Posted by Dan Schultz on December 02, 2002 at 15:09:30:
In Reply to: Re: Where's the tuba?!! posted by Tom again on December 02, 2002 at 13:32:03:
Well.... I've re-written this response five or six times and can't find the exact words I want to use.. but...
I am also a Shriner and play with the Hadi Brass in Evansville, Indiana. Same story here; at 56 I am the 2nd youngest in the group. We bought a smaller parade unit this unit because of declining membership. The problem isn't lack of resources. It's more or less complacency amongst the older members. The can sit around and talk about 'the good old days', drink a couple cans of camel's milk, tell a joke or two, and maybe play a few tunes. Don't misunderstand my tone... it's a great group devoted to doing nursing home gigs playing as hospitals. My mission for 2003 is to get my hands on a roster and call every noble on the list to find out what he played in high school. The resources are there. I know... I founded an amatuer community band three years ago that now has over 60 members... all unpaid (even the conductor) and enjoying every minute of the Tuesday night rehearsals. We have 10 gigs in the month of December alone... some paid and some not but it doesn't matter because every dime we receive goes straight to our not-for-profit coffers to purchase new music and equipment.
You can accept it if you want, but I can't sit by and watch amatuer music go down the tubes.