody, shaking his head to acknowledge the slip.

  To Mikayla, the first try was an experiment. To finish out the solo, the second run’s difficulty would easily eclipse the first. She’d heard it before, she’d seen the notes cascade out of Ethan and Sara’s private practice session, the colors that streamed through the practice hall. Even under the watchful eyes of a roomful of elite music students, she wanted that feeling, that intimacy, if just for a moment.

  Even before she began the sequence to lead into the final part of the solo, she could sense a blurring at her fingers. Tiny spirals of colors followed along the neck of the instrument, just behind where she had played. A quick glance and a deep breath she turned to face the classroom as the final passage approached.

  “Let it come,” she beckoned silently, caught up in the moment, “if only for me, let them come” A short choppy burst of notes and tendrils of bright green and soft pink lights swirled around her fingertips then launched themselves off the fingerboard. Mikayla didn’t bother to notice where they were traveling, she knew without looking.

  She played the passage again as the recorded cello and basses swelled under her music. Evenson stopped playing and looked over at her seeming to sense what she was going to play. Around and around the notes repeated, then reversed back. Hammering then a slide, she switched the dynamic to almost be lost in the backing track, then roared out of it with the final run at full volume.

  Jaw clenched, anticipating the pain she might feel, Mikayla swept her fingers up the neck and waves of color erupted from the instrument. With a final draw on her bow, the soft wavering high note pierced and warbled to end the dramatically staged passage in a perfect harmony.

  Opening her eyes, she looked up to see the final tendrils of light disperse through the classroom. While most circled and drifted around Ethan, many gathered around Kelli and few around Mia. Some seemed to randomly fly around the room. She smiled but flexed her left hand to look at her fingertip. Dark red and deeply indented from the strings, the newly formed pad held. The sudden silence and burst of applause caught her by surprise.

  Expecting more music, she looked at her instructor, oblivious that he had turned off the pre-recorded track as her solo ended. He sat there staring down at his keyboard. He took a deep breath and turned to his class, an odd look on his face. He looked at Mikayla with a faraway expression, “That was…beautiful.”

  Looking back to his students, he let out a long breath, “Let’s end on that,” he said quietly in sharp contrast to the music that had just been played, “Class dismissed.”

  More relieved than curious, Mikayla smiled and nodded a quick thank you to her class. She bounded up the steps with a soft smile toward Ethan. Kelli instantly reached out for her fingering hand, looking for damage, “You took a big risk there,” she scolded quietly as she let go of Mikayla’s hand, she pointed to the professor as he walked into his office, “You sorta brought down the house.”

  “I kinda did, didn’t I” Mikayla said as the glow from the performance began to wear off, “We gotta talk. Something happened.”

  Kelli nodded, “It most certainly did,” then looked over her friend’s shoulder, “Hey Ethan,” she said to him as Mikayla turned around, “She’s somethin,’ isn’t she?”

  “I’ll say,” he said, stepping back to allow another student to pass by with a compliment, “I think everyone was pretty impressed.”

  Kelli lowered her voice, “Was she here? I couldn’t tell.”

  To Ethan’s surprise, Mikayla answered for him, “Nope. I watched...a little. You were leaning away from the empty seat next to you. That’s not like you.”

  He shook his head, “It’s weird. I mentioned it, but she was pretty firm about not coming. Had she known you were going to play, especially like that,” he shrugged, “she’ll be mad she didn’t.”

  “Sara, mad?” Kelli blurted, then caught herself both for being too loud, “I can’t imagine that.”

  “Me neither,” Mikayla said as she looked back toward the professor’s office, “I um, gimme a minute, I’m going to check in with Evenson. I thought class ended on a weird note.”

  “Hardly,” Ethan scoffed, “You nailed the high C twice at the end, I just about came out of my chair.”

  Mikayla and Kelli shared a look, “Yeah, she probably paid for it though,” Kelli added, “Showoff.” She saw Mikayla’s eyes dart toward the ceiling, “Was it pretty?”

  “Yeah, it was. It really surprised me cuz it’s normally only when other people play. Today felt good, I felt good.” She picked up her bookbag and case, “I’ll track you down later. I just had an odd feeling when we were done.”

