A story: In 1981, Bapak visited Los Angeles. An entertainment evening was planned which Bapak was going to attend, and I was not scheduled to play, so I appealed to my brother Morris McClellan, the M.C. for the show, and I asked him if I might play something. Morris said “If you play for 20 minutes before the program as people are entering the auditorium, you could just stay on the stage and open the program”. After playing some Bach, everyone stood as Bapak and his party entered the hall. It was a bit odd to be up on the stage as Bapak came in, and he seemed to be amused and smiled a little as if to say “You’re still up there”. Then I played the Prelude of the first Bach Suite, and I was feeling a little nervous as it began. About 30 seconds into the piece, I felt my heart open up and come alive, and a strong feeling of love and tenderness welled up within me. It was a wonderful experience, and I will always be grateful that Morris facilitated it. The next time I felt something just like that was on May 28 of this year, as the orchestra played the short opening of the Largo slow movement of the Beethoven Triple Concerto, a sublime creation. I offer it here. The violinist in my trio is Carol Sindell, a former student of Jascha Heifetz and my musical partner for 45 years. The pianist is Janet Guggenheim, who was Itzhak Perlman’s pianist for 30 years and has played with Carol and me in a trio for 13 years. As a grateful Subud member with a long involvement with SICA, I am sharing this story. Miracles abound, and blessings are abundant as well.

Hemilton Cheifetz SICA-USA Chair