Ingrid's Dark Secret Passion Ch. 17

Ingrid was scheduled to return to the United States on July 1, in time to celebrate Independence Day. Mistress Denna cancelled all her appointments till then. Thus, since their return from the Boundcon convention, Ingrid and she engaged in a non-stop sexual holiday in Sieglinde's apartment, thoroughly utilizing the dungeon room for some exquisite BDSM scenes. The only time they ventured out of the apartment during this interval was to purchase the necessary food and to attend the June meeting of der Höllenfeuer Verein. In the apartment they were continuously naked even when Ingrid practiced on the Steinway piano for an hour each day. Sieglinde would occasionally join her in playing her violin but was unconformable in doing so mindful of Ingrid's superior musical prowess.

Unfortunately, as the cliché goes: All good things must come to an end, and the end occurred as Sieglinde drove Ingrid to the airport. They hugged each other and promised to stay connected via Skype every other week. When Ingrid arrived at the Detroit Metro Airport, she was treated to an unexpected, pleasant surprise. Her mother was on hand to greet her and drive them back to their home in Toledo. However, the automobile was not the senior Losnedahl's regular motor vehicle, but a BMW roadster, the exact model of the car she had in Vienna. Sieglinde with the help of her brother had arranged for the purchase of this vehicle from the Toledo BMW dealership. She had unbeknownst to Ingrid contacted her parents to take delivery of the vehicle from the dealership so her mother could surprise her upon her arrival. Such a generous gift to their daughter, obviously intrigued Ingrid's parents. They ended up by making the erroneous assumption that Sieglinde was a truly wealthy patron of the arts who was overwhelmed by Ingrid's musical prowess.

Shortly after Ingrid had settled in at her parent's home in Toledo, Ohio, Johannes Ebersbacher contacted her. He asked her if she could come up and see him at this office at the University of Michigan, School of Music, Theatre and Dance in Ann Arbor, MI. He had some interesting news and discussions concerning her upcoming final school year at OSU. Intrigued by this unexpected invitation, and as Ann Arbor was not that far away, she readily agreed to a meeting the following week.

Johannes Ebersbacher was the son of the late Dietrich Ebersbacher, who had been a long-time music director and conductor first with the Berlin Philharmonic, and then with the Chicago Symphony. Johannes had not acquired the same prominence in the classical music world as his father, but he was still recognized as a proficient musician in the piano, as well as the violin and viola. As he had acquired the sufficient academic credentials, he veered his career into teaching music and was a tenured professor at the University of Michigan, School of Music, Theatre and Dance. It was in this capacity that he was interested in Ingrid which prompted his request to meet her.

Once Ingrid entered his office, he started, "Thank you for coming Ms Losnedahl, have a seat. I have been so looking forward to meeting you for quite some time. I hope you don't mind me addressing you simply by your first name as we are going to be working together for the next year. And you can address me as Johannes as opposed to Professor or the overly pretentious title of Doctor. I don't stand on ceremony, but I insist you call me Johannes and not John. I may be an American citizen now, but I reserve the right to retain my German heritage. Incidentally, I understand you speak German having resided in Vienna the past two years."

Ingrid answered, "Yes I'm fluent in German as well as Russian for that matter."

"Really? My father could speak Russian, but I never learned. I can only speak German and English, and my German is starting to get rusty as I've little occasion to speak it."

Ingrid then asked, "You said that we are going to be working together for the next year, can you elaborate?"

Ebersbacher responded, "I guess I let that cat prematurely out of the bag before I've laid out a proper introduction. Let me do so now. There are two items of business I like to discuss with you in this meeting. First of all, I'm fairly sure you are aware of Natasha Starikovich?"

Ingrid responded, "Yes of course. She's one of the best, if not the best current violinist in the world. Certainly, the best in America."

"Quite so! Now my father discovered her a few months prior to his death. But he lived long enough to have her perform with the Chicago Symphony, and see her enthusiastically received and recognized as an up-and-coming star. He also planned to record with her the Enescu Violin Sonata but died of a heart attack before the project could be accomplished. Fortunately, Lajos Kiraly was able to jump into the breach and the subsequent recording became the all-time classical music best seller.

