June already - what happened to Spring? So, anyway, the winter was about Blue Hill Troupe concerts. We did four this year - two runouts to churches in suburban Long Island and New Jersey, and two in Manhattan. A terrific themed program assembled by the concert committee, it was a lot of fun and went beautifully. The American Prize finally announced their winners for Opera Conducting, and I placed third in my category for Savoynet’s “Pirates” two summers ago. I have been a finalist before and an Honorable Mention/Citation winner before, but I have never placed before! So, progress, if incremental. I didn’t have any horn gigs this spring, but suddenly I’m doing a lot of playing. I’m substituting for the principal horn for QUO’s Pride Month concert: fun repertoire that includes both On the Town and West Side Story, fun Shostakovitch pieces and a conga! I’l also be performing with French Horn Nation for the annual “Make Music New York” this month. I also, either bravely or insanely, volunteered to play bassoon for a student concert this afternoon with no rehearsal. Bassoon is one of my doubles, and I love playing bassoon, but haven’t in years and didn’t get a lot of prep time for this concert. And it’s real repertoire, mostly classical warhorses (selections from Carmen, William Tell, a Beethoven symphony). It will be FINE I’M SURE. Fun, anyway. I’m delighted to announced that Dr. Craig Scott Symons has asked me back to lead another Gilbert & Sullivan summer sing at First Congregational Church of Greenwich! We had such a great time last year - this year’s sing is on Wednesday, July 26th, and everyone is welcome! A sad note, but not unexpected: Blue Hill Troupe, which is going through some transitions, is changing their concert format (to what, I’m not sure) and they are not renewing my contract. I’ve been assured that they were very happy with my work; the job itself has been cut. Well, I fought like hell to get that job and I did it for two years and I proved to everyone, especially myself, what a good fit it was, and we all had a great time! I wish them the best of luck. So the possibilities are now boundless. There are two shows going up in 2018 that I am applying to music-direct, and either would be a significant project: getting both would pretty much block out the school year. Outside of those, it may be time to put more energy into growing my coaching business, or start gigging more as a horn player. Or finish up those arranging and publishing projects that have been 95% done for years. Happy Summer! |
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