I’ve heard China described as an “emerging” country, but as I’ve just experienced, emerging from Communism takes time. The following is an edited summary of the good, the bad, and some of the ugly from my second trip to China with an excellent Chicago-area community ensemble called the South Shore Orchestra. The flights from D.C. […]
Flugel Flight
I’m getting ready to travel to China with a community orchestra, and, barring my current stuffy nose and the 13-hour plane ride, I’m looking forward to it. As with each time I travel, I think of the news stories of both professionals and amateurs who arrived at their destinations, only to end up with broken […]
One, Two, Three, What?
Even with years of performance experience, an innate sense of various musical styles, and a professional demeanor, one of the unfortunate situations encountered by community musicians is an unorganized and/or unprepared director. I would guess this is not an issue that professional musicians must deal with. Conducting Style It’s all about communication. Numerous times I’ve conducted […]
Borrowed Music in Advertising
Throughout the history of commercials, many advertising companies have used well-known pieces—usually orchestral, jazz, or oldies pop—as background music for radio and TV ads. This is nothing new, but it’s sometimes interesting to hear what kind of music some public relations professionals decide is appropriate for their merchandise or service. We consumers have seen and […]
Thoughts on the Effects of Stage Fright
I was talking to a band director friend last night and we got on the subject of stage fright. I said that I thought most folks would use their performance nerves/fear as a way to focus on the music while on stage, therefore putting forth a more accurate, musical result. He suggested that many players […]
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