Re: Today's question


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Posted by Rick Denney on February 26, 2001 at 11:34:15:

In Reply to: Today's question posted by Carl L on February 24, 2001 at 10:27:58:

I've had many defining moments in my life, but not musically until later. Music for me was more of a process than a series of epiphanies. It was something I took for granted throughout school.

When I stopped playing in college, I thought I'd never pick it up again. But about 6 or 7 years later (and still about 18 years ago), I bought season tickets to the San Antonio Symphony, even though I lived in Austin. The first concert included Glazunov's 5th Symphony, which is not exactly standard rep, and maybe deservedly so. But there were some big brass chords in the otherwise quiet second or third movement, where I heard really fine orchestral tuba playing for the first time. The sound amazed me--so present without being loud, powerful but effortless. Though I'd played tuba for 7 or 8 years in school, I'd never heard that sound before. It motivated me to start playing again, and to take lessons from that player a couple of years after that.

Had I heard a player with a sound like Mike Sanders while still in school, I might not have ever stopped. On the other hand, it might not have been until that age that my ears were open to that sound. Once I'd really heard it, though, I've never been able to get it out of my head.

Rick "still pursuing that distant goal" Denney


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