Zo Concerts

For the past few years I have been playing concerts in private homes on a sort of an ad hoc basis. Sometimes they are concert series, as in Kathyrn Hull's Encore! series in Palm Springs or Colin McAlister's Synergy Concerts here in San Diego. At other times, I simply ask friends if I can try out a program for an upcoming recital on their piano in front of an invited audience. While the performance conditions are sometimes suspect on these occasions, the opportunity to develop a direct rapport with a small audience is tremendously satisfying.

I have recently learned about a pianist named, Paul Cantrell, who hosts concerts in his own home that he calls, Zo Concerts. The FAQ page alone is well worth the time it takes to read. The concerts are made available to the public "by reservation" which of course can be done on-line through his web page and has a price tag of $5 per seat. I have not yet investigated how often Cantrell schedules these salons or what sort of revenue they generate for the performer. Still, what an ingenious idea.

Maybe if I clean the living room and have the piano tuned. . .