After the first half of our 10th or 11th Nutcracker performance this season, the principal horn for the ballet company that I work for (sometimes with disastrous effects) came up to me with a knowing half-grin on his face. We had just finished playing the big...
You’ve just gotta love this profession. No matter how many roadblocks get tossed in their path, musicians always seem to find a way around them, taking things in stride and laughing about it later with each other over either coffee or beer (depending on the...
It’s early December and I am knee deep in Messiah season, pumping them out on a daily basis for ensembles all across Chicagoland. Messiah Messiah Messiah Messiah Messiah….I eat, drink, and breathe this piece morning, noon, and night this time of...
I was thinking recently about a funny and masterful prank pulled by the principal bass of a very high-quality orchestra while performing Mahler’s First Symphony several years ago. Now, part of this piece utilizes offstage trumpets, and this particular...
Ever have a day that goes from bad to worse in a real hurry? Well, I sure did a few years ago, and although I’ve now told this story in text and audio form, I just couldn’t resist putting it together as a video. Actually, this is more like an...
