Being informed that her and her friends were invited to the gala was quite the surprise. Octavia would have to get a dress and plan ahead for what they were going to do that evening. The only problem was that Octavia also had a concert she had to go to tonight so, she was understandably worried. She had just arrived at the performance center when her conductor came up to her.
“Hello Octavia. I”ve just come to inform you that you were accepted to play with a select group of ponies from our orchestra at the Grand Galloping Gala.”
Octavia panicked at first but then decided to calmly ask, “Are we performing the whole time? I have also personally been invited to the gala along with two friends who I was planning to go with.”
“No, we are just performing for half an hour or so with the 4 songs we’re playing tonight.”
“Oh okay. Thanks for letting me know. I’ll see you later.”
“I will also see you later. Try your best tonight Octavia, you’re one of my best players.”
With that Octavia’s conductor left and she started taking out her cello. She got out her sheet music and started warming up before the performance. She precisely swept her bow across the strings while simultaneously pressing down each string she needed to, to make the sound of her cello beautiful, mysterious, and triumphant all at the same time. By the end of her practice session ponies had already started heading out on stage. Octavia went out to the water fountain and got a drink of water. Then she headed out on stage. Fast Hooves, one of her friends who also played the cello was already there.
“Hey Octavia.”
“Hi Fast.”
“You excited to play tonight?”
“I don't know it's kind of cool I guess.”
“I always get really excited to play at concerts because the ponies watching always pressure me into playing my very best. I mean I still think I play decent in practice but when I play in front of an audience I pay attention to all the dynamics and techniques.”
“Yeah, I guess I see what you’re saying. Oh they’re opening the curtains. Good luck Fast.”
“Thanks. Good luck Octavia.”
With that the curtains had opened and all was silent. The conductor walked onto stage and to the center. He went up to the microphone and started talking.
“Welcome mares and stallions, to a concert we hope you’ll enjoy. Our musicians all have been working hard to bring the music we’re playing tonight to life. We hope you enjoy our show.”
He went up onto the podium and all the players corrected their posture. He raised the baton and everypony was ready. The baton dropped and they started playing. The large epic sound of the piece made Octavia picture a great battle. The timpani boomed in the background making itself heard loud and clear. Octavia felt a bead of sweat run down her forehead. She concentrated on the notes on the page, carefully making sure that each sweep of her bow was as instructed. Here came her solo. She let her heart take control of her bow and make the sound immense and powerful, to stun the crowd as it was supposed to. That was it. Her solo was over. Octavia had done it. She wouldn’t let this ruin her for the rest of the song though. She focused on the grand finale and let the long notes come slowly louder and louder until they stopped and it was over. The song was done. The audience let out a massive storm of clapping and cheering. The rest of the concert went by like a blur. She was finishing one song, then another, and then the last.
“Don’t forget to bow.”
“Oh yeah. Thanks.”
“No problem.”
The orchestra bowed, the curtains closed, and everypony started filing back to wherever they left their instrument cases. Fast Hooves came over to Octavia.
“You did a great job! Your solo sounded awesome, your harmony parts sounded awesome, and your melody parts sounded awesome!”
“Thanks Fast! The concert went by really fast for me. I thought you sounded really good too. You were always playing at the right times and right volume.”
“Thanks Octavia. I totally see what you’re saying about it going fast. I got to go so I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“See you later.”
Octavia thought that maybe Fast Hooves was right. Maybe she did sound better when she performed in front of an audience.