You never know who you’re going to meet at a party, or what their hidden talents might be. It’s always interesting to hear some people’s stories after they learn I’m a musician. Most will tell me they used to play an instrument in high school or college. Others will say they have no musical abilities, […]
The Great Stalactite Organ of Luray Caverns
Virginia’s Luray Caverns (http://luraycaverns.com/discover/caverns), discovered in 1878, is home to many unusual sights, but for visitors interested in music, the Great Stalacpipe Organ is a major highlight. It has been featured on “Ripley’s Believe It or Not” and is an excellent way to hear the resonance of the caverns. The area’s greatest draw is the […]
Performing ‘Taps’ for Veterans Day Amid Distraction
Veterans Day (https://www.va.gov/opa/vetsday/) was last week, but I continue to think about what it means to play trumpet for a crowd of veterans and vet-supporting families. Military personnel are all over Washington, D.C., and those who have served or are currently serving our country have no more presence to American civilians than here in the […]
Common Musical Slang
We musicians can sometimes be a strange bunch. Take the lingo: We throw around words like “gig,” “axe,” “riff,” and lots of other slang terms for musical events and items. If you are not used to it, this specialized vocabulary can be as confusing as a webmaster talking about search engine optimization, or a writer […]
How to Be Prepared When Subbing
Just like the professionals, if you’re a good community musician and your name gets around, a local amateur group may ask you to sit in on a rehearsal and/or gig. Subbing in a community ensemble can be very rewarding, especially for those who don’t mind sight-reading, or who enjoy networking with your fellow musicians. Ideally, […]