“First, let’s decide where the funds raised from this concert will be donated.”
Seraphina proposed the topic, and Audrey was the first to respond.
“Lately, there has been a growing interest in welfare and hospitals. How about donating to a hospital?”
“That’s a great idea. Hospitals would attract the interest of older people too.”
Evelyn agreed with Audrey’s suggestion, but Dayna expressed a dissenting opinion.
“A hospital? Letticia and I recently hosted a charity art exhibition and donated the proceeds to hospitals. Asking for another donation to a place that has already received funds doesn’t sound convincing.”
“Right. Why don’t we consider donating to an orphanage or a poorhouse instead?”
“A poorhouse? Why should we hold a concert for such a place? Just thinking about it makes me sick!”
Giselle shuddered at Letticia’s suggestion. Evelyn also showed clear disapproval.
“Let’s go with an orphanage instead. Who would willingly attend a concert if we advertised that the funds were going to a poorhouse?”
“Exactly. If we donate to a poorhouse, it might encourage the poor to stop working and just live there indefinitely.”
When Audrey sided with Evelyn, Letticia shrugged lightly and offered her perspective.
“I was just giving an example. It’s not like I’m insisting on donating to a poorhouse. If you don’t like that idea, then let’s go with an orphanage.”
“I think an orphanage is a good choice too. I’ve heard that some orphanages, especially those that don’t receive much support, struggle to provide enough food for the children. I’m sure the benevolent nobles would gladly attend a concert for the sake of helping those kids.”
Thanks to Vanessa’s support, the tense atmosphere eased somewhat.
After it was decided that the funds would go to an orphanage, Giselle brought up the topic of song selection.
“We should stick to classical composers. Modern music is absolutely out of the question.”
“And why is it out of the question? Pieces like <Moonlight on a Winter Night> and <Lark by the Lake> are incredibly popular.”
When Dayna countered, Giselle scoffed as if Dayna was being naive.
“Lady Hailey, playing such vulgar songs is the work of performers. We, as nobles, must only perform verified, prestigious pieces.”
‘What nonsense is she spouting now? Vulgar? Those pieces?’
Letticia stared at her in disbelief. How could anyone call such widely beloved compositions vulgar? What kind of twisted logic was that?
“Many of the pieces now considered classics were popular among the public in their time. So, were those masterpieces also considered vulgar back then?”
Thankfully, Dayna voiced exactly what Letticia had wanted to say. Letticia nodded in agreement.
‘Repeating Do-Re-Mi for ten minutes and calling it a song, then waiting a hundred years doesn’t automatically make it a classic masterpiece, like <Do-Re-Mi Song>.’*
While there are exceptions of songs being overlooked in their time but later recognized as masterpieces, those cases are rare.
Many classical masterpieces have been passed down through history because they were highly regarded even at the time of their composition.
“Timeless masterpieces have always been recognized not just by the public but also by those with genuine sensitivity and an understanding of music. These pieces cannot be compared to fleetingly popular songs that vanish without a trace.”
“Exactly. Performing such songs would diminish our dignity.”
Leticia gave up on continuing the conversation. Arguing with the ‘Finsbury Countesses of the music world’ was a waste of time.*
‘There’s something else that needs to be decided before the song selection.’
Although she hadn’t been directly involved in organizing the charity art exhibition, Letticia had attended several planning meetings. She had a rough idea of how to structure an event for it to proceed smoothly.
Reflecting on the proper sequence in her mind, Letticia directed a question to Seraphina, the organizer.
“Before that, shouldn’t we first consider who the attendees of this concert will be? Who are we inviting?”
After all, any plan should be tailored to the audience’s needs.
While the attendees were not technically customers since they would be voluntarily donating, selecting songs that aligned with their preferences was likely the most successful approach.
Giselle’s expression grew hostile, seemingly annoyed that her opinion was being dismissed. However, Seraphina maintained her composure as she responded to Letticia’s question.
“We plan to send invitations to people we know. Most of them are old nobles residing in the capital.”
“What about their ages? And between married and unmarried individuals, which group is more likely to attend?”
“Mostly married individuals. Charity concerts usually attract married couples rather than single men and women.”
Letticia was relieved to hear that. If the invitations were mainly sent to married nobles, there would be no need to invite her suitors.
