Our First Pandemic Concert after more than a Year

Pandemic Concert in Angra's 1672 Our Lady of Guidance Choir Loft
Amid masks, we ventured out with friends to hear Resident Organist Gustaf and Flutist Rodrigo perform in the Church Choir Loft.

After many months, Sunday our friend Jerry invited us to hear his friend Gustaaf play Harpsichord and the 1788 Pipe Organ built into the church in Angra do Heroismo.  Gustaff was joined by friends on the flute and cello.

The day was awesome! About 20 people (aged from about 5 years old to about 65 years old) spent an hour sitting (with masks) in the choir loft of this magnificent church which is incorporated now into the Musee da Angra do Heroismo. After the event, we had a sumptuous Chinese dinner across the street and drove home through the green mountains under a bright blue sky. The only thing that could have improved this magnificent day was…well, nothing!

I’ve always loved harpsichord music, and Gustaaf was fantastic. He is also the resident organist at Igreja de Nossa a Senhora da Guia, the church built in 1672, nearly destroyed by the 1980 earthquake, and now restored; so Gustaaf played some Bach just to give us a thrill. He also played several selections on the harpsichord, (in my humble opinion one of the most underrated musical instruments of the world). The flute and cello accompaniments were excellent and added even greater depth.

Following the concert and some pleasant visits with old friends (still in masks) we ventured across the street to a Chinese restaurant (you have to know it’s there, no signs on the streets of this UNESCO Heritage City). The last time we had dined here was several years ago with Sofia’s father and his wife after Mass at the Angra Cathedral. Since he passed last month, the dinner was a bittersweet memory, but the food was great. (Yes, I ate too much!)

Just to be clear, there are some challenges to life in the Azores, life in retirement, life in a country you’re not used to yet, and life in a pandemic.  Challenges have always attracted me. But last Sunday’s challenges were easy to overcome, and more importantly, just about heavenly! Great friends, great  food, great music, and fantastic history…all enjoyed with social distance, masks, and appropriate safety. I just don’t see how it can get much better than this!