On Tuesday I completed the piece for Sandro, fully engraved and looking beautiful. I emailed it over just minutes before I had to go teach.

I was quite nervous about how he would receive it.

I know, the most important thing is that I was happy with the piece. I put all I could into it and it is truly a notch above my previous efforts in many ways. And I would enjoy listening to it as well.

I know that being proud of my piece is the most important thing, but it is only natural that I want Sandro to like it, right?

So I was nervous. As soon as I came back from teaching I ran downstairs to check my email and… no note from Sandro.

At around 7 the phone rang.

I picked up and there was a brief silence at the other end after which a hesitant voice spoke, “Hello, could I speak to Mr. Alain Mayrand, please?”

I thought, man, not another damn telemarketer. My God, they call all the time! I had a cold and was not in the mood.

I almost burst out right away “Listen, I have no time for this right now, will you guys just stop calling!?”

But instead I kept my cool and answered in my most deadpan, don’t-mess-with-me voice “Yes, this is me.”

“This is Sandro Russo calling.”

My jaw dropped. Boy, was I ever glad not to have answered hastily!

What a treat it was to finally speak to this great artist, to add a voice to the emails and pictures. I was so relieved to hear how he was enthusiastic about the piece and couldn’t wait to get going on it. He said he considered it a major work (I would like nothing less, of course, but only time will tell.)

We had a great talk about many musical things and I got a glimpse of his quasi spiritual view of his role in music. A true pleasure.

So now that the piece is done, engraved and sent, it is time to pick up the papers strewn all over my studio. It is a strange feeling to finally take down the theme, which has been hanging over my writing board since March 10th.

There is a bittersweet quality to completing a project, and a great satisfaction as well, and nothing could have better ended this journey that receiving that surprise call from Sandro.