  Catching Mia’s eye as she walked down the steps, the usually shy young freshman looked eager to talk, “You ever need an accompanist, vocal or otherwise,” Mikayla offered, “I’d love to hear you sing again. You were wonderful.”

  The young woman grinned, then wiggled her finger, pulling Mikayla in, “Can I ask a weird question?”

  Mikayla chuckled, “Seems to be the theme for the day, sure.”

  “The professor asked me what I’d like to sing, so I had a chance to rehearse and I’ve sung it a ton of times anyway. I think Michael knew in advance too.” She seemed to be justifying something and Mikayla nodded, “Your vocal tone is so rich we can kind of feel it when you sang. If you’re asking me if I’d prepared for the performance, I had no idea other than it was something he’d played in class earlier in the semester.”

  “So you improvised the whole thing,” Mia said, “I heard somebody say that it was planned, right after you finished, but I didn’t think so cuz you looked…” she paused, looking down at her shoes.

  “A little freaked out?” Mikayla asked softly. “I was at least until I did the first few measures. Once I had the theme figured out, I just sorta played what came into my head.”

  “Amazing. I think you threw the teacher for a loop as well. He sure didn’t have much to say after class. He’s normally not that quiet.”

  Mikayla glanced toward his office, “True.” She smiled at the freshman, “Mia, you were a tough act to follow, I had to really stretch to hit that note.” She took a step back, “My offer still stands, if it fits the music you want to do, I’ll play for you.” She watched Michael leave the classroom, “If I were you, I’d go buy Michael a cup of coffee and talk about his playing. Might be worth your effort.”

  Mia went white, “I couldn’t do that. I’m not that…hey, what was with Ethan coming down to sit in the front row? It freaked me out a little at first.”

  “I’d say that’s just him being supportive,” Mikayla said softly, “There’s way more to him than the stories I’m sure you’ve heard. It didn’t surprise me now that I’ve gotten to know him.”

  “I don’t talk that much in class, I guess. It’s just that all of you are so good. It’s a little intimidating.”

  Mikayla was quick to agree, “I get that, but don’t hold yourself back.” She glanced out the door, “Like just now, maybe,” she pointed, “Come sit with Kelli and me at the next class, tell us how it went.”

  “Do you know something?” she asked, “Did he say something to you? Am I that obvious?”

  “Nope,” Mikayla grinned as she began to walk toward Evenson’s office, “Just a good feeling.”

  Chapter 32

&nb
sp; She had to rap on his door twice to get his attention. Dr Evenson was unusually subdued as he turned in his chair. Once it registered as to who knocked, he finally smiled, “That was quite a performance you put on. It was…rare, under the circumstances.”

  After a moment, he caught himself, “I’m sorry, Mikayla, it was truly wonderful. I’m sorry I didn’t say so right away, it’s just…”

  “Thank you,” she quickly offered, seeing how disconnected he seemed. “I didn’t realize we were so close to the end of class.”

  “Yeah, that…true.” He said seemingly grateful for an easy reason, “It’s just been a long time since I’ve heard…a student play to your caliber,” his eyes drifted away, “a long time. I wish I’d recorded all three of you.”

  “Mia’s got some pipes, doesn’t she,” Mikayla added, glad for a slight shift in subjects.

  “That, she does,” he smiled, “I was worried when I asked her and gave her an out just in case. I don’t think she was fully onboard until the music intro played. Honestly, she has more to give. What you heard is a great start and stepping up in front of all you upperclassmen took guts.”

  “She’s shy and needs to be drawn out of her shell.” She looked at him directly and caught a small smile, “That’s why you assigned us the homework, isn’t it?”

  He shrugged, “Sorta…mostly, I guess. I mighta had an ulterior motive. Can I ask a private question?”

  “Greens and little tiny blues with Mia,” she answered, having anticipated his thoughts, “Nothing with Michael, though.” Now she was the one that looked off into space, “Sort of a lot with my own playing for once. That’s pretty rare, to use your word.”

  “Fascinating,” he murmured, “Not what I was gonna ask, cuz it’s your personal thing. I was going to mention that this year’s whole class is almost solid introverts, Michael’s probably one of the few exceptions. I’ve been asked to perform my compositions as part of the recording agreement. I haven’t performed live for years.”