Erica and I went to NYC to visit her family and to see Dave Weinberg at the International Keyboard Festival. Erica's entire family came in to Manhattan to see Weinberg play Haydn in a student recital. I attended a number of master classes, and another student recital, at which Dave played some Medtner Fairy Tales. I also heard Jeffrey Swann play a concert of Wagner opera transcriptions, a stellar recital by Marc-Andre Hamelin (Mozart sonata in C, Schumann Fantasiestucke, giant Alkan piece, 4 encores), and an 'all-star' faculty recital that was a little disappointing. I missed a recital by Earl Wild, and a tribute to Rosalyn Turek (sadly, she died that same evening, and the remainder of the festival was dedicated to her).

On the return flight I sat next to a Hells Angels type from Santa Cruz who was returning from the funeral of his mother, who had died in a freak house fire caused by propane canisters. We talked at length about many things.