♪ ♪ >> COMING UP ON "NEBRASKA STORIES," THE RETURN OF THE SANDHILL TRUMPETER SWANS, A VISIT TO A BUDDHIST TEMPLE BUILT BY REFUGEES, THE UNLIKELY FRIENDSHIP BETWEEN COMPOSER PHILIP GLASS AND PIANIST PAUL BARNES, AND GROWING CITRUS ON THE HIGH PLAINS.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ >> THE TRUMPETER SWAN IS A REALLY NEAT SUCCESS STORY.

>> IT WENT EXTINCT IN THE SANDHILLS.

>> TRUMPETER SWANS ARE REALLY GOOD INDICATOR SPECIES OF HABITAT QUALITY.

>> THEY'RE A BIG, BEAUTIFUL WHITE BIRD THAT IS AN ICON OF THE NEBRASKA SANDHILLS.

>> THE SANDHILLS IS STILL ONE OF THE LAST REMAINING INTACT GRASSLANDS LEFT IN THE WORLD.

>> THIS IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE FEW PLACES WHERE PRIVATE INDUSTRY, PRIVATE RANCHERS, HAVE IMPROVED THE LAND.

>> I HOPE THAT I ALWAYS GET TO MAKE MY LIFE HERE IN THE SANDHILLS.

♪ ♪ A TRUMPETER SWAN ACTUALLY IS THE LARGEST WATERFOWL SPECIES IN THE WORLD.

AND THEY'RE BEAUTIFUL.

THEIR BIRDS SITTER GOOD WATER QUALITY.

THEY NEED BIG OPEN GRASSLANDS AND WETLANDS AND OPEN BODIES OF WATER IN ORDER TO THRIVE.

>> WE REALLY DON'T KNOW A LOT ABOUT THEM, ABOUT THEIR BEHAVIOR.

IT'S REALLY FUN TO LEARN ABOUT THEM.

MY NAME IS HEATHER JOHNSON AND I'M RESEARCHING TRUMPETER SWANS IN THE NEBRASKA SANDHILLS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA, KEARNEY.

I'M ALSO A WILDLIFE BIOLOGIST WITH NEBRASKA GAME AND PARKS STUDYING WATERFOWL.

SO HISTORICALLY TRUMPETER SWANS BREEDING RANGE, RANGE ALL THE WAY UP IN ALASKA IN THE BOREAL FOREST.

AND THEN THE SANDHILLS WAS THE VERY SOUTH TIP OF THAT BREEDING RANGE AND POPULATIONS WERE UPWARDS, PROBABLY ABOUT HALF A MILLION TO A MILLION.

THE FUR TRADE INDUSTRY PLAYED A LARGE ROLE IN THE DEPLETION OF THE POPULATION OF TRUMPETER SWANS.

THEIR DOWN FEATHERS ON THEIR BELLY WAS VERY DESIRED FOR WOMEN'S POWDER PUFFS.

THE FEATHERS WERE DESIRED FOR CLOTHING AND HATS AND QUILL PENS.

IN FACT, AUDUBON HIMSELF PREFERRED A QUILL PEN FOR HIS DRAWINGS.

THE MIGRATORY BIRD TREATY ACT IS WHAT SAVED THESE BIRDS IN 1918.

HAD THAT TREATY BEEN NOT PUT INTO PLACE, WE WOULD NOT HAVE TRUMPETER SWANS TODAY.

>> NEBRASKA SANDHILLS WAS A CORE OF THEIR RANGE AND THEY WERE WIPED OUT OF THE SANDHILLS, WIPED OUT IN NEBRASKA AND THEN THROUGH CONSERVATION LAWS AND A LOT OF CONSERVATION EFFORTS OVER THE LAST HUNDRED YEARS, TRUMPETER SWANS HAVE STARTED TO COME BACK.

( airboat engine whirring ) >> YOU MAKE THAT LOOK EASY.

>> I DIDN'T KNOW WE HAD ONE.

>> OH, YEAH.

