Lucky

Posted on January 8, 2009

Why do people have trouble realizing how good they have it?  I know I am lucky.  I am not going to say I am always down about my situation, because I am rarely down.  I feel good about the recent happenings in my life.  Tonight was a good one.  There are only a handful of people in this world that get to do what I get to do.  For an artist, to be able to create music, and an artistic product, pretty much on their own terms, it is quite amazing.  You have to have people that are willing to go along with on on the venture, and when that happens, it feels good.

I struggle with the youth band, mainly because it is less artistic, I guess, than  it used to be.  Its mainly a result of lesser fundamentals wiht the players.  We are stuck in the play the notes and rhythms phase and its not as much fun for me in that mode.  Don’t get me wrong, I still love doing it.  Its just taxing me a bit more because of this, maybe.  I feel like the kids and I are on the same page in the band, and are all committed to doing the best we can, and I am working my hardest to plan and rehearse the band to be successful.

The Adult band is a different story, or course.  It is much closer to artistic excellence, and I am really happy about the positive vibe the band has.  I could not be more excited about this next concert that we began preparations on tonight.  I have been waiting six months to get into this program.  While tonight was just a reading session, you can tell that there are moments of musical brilliance about to happen, and by March, the band will be HOT.  This is why I am lucky.  So few people get to stand in front of a highly artistic musical ensemble.  It is very rare, believe me.  A read through of Danny Boy did not set off any warning signs that a musical moment was going to happen, but it did.  The main climactic moment at the end of Danny Boy was just stunning.  The band seemed to keep getting louder and louder and made the hair on my neck stand up (OK, arm- since I have no neck hair).  Its an easy tune, but very accessible to the emotions, and it was a nice surprise to have that moment come tonight.

Lucky-  You bet.  I occasionall play in a great profesional orchestra.  I work with the best kids in the world in the youth band.  I am a part of a very exciting process with the Triangle Brass Band that has us learning about each other and how we can make great music together.  Its working, so far.