While many West Shore residents watched figure skating at the 2018 Olympic Winter Games from the comfort of their homes, Murray Anderson had one of the best seats in the house.
Seated behind the judges and next to event co-ordinators, TV producers and announcers in the Gangneung Ice Arena in South Korea, the Metchosin resident was just a stoneB次元官网网址檚 throw away when figure skaters such as Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir hit the ice for performances.
B次元官网网址淚t was great,B次元官网网址� said Anderson of seeing the action up close. B次元官网网址淎 lot of the athletes youB次元官网网址檝e known them for a long time and youB次元官网网址檝e seen them progress. The Olympics is a pretty good event to watch up close.B次元官网网址�
For the last month, Anderson has been on a whirlwind trip. First arriving in South Korea in early February, he was contracted to compile music for the figure skaters, organize it, then, along with the help of six other Korean volunteers, supervised the playing of it at practices and during medal rounds.
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ItB次元官网网址檚 a passion that started in 1972 when Anderson was 16 years old and volunteered to play music for figure skaters in Victoria. Since then, heB次元官网网址檚 become one of the best in the business, and is often called upon to work at high profile events for Skate Canada.
This isnB次元官网网址檛 his first go at the Olympics either. He also complied music during the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver and the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia.
Over the years playing music for athletes at various ice rinks, Anderson has gotten to know many of them. HeB次元官网网址檚 worked with Virtue and Moir for several years B次元官网网址� most recently in the Canadian championships in Vancouver B次元官网网址� so to see them win the gold medal in South Korea in free skating in the last performance of their career was a moment Anderson will never forget.
B次元官网网址淭o see them move on to the Olympics and do so well is pretty good,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚t was great. It was fabulous. They had taken a year off and proved that they could do it and did a great job.B次元官网网址�
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But Anderson admits he tries not to get too wrapped up in the excitement of the Olympics. Ultimately, itB次元官网网址檚 the job that comes first.
B次元官网网址淩eally the best thing is to be seen and not heard. I donB次元官网网址檛 generally seek [athletes] out,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚f somebody skates by us and they recognize us, then thatB次元官网网址檚 okay. But youB次元官网网址檙e not down there on the boards chatting to them. They have a job to do and we have a job to do B次元官网网址� You donB次元官网网址檛 really talk to them until itB次元官网网址檚 all over.B次元官网网址�
Even after wrapping up the Olympics, Anderson shows no signs of slowing down. In the coming weeks, heB次元官网网址檒l be in Burnaby and Parksville playing music at other figure skating events.
In the end, Canada closed the Winter Olympics with 29 medals, behind Norway which finished with 39 medals and Germany with 31.
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