There was a constant urge of getting to my college at 7:00 pm in the evening on Saturday 8th of January rather than any other odd day. It was the excitement for our friend Asad Anees an Internationally acclaimed pianist amongst us, performing Live for the first time at JUC.
Reaching there and hurrying towards our common room where the star was getting all pumped up for his show. We all went in there and motivated and empowered him for his recital. We also relaxed him because he was a little bit nervous and anxious.While we were outside the common room handing out the pamphlets, it was about time for Asad to advance towards the auditorium, where the guests were already awaiting & were ready to grasp each melody and tune struck by the pianist. The mesmerizing music being played with simple and smooth pressure on chords. It felt like the auditorium was in meditation and the magic was spread. Every tune and melody was playing with the strings of our hearts.
The pieces were all classical works of the eighteenth and nineteenth century. The sonatas were of the greatest composers and maestros of all time. Strauss, Beethoven, Mozart, Prokofiev, Tchaikovsky, Chopin and a contemporary composer Ludovico Einaudi. Such enticing and captivating pieces like Swan Lake
They were all played so well and with every passing minute it just became more graceful and the utmost breathtaking music was played. The feeling felt by the audience cannot be put into words. It was as if God spoke to us through the magical fingers of the Maestro and the ivory of the piano keys.
The music just took us away to a new and different world. While Asad was playing the piano it was like he had been absorbed by the tune and he was playing his life's best chapter with the core of his heart.
The ambience was perfect to the selection of the music. The backdrop of the stage was planned and designed to perfection. It was in keeping with the classical element. The flowers and colours and trails and ribbons. Later we found out that Miss Ayesha had designed the back drop herself. And Mr. Abdullah arranged for a live transmission of the piano keys on a large screen so that viewers could constantly have a view of Asad’s fingers while he played to his heart’s content.
Seeing Asad before in the common room and after on the stage was a transformation of a new personality. It was as if the as is the molecules on his face were rearranged into a whole new level and all we could see was his soul pouring out onto the keys of the piano, just like a kid pouring his heart out in making a sand castle or a work of great art. As it is said “All good things come to an end", the magic ended to the tune of the National Anthem. Our Principal was grateful to have Asad Anees and the pride showed on her face just like a mother is proud of her child.We all congratulated him for such marvelous music and quoted "soon you will be ready to give out autographs 'MR ASAD'" he said in return "the best part is that I was playing for my friends."
This was an evening that one would dream of and remember weeks and months later. We were proud of Asad being a star pianist and his devotion for his skill and talent. But most of all we felt blessed to have him in our midst, a part of our college JUC.
by Zainab Qaizar AS Pre-Medical
