The event took place at an undisclosed location, to you, not me. I was not loaded into an unmarked van with tinted windows by Festival agents with ear mics and taken blindfolded through the mean streets of Chicago. But, in the hope that I might someday be invited back to the same location, I’ll be discreet.

I was told that the attendees would be treated to “a performance by acclaimed pianist Clayton Stephenson.” Having seen Stephenson play brilliantly the last two summers at the Festival, that alone would have been enough to lure me in, but we also were promised spectacular views of the Chicago skyline, an impressive personal art collection, curated wines and abundant hors d’oeuvres.

All the promises were delivered upon. Stephenson entertained us with Pictures from an Exhibition and an encore of Take the A Train. The former was particularly appropriate given the massive collection lining the walls of the host’s gigantic four-story home, though I must say, heathen that I am, that I was more interested in the game room that included ping pong and pool tables, especially because none of the pool cues appeared to be warped, a first in my experience.

If you’re anywhere near Ulm, Germany, birthplace of Albert Einstein, in late June, try to catch Stephenson playing Gershwin with the Ulm Philharmonic Orchestra.