>> YOU TAKE AN AIRBOAT OUT, WE RUN UP NEXT TO THESE BIRDS AND GENTLY SCOOP THEM UP WITH A BIG OLD SCOOP NET AND THEN WE BRING THEM BACK AND THEN WE'LL COLLECT WHAT WE CALL BODY CONDITION DATA.

THAT'S HOW YOU CAN DETERMINE HOW HEALTHY A BIRD IS.

AND OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS, WE'VE BEEN PUTTING ON GPS SATELLITE CALLERS.

SO, WE'VE BEEN TRACKING THESE SWANS, AND WE'RE LOOKING WHERE THEY'RE GOING IN THE WINTER.

>> LET'S TAKE HER BACK DOWN THERE.

♪ ♪ >> WE'RE TRYING TO GET A HANDLE ON THE POPULATION NUMBERS AND NOT NECESSARILY JUST THE NUMBERS, BUT THE TRENDS.

IF THEY'RE GOING UP OR GOING DOWN.

WHAT WE HAVE BEEN SEEING ACTUALLY OVER THE YEARS IS WE'VE SEEN AN INCREASING POPULATION.

SO THE OVERALL NUMBER OF SWANS HAS INCREASED, BUT THE PROPORTION OF JUVENILES IS KIND OF SLIGHTLY DECREASING.

>> THERE'S A LOT OPPORTUNITY FOR PREDATORS TO GET AHOLD OF THESE BIRDS.

SOME PREDATORS WOULD INCLUDE NORTHERN PIKE, SNAPPING TURTLES, BIRDS OF PREY.

THOSE ARE KIND OF THEIR MAIN PREDATORS.

AND THEN THERE'S ALSO, YOU KNOW, WEATHER, MANY OTHER FACTORS THAT CAN AFFECT SURVIVAL.

♪ ♪ >>> WELL, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE ANTICIPATING OR COULD ANTICIPATE -- WIND ENERGIES ARE ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT MAY BE CROPPING UP IN THE SANDHILLS AND IT HAS IN ONE OR TWO SPOTS.

AND WITH THAT, YOU HAVE A LOT OF TRANSMISSION LINES AND SO FORTH.

AND SOME OF THOSE THINGS MAY BE CUTTING ACROSS SOME OF THE WINTERING AREAS THAT THESE BIRDS USE.

AND SO, WHAT WOULD THAT DO FOR THOSE SWANS?

>> WHERE YOU PUT THOSE TRANSMISSION LINES ARE REALLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE IF YOU PUT THEM NEXT TO A KEY WINTERING GROUND, THESE BIRDS DIDN'T EVOLVE WITH BIG, LONG, THICK WIRES SPANNING ACROSS THE SKY.

SO, THAT CAN BE A DEATH TRAP.

♪ ♪ >> THE FIRST TIME I SAW A TRUMPETER SWAN WAS PROBABLY IN THE LATE SIXTIES AT LACREEK, UP THERE NORTH OF MERRIMAN.

MY NAME IS A.B.

COX AND I LIVE ON CALF CREEK RANCH.

THIS IS CALF CREEK, NORTH OF MULLEN, NEBRASKA IN SOUTHERN CHERRY COUNTY.

>> I'M SHELLY KELLY.

I GREW UP BY BREWSTER, NEBRASKA ON A RANCH FAMILY OPERATION, AND JUST ALWAYS LOVED THE SANDHILLS.

THE TRUMPETER SWAN IS KIND OF A ICONIC SPECIES BECAUSE IT STICKS OUT SO MUCH.

PEOPLE PAY ATTENTION TO THE SWANS AND EVEN RANCHERS THAT HAVE LIVED HERE THEIR WHOLE LIVES LIKE MYSELF, WHEN WE SEE A TRUMPETER SWAN, IT'S REALLY EXCITING.

WHAT WE DO KNOW IS IF WE HAVE A HEALTHY LANDSCAPE, WE KNOW THAT IT'S BETTER FOR THE SWANS.

IT'S NOT A COMPETING INTEREST.

YOU KNOW, WILDLIFE AND RANCHING, THEY'RE NOT ON DIFFERENT HANDS.

