On October 20 I had the great pleasure of performing for the AWC Duesseldorf. It was an early (for me) show—10:00 AM—but all of us were awake enough to have a good time. Here is a lovely review of the reading/concert. Thanks, Karla!
Karla Bickley
AWC Duesseldorf
Rhythm. Life has it, as does music. Life’s rhythm is the constant beat of the days; life’s music is the twinkling of laughter and tears, the groans of pain and the shouts of joy that are our contribution to the symphony.
Robin Meloy Goldsby has a special gift; she brings the rhythm and music of her story into other peoples’ lives. At the American Women’s Club of Dusseldorf/British Women’s Group joint brunch in October she shared her own special talents with 45 members who laughed, and swayed to the music of her life in words, and her melodies from the piano.
A Pittsburgh, PA native, Robin started her life playing the piano young, survived playing cocktail lounges and hotel bars, moved on to posh New York venues, and recorded her music to bring it into households literally from her current home in Koln, Germany to the world. While her fingers began tickling the ebony and ivory keys of the piano, she also makes music on another keyboard, the writing keyboard. Her first book, Piano Girl, is a memoir of her life as an up and coming artist. Her second, a novel Rhythm, is the story of a young musician, and the tragedy and beauty that is her life.
Reading excerpts from her memoir, Robin shared hysterical stories of playing to crowds of all kinds, some who wanted to hear her play, and some who just wanted to hear the ice in their glasses. She shared stories of life in New York as a struggling actor and artist; her tales of rejection brought tears of joy to your eyes as she brought to life the cast of characters she met at casting calls across New York. Finally, after enough second jobs to pay the bills, she got her big break as a “classical music-playing burlesque stripper” someone as the show director described who could “strip tastefully.” To know those details you’ll need to read the book.
She also read and excerpt, “Mr. President” from a book in progress. This was the tale of meeting former President Bill Clinton one day in New York when they were both taping National Public Radio interviews about their current books. Her humility in telling the story of meeting someone you admire and wanting to say something witty, or intelligent, or profound--or at least not sound like an idiot--is one most of us can appreciate. Her pageant-like response to the president, her off-the cuff history of her home city, and her desire to relate to the former president are the epitome of both the honesty she shows in her writing, and the trust she places in her readers to laugh and cry with her, to her life’s music.
The women of Dusseldorf were fortunate to share the company of friends, old and new, and the gifts of music and laughter throughout the entire brunch held at the Renaissance Hotel.
You can hear Robin Goldsby playing her music, “Somewhere in Time,” and “Songs from the Castle” at the Schlosshotel Lerbach Sunday, December 20 as part of an all-inclusive dinner and entertainment package. Details at www.schlosshotel-lerbach.com
www.goldsby.de
Karla Bickley
AWC Duesseldorf
