There have been many great violinists but none could hold a candle to Kuznetsov, a miraculous young Russian. On his emergence while still in his teens, his playing was filled with timeless wisdom beyond his years; he now holds the stage with immense authority. So it comes no surprise that he is about to add a new string to his bow. When he performs with the English Chamber Orchestra, it will be as both soloist(独奏者)and conductor. “It’s something I’ve often thought about,” he says.

Other musicians who have traded the bow or piano for the baton(指挥棒)have failed; the transition is not easy, of which he is aware. “The most crucial thing is the human chemistry between conductor and players. You must avoid at all costs being an outsider, as though saying to the orchestra, ‘You make your music while I imagine mine.’”

He is quite relaxed about not yet having his own hand-language —every conductor is different. Kuznetsov believes the connection between notes is not just physical, but also spiritual. Spiritually is, for Kuznetsov, the conductor’s key characteristic. “And it should ideally be expressed through beauty of movement,” he says. Some conductors threw themselves about, others hardly move a muscle. Where will Kuznetsov fit on that scale? “We must wait and see,” he says.

Kuznetsov himself moved straight as an arrow toward his goal. His father was an oboist(双簧管演奏者)and his mother conducted a choir, but at the age of four, young Leonid settled on the violin. “The violin is located at the front of the orchestra. It seemed very desirable to sit there and show off.” He gave his first concert at the age of five. “When I went on stage, I bowed so deeply and so long that he audience laughed —but I knew that this was what great artists always did. I felt it was an honour for the audience to listen to me.” His programme that day included Paganini variations, “which were very easy for me.”

What is his view now of the recordings he made at that age? “I didn’t have the technique I have now but across the years the intuition has not changed. I still feel every time I go on stage as though I’m newborn.”

Kuznetsov cautiously paces his own development. He didn’t give his first performance of Beethoven’s Violin Concerto until he felt ready for it, and he’ll let Bach’s works stay in his mind for some years.

One of Kuznetsov’s admirers wonders whether he is in danger of not hanging onto “the fearlessness of youth.” On the evidence of Kuznetsov’s bravely assured new interpretation of the Brahms Concerto, which he plays on a new CD release, I’d say that his fearlessness is in no danger yet.

Last weekend, my husband and I drove a dog to her new home. Typically, when we have a new dog in the backseat, it’s a young dog. But this passenger was a much different story. Magdalen is a 13-year old dog. Her owner gave her up temporarily when he was sick, but when he fully recovered several months later, he said he didn’t want her back. He had her since she was young but now had no place for her.

The family who had given her a temporary home had children and other dogs and was unable to give her a forever home. When Speak St, Louis, the rescue team I work with, was contacted about the dog, they offered to take her in. She went to a vet (兽医) for a basic health check. But the vet didn’t have great news. Her mouth was swollen (肿胀的) with all sorts of problems. Two teeth fell out during cleaning and eleven more had to be pulled out.

Luckily, a good friend of mine, a dog trainer with a soft heart for seniors, had agreed to adopt Magdalen. On the trip to the trainer’s home, the sweet senior looked so relaxed in our backseat. I felt a great sense of relief and pleasure.

Her owner needed some temporary help when he was sick. But I can’t imagine why he wouldn’t have wanted her back. I think of my own dog and dogs we lost to old age in the past. We’re family and we stay that way forever. She’d be able to live a good life. I hoped, in her new home!

The reference desk staff at Louisiana’s public libraries pride themselves on answering their customers’ questions.

Then came the flooding of 2016. Suddenly the questions became more urgent. People wanted to know how to contact Federal Emergency Management Agency for assistance, where to get help paying bills and even where to find a homeless shelter. Some visitors seemed to need much more than what the library’s reference sources could give them. They needed someone who could spend more time with them, advise them on who to call for assistance and what documents they’d need.

The library turned to Volunteers of America Greater Baton Rouge (VOAGBR), a nonprofit organization it had worked with before. Then three evenings a week, VOAGBR would send social workers to three library branches.

Melissa Peeler, a benefits specialist at VOAGBR, taped her sign — with its red, white and blue Volunteers of America logo (标识) — up in the reference section. But other than a poorly-dressed man in the comer, no one made eye contact all evening. Finally, the man walked to Melissa and asked her what she was doing.

“I’m here to talk to folks who need social service help,” she said.

“I need a place to sleep,” he said.

Melissa gave him a list of shelters. “VOAGBR runs the Drop-in Center near this shelter,” she said, pointing to an address. “There are showers and computers you can use. You can even get a photo ID.”

“Really?” the man said. “Thanks!”

Word got out. People began to take notice of Melissa and come to her with questions that the librarians weren’t generally equipped to handle.

Most people had never heard of VOAGBR. But one day, a man came in and, seeing Melissa’s sign, made a beeline for her. “Hey, I’m with you guys,” the man said, proudly pulling out an ID with the VOAGBR logo he’d gotten at the Drop-in Center. “I don’t know what I would have done without you!”