THEY SHARE THE SAME GOALS.

>> MOST RANCHERS HAVE BEEN REAL GOOD STEWARDS OF THIS LANDSCAPE BECAUSE THEY NEED GOOD GRASS TOO, IN A WAY THEY'RE GRASS FARMERS.

>> WE JUST SEE IT AS WE ARE TRYING TO BE GOOD STEWARDS, AND LEAVE IT AS BEST WE CAN.

>> I CARE ABOUT THESE BIRDS BECAUSE THEY'RE REMARKABLE.

I THINK ABOUT WHAT WOULD THE WORLD LOOK LIKE IF THEY WEREN'T IN IT.

YOU KNOW, TO ME, IT'D BE PRETTY BORING PLACE.

IT'S A REAL CONSERVATION SUCCESS STORY.

THAT'S BECAUSE OF AN AWFUL LOT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE DEDICATED THEIR LIVES AND THEIR EFFORTS TO HELP BRING THESE BIRDS BACK.

SO IT'S A PRETTY COOL DEAL, BUT THERE'S NO FINISH LINE IN CONSERVATION.

AND SO WE HAVE TO KEEP THINKING ABOUT THESE BIRDS AND WHAT THEY REPRESENT AND REALLY CELEBRATE THEM SO WE CAN HAVE THEM AROUND FOR A LONG TIME.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ AFTER THE VIETNAM WAR, EMIGRATION FROM VIETNAM WAS AT AN ALL-TIME HIGH.

THE UNITED NATIONS CREATED AN ORDERLY DEPARTURE PROGRAM TO MAKE EMIGRATION SAFER AND PROVIDE PROPER LEGAL CHANNELS.

IN 1990, LINCOLN WAS DECLARED A "REFUGEE FRIENDLY" CITY BY THE U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT, MAKING LINCOLN A MAJOR RESETTLEMENT SITE FOR VIETNAMESE REFUGEES.

SETTLING IN TO THEIR NEW HOME INCLUDED FINDING A WAY TO KEEP THEIR CULTURE ALIVE.

MANY FOUND SANCTUARY IN LINCOLN'S CATHOLIC COMMUNITY.

BUT FOR BUDDHISTS, THERE WAS NO GATHERING PLACE.

SO IN 1991, A GROUP OF VIETNAMESE NEBRASKANS FOUNDED THE LINH QUANG BUDDHIST TEMPLE.

>> MY DAD WAS ONE OF THE FOUNDING MEMBERS OF THIS TEMPLE.

WHEN THEY CAME HERE, A WAY FOR THEM TO JUST KIND OF GET TOGETHER WAS THROUGH RELIGION.

>> MY FAMILY AND I CAME TO AMERICA IN 1993, WE DIDN'T ACTUALLY START GOING TO THE TEMPLE UNTIL MAYBE A FEW YEARS LATER.

BUT WE'VE ALWAYS BEEN BUDDHISTS.

>> IN THE EARLY YEARS OF LINH QUANG BUDDHIST TEMPLE, A RENOVATED HOUSE SERVED AS THE MEETING SITE.

>> IN 2007 WAS WHEN WE CAME OUT THERE.

WE HAD THE GROUNDBREAKING CEREMONY AND THEN THE BUILDING PROCESS STARTED, AND THEN 2011 WAS THE GRAND OPENING THAT WE HAD THIS LOCATION.

A LOT OF THESE HERE THAT YOU CAN SEE ARE STATUES THAT WE JUST RECENTLY GOT BROUGHT OVER FROM VIETNAM.

>> RETAINING OUR VIETNAMESE CULTURAL HERITAGE IS SOMETHING VERY IMPORTANT TO MY PARENTS, AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU KNOW WE WERE TAUGHT AT VERY YOUNG AGE.

( monk chanting ) >> THE FIRST LANGUAGE OF MANY WORSHIPERS AT LINH QUANG BUDDHIST TEMPLE IS VIETNAMESE, AND THE SERVICES ARE STILL OFFERED IN THEIR NATIVE TONGUE.

