15th November, 2015
Sailing Through Space
November 14, 2015
Some people would describe sailing as the place where they find nirvana, or heaven, here on earth. I think that is true for me, and I think that might be true for Jay. Or maybe, for Jay, sailing is a close second. Because what makes Jay tick, what brings Jay absolute joy, is writing and conducting original music.
“So, how was it?” I asked Jay when the concert was over. It was November 1st and we were in London for the premiere of STAR TREK: THE ULTIMATE VOYAGE; a tribute, celebrating 50 years of Star Trek film and music. It is presented by a live orchestra while its history is told via story, using film clips projected on a 40-foot screen, and narrated by Michael Dorn. The music chosen spans over decades of movies and television shows, as well as a multitude of composers and includes four of Jay’s original cues, including “The Inner Light,” which has become the most-requested Star Trek piece ever recorded. Having written music for the Star Trek franchise for eighteen years, Jay was invited by Justin Freer and Brady Beaubien, co-founders of Cineconcerts, to be a guest conductor at this very special event.
“There are no words to describe it.” Jay replied, looking as if he was floating on air after conducting “The Inner Light” with the phenomenal 82-piece London Philharmonic Orchestra and an audience of over 5000 in the world-renowned Royal Albert Hall. “I think I might have died and gone to heaven. I think, if this is it, if I never get to be in front of an orchestra again, this was It! The best. I don’t think anything could ever top it. And that’s okay. I have this.”
We only stayed five days in London but managed to squeeze in a few tourist attractions between rehearsals and concerts. (There were two concerts; one in the afternoon and one in the evening. Both practically sold out.) We visited The Tower of London, walked the streets filled with historic buildings like the Westminster Abbey, The Houses of Parliament, and Big Ben. We had dinner in SoHo, a lovely artsy area pulsating with energy. And of course, being sailors, we took a boat down the River Thames to Greenwich where we toured The Cutty Sark, one of the last British Clipper ships to be built and straddled the Prime Meridian, one foot in either hemisphere. But as much fun as all this was, the highlight, of course, was the rehearsals and ultimately, the concerts. What made it even more special was four of our friends, Alison & Allan Gabel and Gail Naylor and her sister, Nancy, flew all the way to London for the concert. It was a great week; hanging out with friends and sailing through space.
Check out the gallery for more photos.
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