"As a result of her ties with my father, we have naturally become close friends and I've followed her stellar career ever since. I need not bother you with lists of her accomplishments, but there has been an irritant which has become a major annoyance preventing her enjoying fully her success. It has to do with her collaboration with Kiraly. There is no question that the two of them make a formidable pair in performing piano/violin recitals. And of course, that initial recording of Enescu's sonata is as I said became the all-time best seller in classical music, although your recording last year of mostly Rachmaninoff and Chopin, has been threatening that record."

Ingrid smiled and merely said, "Well I'm gratified that my initial recording has been so successful."

Recalling Ingrid's flippant retort upon being advised of her triumph at the Grammy Awards, Ebersbacher dryly answered, "Yes, whatever time you have been able to spare from indulging in sex, has certainly paid off."

Ingrid laughed as she was not ashamed of her remarks. She said, "My goodness! So, my off the cuff answer was reported here? My parents never mentioned it, even though they did say they watched the show. It was probably the only time they've ever watched it."

Ebersbacher laughed back as he was thoroughly delighted by Ingrid's repartee with the Austrian reporter. He replied, "Your parents may have heard of this reporting, but because of your relationship with them I would imagine it's an awkward topic to discuss freely. In any case I loved your quote which seems to indicate that you will be able to handle the media just fine, as you become more famous. And please note I'm not using the preposition 'if'. I'm with Otto Hellmesberger in his prediction of your future success."

"So kind of you to say so."

"Anyway, back to what I was saying about Kiraly and Natasha. For about two years the two of them were an unbeatable combination, and a pure joy to hear them perform. There were in reality very few occasions to see them perform, since just like you, she was still at school at that time, earning her baccalaureate in music. Then when she graduated from Northwestern, and ready to start performing full time in her concert career, she apparently had a falling out with Kiraly.

"They still performed together occasionally, but nowhere near the frequency that could have been expected considering their initial successful collaboration. Certainly, there have been no more groundbreaking new recordings that surely would have garnered some significant sales total. It is no longer a secret that she has been actively seeking a more reliable piano accompanist for her chamber music recitals. So far Natasha has been unsuccessful in finding such a suitable accompanist.

"I personally think that Natasha is such an accomplished violinist, that it is difficult if not almost impossible for her to perform alongside a mediocre or worse accompanist. She needs an accompanist of equal caliber for her to shine. Alas, the same seems to be scarcer than hen's teeth."

At this point Ingrid chimed in, "You're not going where I'm thinking you're going? Are you? Surely, you're not considering me as the proverbial scarce hen's tooth? Are you her agent then?"

Ebersbacher responded, "No her mother is. Incidentally, no matter what transpires from today's meeting, you might want to consider engaging Vera Starikovich as your agent when you are going to launch your concert career. She is a highly successful accountant in Chicago, who not only manages her daughter's career, but also Pamela Rose. The consensus of show business insiders contend that Vera was totally instrumental in rescuing Ms Rose's then moribund career from extinction and raising it to the all-time legendary level that the pop star now enjoys."

"I'll keep it in mind."

Ebersbacher continued, "As I said I'm a personal friend of Natasha Starikovich and wish the best for her. I'm not privy to why her relationship with Kiraly soured, but I know that if she could acquire a pianist of equal caliber to Kiraly her career would even soar higher than what she has already achieved."

Ebersbacher then steered his conversation to focus on Ingrid, as he continued, "Consider this, I first heard about you, four years ago when you won the Tchaikovsky Competition, the first American pianist to do so, since Van Cliburn did it way back in 1958. You bet I thought this is someone to pay attention to. Then you backed that up, two years later by winning the Beethoven Piano competition in Vienna. A competition I might add, where Kiraly himself had entered. In hindsight it was a foolish decision on his part that tarnished his image and reputation, by not winning.

"Now you really got my attention. Through my friends and academic colleagues, I was advised of the particulars of your special courses of study both at OSU in Columbus and MDW in Vienna. And when I heard each school was allowing you a special academic advisor to provide you insight not only in your courses, but also to impart valuable information about the realities of a concert playing career, I wanted to be that special advisor for your final year at OSU.