THERE ARE, OF COURSE, OTHER REASONS SACRED TEXT AND WORSHIP SERVICES ARE NOT TRANSLATED.

>> SOME OF THE WORDS, THE TEACHING, IS ACTUALLY VERY DEEP.

VERY -- IT HAS DIFFERENT MEANING, AND SO WHEN WE TRANSLATE THAT TO ENGLISH, IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY TRANSLATE IT CORRECTLY.

>> THERE ARE TWO TYPES OF SERVICES.

THERE'S THE MAIN ONE IN HERE AND THEN THERE'S A SEPARATE ONE FOR THE BUDDHIST YOUTH GROUP.

THE OLDER PEOPLE ARE GENERALLY IN HERE DOING THE PRAYING AND THE CEREMONY WITH THE MONK.

( praying and chanting ) >> DURING A BUDDHIST CEREMONY, WE HAVE THE GONG.

WE CALL IT THE CHIÊNG .

AND THEN WE HAVE THE WOODEN, MOK TOK.

THIS IS MADE OUT OF WOOD, AND THIS IS MORE OF RHYTHM.

IT PROVIDES RHYTHM WHEN YOU CHANT.

SO THE GUY THAT YOU SAW WITH THE GONG?

THAT WAS MY DAD, ACTUALLY, SO HE'S BEEN DOING IT FOR YEARS.

THERE'S CERTAIN PARTS IN THE BOOK WHERE YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO HIT, AND HE JUST KNOWS IT BY HEART.

>> AT LINH QUANG, SOME HAVE BEEN ON THE JOURNEY ALL THEIR LIVES, WHILE OTHERS ARE NEW TO THE PRACTICE.

ONE OF THE FOUNDATIONS OF BUDDHISM IS SEEKING PEACEFUL LIVING.

>> THE MAIN TEACHING OR PURPOSE OF BUDDHISM IS SO THAT PEOPLE CAN LIVE WITH COMPASSION, WITH HARMONY, AND WITH LOVE.

>> WHEN BUDDHA WAS FIRST BORN, HE TOOK SEVEN STEPS, AND EACH STEP THAT HE TOOK, A LOTUS FLOWER BLOOMED BENEATH HIS FOOT.

A LOTUS, IT GROWS IN A VERY SWAMPY, DIRTY AREA, RIGHT?

HOWEVER, WHEN IT BLOOMS, IT'S VERY BEAUTIFUL.

AND SO AS A BUDDHIST, YOU'RE KIND OF LIKE A LOTUS.

YOU DON'T LET ALL OF THOSE BAD THINGS INFLUENCE YOU.

>> WE HAVE THE STORY OF BUDDHA PLAYING OUT IN THESE FIVE PANELS HERE.

IT STARTS WITH HIS BIRTH AND THEN TO THE POINT WHERE HE DECIDES TO GIVE UP THE THRONE AND GIVE UP HIS POWER OF BEING THE PRINCE TO SEEK ENLIGHTENMENT.

>>BUDDHISM IS FULL OF SYMBOLISM.

FROM NUMBERS TO COLORS, EVERY DETAIL POINTS BACK TO BUDDHA'S TEACHING.

>> THOSE FOUR PILLARS, THEY REPRESENT THE ENTRYWAY INTO THE TEMPLE AND IF YOU CAN IMAGINE THE THREE SPLITS IN BETWEEN REPRESENTING THE PAST, THE PRESENT, OR THE FUTURE.

THERE'S CHINESE SCRIPT AS WELL AS VIETNAMESE SCRIPT BASICALLY SAYING THOSE THAT PASS THROUGH THE TEMPLE MAY BE BLESSED.

>> INSIDE THE TEMPLE, SYMBOLIC GRAY ROBES ARE WORN DURING THE SERVICES AS PEOPLE PRAY AND CHANT.

>> SO WHEN YOU COME IN HERE, WE'RE ALL EQUAL, RIGHT?

PUTTING ON THE ROBE, WE'RE ALL THE SAME.

