Posted by Lieutenant Junior Grade Solal Segal (Oncology and Immunology) in Side sim: Holodeck Concert

Posted by Lieutenant Séan Iven (Chief of Psychiatry) in Side sim: Holodeck Concert

Posted by Lieutenant Junior Grade Solal Segal (Oncology and Immunology) in Side sim: Holodeck Concert
Posted by… suppressed (17) by the Post Ghost! 👻
Séan was spending some downtime in the holodeck as an audience member for an old Earth rock/jazz concert. He was observing and swaying to the music of Santana, while occasionally chiming in to the refrains. All in all it was a very fun time whenever the guitar solos busted out.

CoP Iven

Solal, having finished writing his most recent letter to V’alara of the Ark Angel, had grabbed his violin for the first time in some weeks, peered out into the hallways to check that they were clear, and then made his way toward the holodeck. Logically, he shouldn’t care, really, whether or not his crew members knew he played the violin, but he most certainly still did. As he exited the lift, he checked the halls again, being sure to take a less busy route that would be more likely to be empty.

He’d checked the holodeck schedule in advance. Solal always did, he was very thorough to be sure he didn’t run into anyone. So as he approached the holodeck door and then went through it expecting an empty room, he paused in the doorway, violin case over his shoulder, when he saw none other than Séan listening to old Earth music. A mix of rock and jazz if Solal was right. He turned to leave, hoping he was unnoticed by the Lieutenant.

~ Solal

Séan turned at the sound of the holodeck doors open, he was somehow able to hear it, and was surprised to see Solal.

“Computer freeze program!” He called out in a hurry as he stood and rushed towards the door. “Hey, fancy seeing you here.” He commented with a smile.

CoP Iven

The music stopped at the sound of Séan’s voice and so did Solal, a flash of… something akin to dismay on his face before he hid it. “You weren’t on the holodeck schedule,” he replied. The violin case hung from Solal’s back in plain view, and it was quite obvious what it was. That was why he’d cleared the halls as he went… And checked the holodeck schedule.

~ Solal

“Neither were you.” Séan responded with his smile shifting into a grin while he looked at Solal. “My occupancy was spur of the moment as I finished with my appointments early and noticed the holodeck was free for a bit of time. I’m more than happy to share with you however. Would you like to come in and have a seat?”

CoP Iven

Solal was, of course, still avoiding his own annual psych visit, so it’d been a while since he’d actually seen Séan or talked to him. “Let’s call it spur of the moment that I’m here as well.” It would have been a nice end to a long day, write his letter, play a little, and then go to bed. Call it ‘relaxing’ he supposed, though he wouldn’t say that to Séan. “Not if you’re in the middle of something. Your music is not quite to my taste.”

~ Solal

“I’m a fan of all types of music. What would be more to your taste?” Séan asked while pointedly looking at the violin case. “Or would you rather play something instead? I wouldn’t mind accompanying you if you wanted to get some practice in.” Séan was definitely enjoying this turn of events. He hadn’t known that Solal played the violin but it was an intriguing tidbit of information.

CoP Iven

Séan was looking very interestedly at his violin, clearly enjoying having found out about it. Solal had purposefully avoided telling him, as he did everyone. He almost seemed embarrassed, perhaps, that now Séan knew about it. “That is why I came.” He slowly set the case down. “I play classical.”

~ Solal

Séan nodded slowly. “That makes sense. There is much serenity found in classical music, though also a fair amount of emotional outbursts. What are you practicing now?”

CoP Iven

Solal carefully removed the violin from its case. “Rieding’s Concerto in B minor. Its difficulty matches my skill, making it a logical choice.” Then he pulled out the violin’s bow, readied it, and picked up the violin. “This would be the social event I used to be invited to.” He said, referencing one of their previous conversations. No sense hiding it now.

~ Solal

With another nod Séan pulled over a chair and took a seat. “There was someone who had watched you play before?” He couldn’t remember the details that Solal had told him.

CoP Iven

Solal nodded. If he remembered correctly, he’d simply said there was someone he used to do things with, a friend on the ship who’d been transferred away. It had been different, playing with someone, it added something that was otherwise missing. He’d still rather not anyone know about, though, so he’d simply gotten used to playing alone again.

He pulled a chair over and sat down, leaving the violin case on the floor next to him. He got the holodeck to make a music stand and a book with the needed sheet music, and then put the violin to his chin and played through the first page. It was good, there were a couple of small mistakes, but Solal worked with them rather than go back and correct them, so the music still sounded good. He went over the first page one more time, restarting the song at the end of the page. The second time was much better, played more in the way it was intended to be, so when he finished, he paused to turn the page.

~ Solal

Séan watched Solal play the violin keenly and without comment. He noticed how Solal kept focused during the practice but seemed to relax slightly at the same time. Going through an expected series of actions that kept the mind focused on the mechanics and nothing else. He smiled slightly after the second run ended and clapped enthusiastically. “That second playthrough seemed more fluid and confident.”

CoP Iven

Solal glanced up when Séan clapped and shrugged. “The second time is always better.” It didn’t help that it had been a while since he’d played. “And the third time would be better still. Playing music well is memorizing the songs, which note is next.” Unless you were improving of course, then it was whatever sounded good. But Solal usually played classic pieces.

~ Lt JG Solal

Séan tilted his head slightly as he pondered that description of how music is performed. “I’d never considered that memorization was paramount to playing well. But then I’m not a musician. What is on your mind when you play? Is it what notes to play at a precise time? Maybe the composer’s intent for each section?”

CoP Iven

“Some read the music as they go, but for some that is harder to do,” Solal said with a shrug. “It is what note to play at what time and how. A violin is all about technique as much as it is getting the notes right.” Playing the violin was quite relaxing for Solal, forcing his mind to focus on what he was doing, the technique and the music.

~ Lt JG Solal

Séan nodded before he motioned for Solal to continue. “Thank you for the insight. I’m not in any way musically talented, so it’s interesting to me to inquire about such things from someone who is.”

CoP Iven

Solal shrugged, “It isn’t so much musically inclined as it was the least objectionable choice of mandatory extracurriculars in my schooling years.” He began to play from the beginning, and this time went into the second page of song, but stopped at the end of the page to redo it, to again correct minor errors in his playing. But again he paused and glanced up at Séan. “Surely you wouldn’t want to spend your free time watching me play? I can’t imagine it’s that interesting of a sight.”

~ Solal

Séan blinked in confusion. “It’s either I watch you play or go back to the concert I was enjoying. Both are musical performances while your playing is more… immersive, I guess? I can at least ask you things while I doubt the holoprogram has any such features available. Would you rather I don’t observe your music practice?” His voice shifted into his more psychiatry one at the end.

CoP Iven

“The holodeck hardly compares to the real thing,” Solal commented. He’d originally used a holographic violin. Since getting a real one the last time he’d had the chance, there was most definitely a difference. The holodeck didn’t quite get the resonance right. “I don’t mind you observing.” He was already there anyway, and at that point, it didn’t matter to Solal. Once someone already knew there was little point in hiding it.

~ Solal

“I can kind of understand that from a psychological perspective. Seeing and listening to something that isn’t authentic most likely decreases the enjoyment by a factor. Though I’m not an auteur for music or anything, so I’m not sure I notice any subjective difference. Have you tried playing with a holographic orchestra? How does that differ compared with real people?” Séan asked.

CoP Iven