Duet by Tamiko Dooley

Let me accompany you

As you hit the bass notes

Your bow gliding along the strings

Support your harmonies with chords from above

I want to be syncopated with you

Fingers dancing dotted rhythms

15/8 changing to 9/3 mid-bar

Switch my time signature to yours

Give me your key of 6 flats

Your double sharps and clef changes

Notes floating above and below the staves

I’ll take them all

Through interrupted cadences we suddenly face

Arpeggios to climb up and over

I’ll be there, pedalling to smooth over any mistakes

A metronome at your tempo

When we get to the coda

I’ll do it all again with you

And as we reach the end, ritardando

I want to catch your eye and smile

Hold your hand and take a bow together

So that the crowd applauses:

What a performance.

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Tamiko is a half-Japanese mother of two. When there's no pandemic, she's hired as a wedding pianist from time to time.