It’s finally starting to seem like spring in Michigan, despite another snowstorm this week. (No snow at 6am, 3 inches on the ground by 10am, but only a few patches here and there by dinnertime …)
This time of renewal has also seen a lot of musical activity.
First, the Orchard Lake Philharmonic Society Symphony Orchestra had its spring concert on April 15th, featuring pianist Pauline Martin. Very nice, supportive crowd, despite a performance that had some rough patches.
On Monday (snowstorm day), Chuck and I had a real treat at Schoolcraft College, when Wayne Bergeron joined Dr. Rick Selva and the Schoolcraft Jazz Ensemble. I wasn’t familiar with Bergeron, but it turns out he’s appeared on just about every Disney movie soundtrack you can think of from the past 20 years, used to match trumpets with Maynard Ferguson on tour, and has a long list of credits to his name. He was able to make his horn go to notes that didn’t seem natural for a trumpet, with a tone that was pure and crystal clear.
Perhaps it was the inspiration of hearing such great jazz playing that helped me finally start comping on the off-beats in my slow (and very painful) efforts to pick up a little jazz piano idiom in my lessons. Now, if I can just get them to “swing” and stop being “square” on the “and” beats! (Yes, Peter, I’m trying …)
Meanwhile, finally found out which group I will be playing with for the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra Academy in June. I’m in Group B – which will be playing Rimsky-Korsakov’s Capriccio Espagnole, Op. 34 and Paul Hindemith’s Symphonic Metamorphosis. Viola Judy is playing in the same group. After looking at the scores (and I spent a lot of time looking at Bernstein’s Overture to Candide this week — but that’s another story), I think we ended up with the better string parts between the two groups.
Now, if I only knew if I was in the first violin or second violin section …
Eventually, the music will come.
Midlife Musicians 