We’d like to thank Stephen for sharing this story.
I was 13 and it was towards the end of my 7th grade year. At the time, I played violin (3rd chair) in an orchestra of students in grades 7-12.
I was sitting in my seat on-stage when my phone vibrated. It was my mom texting to let me know where she was sitting. Looking over, it all clicked when I noticed Bill Murray was sitting right in front of my mom.
I proceeded to leave my seat, walk over to my mother, and confirm that this Bill Murray was both the famous actor and the father of a friend of mine in the orchestra. Overhearing our conversation, he asked me to sit next to him and we had a conversation about the orchestra.
Next thing I knew, everyone was tuning their instruments. At that point I was prepared to not play in the show – instead simply sitting where I was next to Bill Freaking Murray. I think he picked up on this, so he thanked me for my company, told me my tie was crooked, fixed it, and sent me on my way with the inspiring words “Get the hell up there!”
I’ve seen him many times since, but this one stuck in my head. He was there to support his own son, yet still managed to squeeze in something meaningful to a young fan like me without taking attention away from the kids in the orchestra.
Bill Murray is the shit.