>> AFTER OUR SERVICE, WE WOULD INVITE EVERYBODY HERE TO COME AND JOIN US IN WHAT THEY CALL A GATHERING PLACE TO JUST ENJOY A FREE LUNCH WITH EVERYBODY AND KIND OF BOND WITH ONE ANOTHER.

>> PEOPLE DON'T ALWAYS EXPECT TO FIND A BUDDHIST TEMPLE IN LINCOLN, NEBRASKA, BUT THE MEMBERS OF LINH QUANG LOVE TO OPEN THEIR DOORS TO NEW PEOPLE.

>> WE WELCOME THOSE PEOPLE WHO WANT TO COME TO TEMPLE FOR PRAYER OR JUST FOR PEACE AND QUIET AND THE TEACHING.

>> FOR ME, THIS WHOLE AREA JUST BRINGS ABOUT CALM.

IT'S JUST A QUIET PLACE FOR YOU JUST TO SIT AND TO REFLECT.

>> BUDDHISM IS A RELIGION, BUT TO ME, IT'S MORE LIKE A TEACHING.

JUST A WAY SO THAT YOU WOULD LEARN TO LIVE LIFE RATHER THAN FOLLOW IT BLINDLY AND NOT UNDERSTAND IT.

AT LEAST UNDERSTAND WHY YOU'RE A BUDDHIST.

IN MY OPINION, I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT.

♪ ♪ ♪ PIANO MUSIC ♪ >> THE THING THAT'S THE HARDEST ABOUT THIS WHOLE PIECE IS THE CODA.

>> PAUL BARNES HAS SPENT MONTHS PRACTICING FOR A NEW PIECE HE COMMISSIONED FROM A FAVORITE COMPOSER.

( piano playing ) >> THERE.

BUT YEAH, THESE TWO PAGES ARE BY FAR THE HARDEST.

>> BARNES IS A PIANO VIRTUOSO WHO SPLITS HIS TIME BETWEEN TEACHING AT THE UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA-LINCOLN AND PERFORMING CLASSICAL CONCERTS ACROSS THE GLOBE.

>> AND THIS IS THE SECTION THAT PHILIP LET ME ADD ALL OF THOSE WONDERFUL OCTAVES HERE.

( piano playing ) >> THE PHILIP TO WHOM HE REFERS IS NONE OTHER THAN THE WORLD RENOWNED COMPOSER PHILIP GLASS, WIDELY REGARDED AS ONE OF THE MOST INFLUENTIAL COMPOSERS WORKING TODAY.

>> BEAUTIFUL EPIPHANY CHORD THERE.

>> THE TWO MET BY CHANCE 24 YEARS AGO ON AN AIRPLANE LEAVING LINCOLN, NEBRASKA.

(jet plane taking off) >> ON THAT FLIGHT AS I WAS SITTING DOWN, I SAW PHILIP GLASS GET ON THE PLANE.

AND THE SEAT NEXT TO HIM WAS EMPTY AND SO I JUST, IN A FIT OF DIVINE INSPIRATION, HOPPED OVER THE AISLE AND BEFORE I KNEW IT I'M TALKING TO ONE OF MY FAVORITE PEOPLE ON THE PLANET, PHILIP GLASS.

>> THEY'VE BEEN ON AND OFF COLLABORATORS EVER SINCE, FORMING A FRIENDSHIP THROUGH MUSIC.

♪ ♪ >> BARNES FIRST COMMISSIONED A PIECE FROM GLASS IN 2004.

THIS LATEST COMMISSION IS A BIT DIFFERENT.

LONG KNOWN FOR HIS INNOVATIVE AND EXPERIMENTAL SYMPHONIES, FILM SCORES, AND OPERAS, THIS IS GLASS' FIRST PIANO QUINTET AND HIS FIRST PIECE INSPIRED BY A BYZANTINE CHANT.

>> THE MUSIC THAT HE GAVE ME TO WORK WITH WAS VERY INTERESTING TO WORK WITH.

THE HARMONIC EXCHANGES ARE VERY SUPPRESSED.

IT'S NOT WHAT WE HEAR IN MODERN MUSIC.

FRANKLY, I DIDN'T KNOW WHETHER HE WAS GOING TO LIKE IT OR NOT.