"So upon my request, I was granted a one year's sabbatical from the University of Michigan, starting September 1. Once the school heard the reason for my request, it was immediately approved minus the usual bureaucratic red tape that follows such requests. And I can add that OSU has accepted my proposal to be a visiting lecturer and has assigned me as your special tutor for your senior year.

"That is what I meant when I indicated, we'll be working together for the ensuing academic year. I hope I'm not putting the cart before the horse. I trust you're not disappointed in my appointment. I understand that with your agreement with OSU, you have the right to decline the services of the special academic advisor."

Ingrid was genuinely delighted with the news since she believed Johannes Ebersbacher would prove to be as helpful to her career as Otto Hellmesberger. The fact that he was a personal friend of Natasha Starikovich could not help but be a plus. So, she replied, "Oh no, I'm not at all disappointed in your appointment. I can't think of anyone, that the University could have appointed who would be of a more useful assistance to me. I definitely look forward to interacting with you in the coming year."

Ebersbacher beamed a smile as he replied, "That by the way, Ingrid is a measure of your prominence already achieved in the classical music world. My school, the University of Michigan is tickled pink to be able to claim through me that they were partly responsible to mold you into the great pianist that everyone is certain you will become. I think everyone is of the opinion as enunciated by Otto Hellmesberger, at the Grammies, that you becoming the premier pianist of our time is as certain as the sun will arise from the east."

Ingrid was starting to grow weary of the effusive praise that everyone in the classical music world seemed to deem it incumbent to utter. She knew she was good, but in reality, she still had a long way to go before she had any right to claim to be an extraordinary musician in the mold of Clara Schumann.

So, she replied, "Everyone seems to be continually saying such nice things about me. And I'm starting to get alarmed. Yes of course, I've won two prestigious international piano competitions, but the truth is that I've yet to give a public performance. My concert at MDW which was recorded by DGG doesn't really count, as in reality it was just a school concert with only friends and relatives attending. True, Otto parlayed that into something more, which gained me some notoriety, but that really was a lucky happenstance. I think it's premature to predict that I'll be the second coming of Clara Schumann as some in Vienna were starting to refer to me. Wait until I have some concert performances under my belt before we start making outrageous suppositions of how great I might become".

Johannes Ebersbacher beamed another smile as he responded, "Ah, my dear Ingrid, this is where I start earning my bread as your academic advisor. I told you that there were two important issues I wanted to discuss with you today. The first one is to let you know about my appointment to advise you in the coming school year. The other has to do with Natasha Starikovich. As I already told you Natasha is seeking a dependable piano accompanist for recitals and possibly recordings. The search for the elusive accompanist has become acute recently.

"You see I've been advised by Vera Starikovich, Natasha's mother and agent, that our current President is a true classical music devotee. He has expressed a desire to have a classical music recital at the White House. He is aware of Natasha's reputation especially as evidenced by the positive critical reviews of the recording of the Enescu sonata not to mention its provocative album cover. So, his staff has been in touch with Vera to arrange for a recital this coming January wherein the President has asked specifically for Natasha to play that sonata plus perhaps a couple of other short pieces".

The provocative album cover Ebersbacher referred to was a picture of Natasha ostensibly naked holding the bow to cover her nipples, and the violin covering her vulva as the front cover of the album. The back cover of the album showed the naked backside of Natasha posing as if she was playing the violin in her nudity.

Ingrid immediately reacted to Ebersbacher, "Are you serious Johannes? Are you really going to say what it seems like you're going to say? What are you going to say, then?"

Ebersbacher chuckled at Ingrid's reaction and her confused reply. So he said, "Natasha definitely does not want to have Kiraly as her accompanist for this special recital. Incidentally, this proposed recital has to be planned this far in advance because of Natasha's heavy commitments until then, and of course the recital might not come off even then, depending on the President's duties. But so far that recital is in the works, and Natasha is utterly despondent that she may have to resort to asking Kiraly to be her accompanist. She feels she may have no choice as she would dread to be accompanied by someone, which in her eyes she would deem to be incompetent."

