North Country Arts Council Muse 2012 Performance

Just returned from Muse 2012, a multi arts presentation of The North Country Arts Council. The entertainment was terrific & varied. I played 3 guitar pieces by Fernando Sor, but the most mesmerizing event was hoop dancer Jozette Borrmann accompanied by electric guitar played by Aaron Horeth. It gave me goos bumps at one point. It was INCREDIBLE. Horeth played his guitar through some type of effects box made by Roland. I cannot even begin to describe Jozettes dancing, but it was stunning. Stupid me, my camera was in my car which I almost NEVER leave behind. But I was wrapped up with setting up my sound system and helping out some of the other acts that it was too late to run back to the car because I would have missed most of the hoops/guitar act. Jozettes web site is www.whirledpeacehoops.org

Now for my part. I played 3 pieces by Fernando Sor, Spanish army captain, contemporary of Beethoven's, prolific composer of guitar music. They were selected from Andres Segovia's compilation of 20 Studies For Guitar by Fernando Sor. They were stuies #2, #4, and #5. For the most part I played them well. But I suffered from stage fright which caused me to sweat and have shaky hands. In particular my left hand. There were about a 150 people in the hall. They were dead silent as I played. I had a slight memory lapse at the very last measure or 2 of the 4th study. As best as I can recollect, the Study #2 came off very well as did the Study #5. I don't know why I wasn't more relaxed, but I wasn't.
What I need to do, and have thought about doing for years, is to set up a series of guitar recitals. Those situations where people actually sit and listen as they did this evening. I'm sure if I did 50, 60, a hundred or more of such events I would get comfortable with it. I just have to make myself do it. The problem is that the first few ( who knows the first dozen or more?) will be nerve racking and stressful until I find my way and settle into a groove.
One of my ideas is to set up a series of recitals in the local libraries here in the North Country. Between Jefferson, Lewis, & St Lawrence Counties I could book a lot of recitals. It's like every thing else, I just have to DO IT!