>> I HAD NO IDEA HOW HE WAS GOING TO BE ABLE TO DEAL WITH THAT.

WHEN I GOT THE MANUSCRIPT IN THE MAIL, AND PLAYED THROUGH THE FIRST WAY THAT HE DEALT WITH THE THEME, I WAS JUST STUNNED BECAUSE IT WAS SO BEAUTIFUL.

I STILL REMEMBER THE FIRST TIME I PLAYED THIS.

I WAS SO HAPPY.

( piano playing ) >> WHILE GLASS MAY HAVE HAD SOME CRITICS IN EARLIER YEARS, HE REMAINS IN HIGH DEMAND.

IN 2018, HE WAS PRESENTED WITH A LIFETIME ARTISTIC ACHIEVEMENT AWARD AT THE KENNEDY CENTER HONORS.

AND GETTING ON GLASS' SCHEDULE IS A CHALLENGE.

GLASS IS ON A WHIRLWIND TRIP TO THE MIDWEST FROM HIS HOME IN NEW YORK FOR THE WORLD PREMIER OF HIS LATEST WORK, BUT NOT BEFORE A JAM-PACKED DAY OF REHEARSALS AND FINESSING.

>> IF I WERE TO REDO THAT A BIT, I WOULD PUT IN A FULL HORN SECTION.

>> OH, I SEE.

>> AND A LOT OF INTRODUCTIONS.

>> I WANT TO INTRODUCE YOU TO MY STUDENT.

SEAN, I WANT TO INTRODUCE YOU TO PHILIP GLASS.

THIS IS THE UNL ORCHESTRA.

THIS IS PHILIP GLASS.

(cheering) >> IN SOME WAYS THEY ARE AN UNLIKELY PAIR.

82-YEAR-OLD GLASS IS SOFT SPOKEN, MEASURED, YET DELIBERATE WITH HIS INPUT AND COMPOSING.

>> THIS IS THE SECTION WHERE I JUST WANT TO FILL IT OUT A LITTLE BIT IN OCTAVES AND I WANT YOU TO HEAR IT FIRST, OKAY?

SO WHEN I'M HERE WITH THE QUINTET--.

( piano playing ) >> ISN'T THIS A LITTLE FAST?

>> WELL, WE REALLY GO FAST HERE.

>> YEAH, BUT YOU'RE ALREADY AT--.

>> YEAH WE'RE AT 144 IS WHAT WE WANTED TO DO THIS.

>> WHERE WERE YOU ON THE PREVIOUS PAGE?

>> BARNES IS A FIREHOSE OF ENERGY ALTERNATING RAPID FIRE EXPRESSIVENESS WITH NUANCE.

>> WELL AND THIS, BY THE WAY, IS THE HARDEST PART IN THE WHOLE QUINTET.

>> WHY IS THAT?

>> BECAUSE IT IS.

( piano playing ) >>: I DEFINITELY WRITE MUSIC THAT'S CHALLENGING FOR HIM BUT WHY SHOULDN'T I?

HE ALWAYS DOES IT.

>> THIS IS WHERE YOU DEFINITELY WANTED THINGS FASTER.

>> WHY WRITE SOMETHING THAT HE CAN PLAY?

>> AND THEN A LITTLE BIT OF A POCO RIT AND THEN RIGHT INTO THE BA, BA, BA, BA, BUM.

>> BOTH ARE PASSIONATE AND SEEM TO HAVE THE KIND OF UNDENIABLE CONNECTION OF TWO MASTERS AT THE TOP OF THEIR GAME.

(laughter) >> THAT'S GOOD.

>> I LOVE THE ENDING.

I LOVE IT!

WE'RE VERY DIFFERENT.

I'M WAY OVER THE TOP, YOU KNOW?

AND HE'S MUCH MORE CONTEMPLATIVE.

>> I GUESS THAT SOUNDS LIKE A GOOD PRESCRIPTION FOR A RICH FRIENDSHIP.

WE AREN'T THE SAME.

WE'RE DIFFERENT, BUT WE'RE DIFFERENT IN INTERESTING WAYS.

