The Unplanned Overture

A Tale of Music and Unexpected Encounters

Last night, Cindee and I attended the “Movie Music of John Williams” concert. It was a fantastic celebration of the man synonymous with movie music, who has provided the soundtrack to our lives for nearly 60 years. The Traverse Symphony Orchestra, a true gem in Traverse City, gave a spectacular performance under the energetic and entertaining conductor, Keven Rhodes, who also shared some insights about John Williams.

The weather was perfect for an outdoor concert and the attendance was impressive! The concert took place at Rotary Square, a relatively new venue in Traverse City, made possible by a $1 million grant from the Traverse City Rotary Charities to the Downtown Development Authority in 2020.

The concert encompassed many of Williams’ greatest compositions, including music from Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Schindler’s List, Jaws, Harry Potter, and more. It was indeed a delightful musical journey.

Our evening was further enriched with unexpected encounters. We bumped into a photographer, whom I’ve known since 1998. During my time at Corbin Design, we collaborated on the layout work for the book, “Michigan’s Capitol: Construction & Restoration.” Dietrich Floeter, one of the principal photographers, was instrumental in this process. It was a pleasure reminiscing with Dietrich before the concert.

The concert was just one part of our intriguing evening. Post-concert, Cindee suggested we stop by Leone’s, a quaint ice cream shop on 14th Street, adjacent to Thirlby Field, our local high school football field. I often frequented this place with my kids, but Cindee had never been. Arriving near closing time, we ordered our ice cream and took a seat outside. Suddenly, a familiar face shouted our names from a passing car. It was none other than Michael Stewart Patrick Kent, the photographer from our wedding nine years ago. Michael was astounded to spot us, and he had a surprise in store. During a studio cleanup, he’d found a book he’d created from our wedding photos and intended to gift it to us. His timing and our decision to have ice cream at Leone’s felt serendipitous.

The surprises didn’t end there. On our drive home, we spotted a cat in the middle of an intersection. Cindee urgently asked me to stop, but with a car trailing behind us, I couldn’t immediately hit the brakes. We circled back to find the cat still in the middle of the road, appearing disoriented. Cindee hopped out of the car to assist the creature. Meanwhile, another woman, the cat’s owner, arrived. Together, they were able to corral the cat, ensuring it reached home safely.

All in all, our evening was a vibrant symphony, not just of music, but also of joy, intrigue, and heartwarming surprises.