I’m still pinching myself. I’m sure I’ll wake up and find it was all a dream. In all my 17 years as principal clarinetist of the Columbus Symphony, I’ve never been this optimistic about my career. Four years ago I…
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Pitch
Rhymes with…. Have you ever known someone who is never quite happy, no matter what you do to please them? And even when you think you’ve done everything the way they want, they change the parameters and you’re back to…
Tone
I spent a few hours last week with a long time colleague. She played in the Kennedy Center Opera House orchestra with me while I was there from 1983-89. I’ve always respected and liked her, both as a person and…
The Nutcracker
The now infamous score by Peter Tchaikovsky conjures many layers of memory and meaning for me. I’ve played it no less than 400 times. That’s not much compared to longer runs of Broadway shows, but it’s plenty for me. That’s…
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Dorky Music
As a working American orchestra, we in the Columbus Symphony have to do what ever is necessary to make a buck. Like anywhere in the world these days, the buck is not a lofty icon, and working for it is…
Reeds
Reeds are our saviors. We can blame anything on them, thank goodness. “Oops, I squeaked! Oh well, that wasn’t a great reed after all.” Or, “Man, I can’t believe how much my reed’s changed since two hours ago. No wonder…