>> HERE WE GO.

>> AT THE END OF THE DAY, THERE'S MORE WORK TO DO, ONE LAST REHEARSAL.

(slow violin music) >> GLASS HAS NEVER HEARD HIS PIANO QUINTET PLAYED BY MUSICIANS, AND THE PERFORMERS ARE STILL FINDING THEIR WAY WITH THE NEW WORK.

>> I THINK IT WORKS BETTER TO JUST GO AHEAD AND STICK WITH, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE WE HAVE THIS NICE BIG RITARD.

>> SO MAYBE LET'S TRY THAT AGAIN.

>> CAN WE TRY THAT AGAIN?

(intense orchestra music) >> EVEN THE NIGHT BEFORE THE WORLD PREMIER, CHANGES ARE STILL BEING MADE TO THE WORK.

>> CAN WE DO A FIRST TIME AT 30?

♪ ♪ >> IT WASN'T EXACTLY TOGETHER AT THE END.

>> RIGHT, YOU WANT IT EXACTLY TOGETHER.

>> ALMOST, DON'T YOU?

>> YOU WANT TO TAKE IT RIGHT AT 28?

>> BUT I THINK ALSO WHEN YOU BEGIN THAT LAST THING, IT SHOULD BE A LITTLE BIT LOUDER.

I WOULD MAKE THAT AN EIGHTH NOTE.

( piano playing ) >> YEAH, I LIKE IT BETTER WITH AN EIGHTH NOTE.

>> I THINK SO TO.

THIS WILL GO ON FOR A WHILE WITH A NEW PIECE.

IT CAN GO ON FOR MONTHS OR IT CAN GO ON FOR YEARS.

I'M STILL MAKING CORRECTIONS TO PIECES THAT I WROTE YEARS AGO.

>> YEAH, THAT WAS-- ( laughter ) IT'S A TINY THING, BUT--.

>> THE WAY A PIECE ENDS IS HUGE.

( clapping ) ( chanting ) ( violin playing ) ( orchestra playing ) ( clapping ) >> THE FIRST NIGHT IS LIKE A BIRTH.

IT'S VERY MUCH LIKE HAVING CHILDREN FOR THE FIRST TIME.

AND PEOPLE WILL TELL YOU THAT.

THERE'S SOMETHING NEW IN THE WORLD THAT WASN'T THERE BEFORE.

AND THAT'S AN ASTONISHING THING WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT.

IT DOESN'T HAPPEN EVERY DAY.

♪ ♪ >> WE HAVE WITNESSES, WE HAVE AUDIENCES.

WE HAVE THE SHARING OF THAT EXPERIENCE.

WHAT I CALL THE TRANSACTION.

THE REASON THEY COME FOR THE OPENING NIGHT, BECAUSE THAT'S THE NIGHT FOR THE HIGHEST CHARGE OF EMOTION WILL BE IN THAT NIGHT.

THE AUDIENCE IS A CATALYST.

IT'S A MATCH THAT LIGHTS THE FIRE.

( slow piano tune ) OH, HE'S A VERY GOOD PLAYER.

DOING CONCERTS FOR 50 YEARS, SO I HAVE FAVORITE PLAYERS.

AND HE'S ONE OF THE BEST OF THE BEST.

HE IS COMPLETELY ENGAGED IN WHAT HE'S DOING.

WHEN HE WALKS ON THE STAGE, WHEN HE SITS DOWN, THE WAY HE PLAYS.

THIS IS A MAN WHOSE DOING EXACTLY WHAT HE SHOULD BE DOING.

♪ ♪ >> SOME OF IT IS HARD ENOUGH THAT YOU JUST HAVE TO BE THINKING ABOUT NAILING THE MUSIC.

BUT WHEN YOU'RE REALLY SOLID WITH THE MUSIC, THEN YOU'RE EXPERIENCING IT RIGHT ALONG WITH ALL OF THE AUDIENCE.