Ingrid asked, "Again are you serious? Is Natasha and her mother really seriously considering me to be the accompanist at the White House recital? Do they even know me?"

"They were just superficially aware of your existence as their orbit of friends and acquaintances differ from yours. However, Vera has been in touch with me. Because of my position at the University of Michigan, she believes I'm probably more aware of what up and coming musicians are available throughout the United States and the rest of the world as well. So naturally I clued her in about you".

"So, they are interested in me possibly accompanying Natasha at the White House recital? Wouldn't they want me to audition for them first?"

"Actually, both Vera and Natasha are already prepared to accept you as Natasha's accompanist for the White House recital. Your résumé is certainly most impressive, but the fact you beat Kiraly in the Beethoven competition is what sold you to them. However, before sealing the deal Natasha would like to meet you first, and hear you play at a concert not just an audition. She has an idea of your musical abilities just from your DGG recording alone, but she wants to be convinced that you are truly capable of a concert performance as she sure as hell does not want to be embarrassed by a poor appearance before the President of the United States."

Ingrid gushed, "Oh wow that's terrific news! I can't believe it! But how am I going to do a public concert before January? I going to school in September for my final year at OSU, so I can't start my professional concert career before next May at the earliest. What about my DGG recording which contains my performance at an MDW concert conducted by Otto Hellmesberger? Doesn't that count?"

Ebersbacher replied, "I guess Natasha Starikovich has a similar attitude as you concerning school concerts. She certainly did a plethora of them when she was a music student at Northwestern. She opines that school performances, even at MDW, are a different kettle of fish than a performance with a world class orchestra comprising of superior professional musicians."

Ingrid sighed, "Oh brother. How in the world am I going to perform with a world class orchestra before January?"

"Ah Ingrid don't despair. This is why I make the big bucks, to come to your rescue in such dire occasions. Although, I admit I have to confess that in this case, it's Vera Starikovich that has saved the day. It so happens that Franz Welser-Möst, the music director and conductor of the Cleveland Orchestra is a client, along with the Orchestra, of Vera's accounting firm. They have become personal friends for the past several years, and so Franz has been begging for Natasha to perform with the Orchestra.

"Now with Natasha's commitments to the National Philharmonic Orchestra of Russia along with the Chicago Symphony, it was virtually impossible to schedule a concert date for her during the normal concert seasons. However, as you may know the Cleveland Orchestra performs some summer concerts for the Blossom Music Festival at Blossom Music Center's outdoor amphitheater in Cuyahoga Falls just outside Cleveland.

"So, this year, Natasha has agreed to perform on the last Sunday night in August. It's probably the only time of the year that she was free to make such a special appearance. So, when I advised Vera of the possibility of your availability as an accompanist, she approached Welser-Möst if he would be willing to have you included in that night's program to perform a couple of orchestral pieces. You may also be aware that Franz Welser-Möst, in addition to his engagements with the Cleveland Orchestra, enjoys a particularly close and productive relationship with the Vienna Philharmonic. He has appeared occasionally on the podium for their celebrated New Year's Concert at the Musikverein, including the last one. So, while he was in Vienna, he was made aware of the buzz you have generated there, including dancing with the Secretary of State Evans. As a result, he was truly delighted by Vera's request, and was readily willing to add you on the program."

Ingrid replied, "Oh wow! I didn't know that my dancing with Secretary Evans has generated such interesting repercussions beyond the photo in the Austrian newspapers. So, what are you saying Johannes? Am I committed to perform at the Blossom Music Festival, despite this being the very first time I've been made aware of this event?"

Ebersbacher smiled as he replied, "Oh no! Nothing is written in stone as of yet. We still have free will in this country. Vera's approach to Franz was a request to determine if he was amenable to allowing you to perform pending your formal agreement. Now given the incentives, I would think this is a no brainer for you. If you refuse to perform, I can guarantee Natasha will select a proven established pianist to accompany her at the planned recital at the White House. Why she just might even choose Kiraly as much as she detests him. If on the other hand you do agree to perform, and do as well as I know you are capable of, why then you will perform at the White House, before the President of the United States, plus no doubt other distinguished guests.