‘They probably spent a lot during the art exhibition. Asking them again would be too much.’
Most of Letticia’s suitors were the heads of their respective families. However, some, like Lord Carmen and Lord Jarvis, had yet to inherit titles from their fathers.
In such situations, unless they had independent income, they typically received allowances from their parents, just enough to maintain their noble dignity.
Of course, while they might not have depleted their finances with gifts for Letticia and a single donation, Letticia wasn’t keen on making them spend more.
After all, she had already decided on Ezkhiel. No matter how much her suitors tried to impress her with gifts and donations, it wouldn’t yield any returns.
“Then let’s start by drafting the guest list. After that, we’ll need to decide the scale of the concert.”
“The scale of the concert?”
“Yes. We need to determine the venue, the number of invitees, and which orphanage the funds will go to. All these logistical details need to be finalized.”
Song selection should come after everything else. If it’s a small chamber music concert, that’s one thing. But if they were to perform a concerto with a full orchestra, a larger venue would be necessary.
“The venue will be the Wallace Count’s manor. As with most concerts, we’ll perform chamber music.”
“So, it’ll be on the scale of a typical private concert. If the music hall at the Wallace Count’s manor is similar in size to this lounge, we could invite around 80 guests, right?”
“That sounds about right.”
After Seraphina confirmed Dayna’s estimation, Audrey quickly spoke up.
“Then let’s start drafting the guest list and deciding on the invitees. While we’re at it, let’s also share which instruments we can play. If there’s any overlap, we’ll need to coordinate.”
“True, that’s an important point.”
“I can play the piano. What about the rest of you?”
Starting with Letticia, everyone shared the instruments they were proficient in.
Letticia and Evelyn played the piano, Seraphina and Giselle played the violin, Audrey played the flute, Dayna played the harp, and Vanessa played the cello.
“With two pianists, we won’t have to worry about accompaniment,”
Vanessa remarked with a smile, but Evelyn didn’t agree.
“Well, who knows if the Queen of Flowers herself would willingly do our accompaniment? If she insists on performing solo pieces to match her Diamond reputation, I’ll end up having to do all the accompaniment. What should I do then?”
Evelyn said this with a smile on her lips, but her eyes were filled with malice and hostility.
It was clear that Evelyn was trying to pressure her intentionally, so Letticia responded with a radiant smile.
“It seems my reputation has caused Lady Norton some unnecessary concern. But you don’t need to worry. I’d be more than willing to handle the accompaniment.”
“That’s a relief to hear. I’m embarrassed, but I tend to worry too much. I just want this concert to be a success.”
“Oh dear, but please don’t worry too much. Both you and I are participating in this concert, aren’t we? I’m sure it’ll be a great success.”
Letticia maintained her gracious demeanor, but Evelyn’s expression faltered for a moment, revealing intense anger and humiliation.
It was evident Evelyn had remembered the humiliation of the Norton family’s ball, which coincided with the Count of Sharon’s event. The guests had flocked to the latter, leaving the Norton estate nearly empty—a humiliation so great that it became a hot topic in the ‘Lucinella Article’.
‘This is what happens when you pick a fight for no reason.’
As Letticia smirked cynically, Seraphina intervened to ease the tension.
“I’m glad everyone sincerely wishes for the success of this concert. Now that we know the instruments each of us can play, let’s discuss the structure of the performance.”
“How about this: Letticia and Lady Eskis each perform one solo piece, while the rest of the concert consists of chamber music, like string trios or piano trios?”
Dayna’s suggestion prompted an outburst from Giselle.
“Wait, why do only those two get to perform solo pieces? What about the rest of us?”
“They are debutantes recognized as Diamonds. Some guests will come specifically to hear their performances. For their sake, we should include at least short solo pieces for them.”
“…….…”
Though Giselle still looked dissatisfied, she didn’t argue further. It seemed she couldn’t find a valid counterpoint to Dayna’s argument.
The concert would last over an hour, and to meet the audience’s expectations, Dayna’s suggestion was indeed the most logical.
Thus, Dayna’s proposal was accepted without further objection. Discussions about the remaining pieces were postponed to the next meeting.
🍓;
*In short, it’s saying that quality and creativity matter—something doesn’t become great just because it’s old.
*Letticia said this because they were just as stubborn when discussing classical music as Countess Finsbury was when debating classical literature.