>> ONE OF THE PLEASURES OF LIVING THE LIFE OF A PERFORMER OR A LIFE OF AN ARTIST IS THE RICHNESS ON THE HUMAN SIDE OF THE FRIENDSHIPS.

IT GOES VERY DEEP.

SOMETIMES THE FEELINGS YOU HAVE, THERE'S NO OTHER WAY OF EXPRESSING.

WHEN I HEAR SOMEONE PLAYING MY MUSIC I SAY, "OH, SOMETIMES I WISH I COULD PLAY IT LIKE THAT."

IT MEANS THAT THEY FOUND SOMETHING IN MUSIC THAT I DIDN'T KNOW WAS THERE.

AND THAT CAN HAPPEN.

♪ ♪ ( clapping ) >> WELL, WE HAVE LOTS OF OTHER PLANS.

WE'RE GONNA WRITE YOUR SECOND PIANO SONATA FOR ME.

>> YEAH, THAT'S RIGHT.

>> I THINK WE DECIDED THAT, DIDN'T WE?

>> WE TALKED ABOUT IT, WE DID.

>> IT'S SO EASY FOR ME TO --.

>> I HAVEN'T WRITTEN THE FIRST ONE YET YOU SEE.

>> NO, BUT IT'S SPOKEN FOR.

SO I'M GONNA GET THE SECOND PIANO SONATA.

SO PROBABLY FOR YOUR 85TH, PERFECT.

LET'S PLAN IT FOR YOUR 85TH CELEBRATION.

( laughing ) ALRIGHT?

>> THERE'S TIME.

THERE'S TIME FOR MORE MUSIC, I THINK.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ >> WE CAN GROW THE BEST CITRUS IN THE WORLD, RIGHT HERE ON THE HIGH PLAINS.

I'M RUSS FINCH, AND THIS IS THE FIRST GREENHOUSE IN THE SNOW.

ALLIANCE, NEBRASKA, CENTER OF THE PANHANDLE ON THE HIGH PLAINS.

THERE HAVE BEEN HARDLY ANY SUCCESSFUL 12-MONTH GREENHOUSES ON THE HIGH PLAINS.

THE COST OF ENERGY'S JUST TOO HIGH FOR IT, BUT BY TAPPING INTO THE EARTH HEAT, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO DRASTICALLY REDUCE THE COSTS.

ALL WE TRY TO DO IS KEEP IT ABOVE 28 DEGREES IN THE WINTER, AND WE HAVE NO BACKUP SYSTEM FOR HEAT.

THE ONLY HEAT SOURCE IS THE EARTH'S HEAT AT 52 DEGREES AT EIGHT FOOT DEEP.

AND WE FLOW THAT THROUGH THE TUBES THAT ARE UNDERGROUND.

NEWER DESIGNS ARE RUNNING ABOUT A DOLLAR A DAY FOR ENERGY.

IT'S A FRACTION OF THE COST OF FOSSIL FUELS, BUT TO PROVE THAT THE SYSTEM WOULD WORK, WE KNEW WE HAD TO GROW SOMETHING BESIDE GERANIUMS AND ROSES AND THINGS LIKE THAT, SO WE HIT ON THE FIGS AND THE CITRUS.

THESE ARE VALENCIA ORANGES.

PRACTICALLY ALL THE JUICE COMES FROM VALENCIAS.

THEY'RE THE TREES THAT THEY'RE LOSING IN FLORIDA NOW BECAUSE OF THE GREENING DISEASE.

WE NOT ONLY CAN GROW 'EM CHEAPER ON CHEAPER LAND, WE'VE GOT THE WATER, ABUNDANT SUNSHINE, AND ALSO WE DON'T HAVE THE TRANSPORTATION COSTS.

WE CAN GROW PRACTICALLY ANY TROPICAL PLANT.

I THINK YOU CAN EVEN GROW BANANAS IN THE NEW DESIGN.

♪ ♪ >> WATCH MORE "NEBRASKA STORIES" ON OUR WEBSITE, FACEBOOK, AND YOUTUBE.

"NEBRASKA STORIES" IS FUNDED IN PART BY THE MARGARET AND MARTHA THOMAS FOUNDATION.

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