Posted by Rick Denney on March 08, 2004 at 22:47:12:
In Reply to: Re: Re: Re: Re: Best concert band in the U.S. posted by Alex C on March 08, 2004 at 12:43:46:
No, I didn't come backstage. That always seemed difficult at the Meyerson. I could have at the Lila Cockrell Theatre in San Antonio where you played for TMEA, but for some (stupid) reason I didn't.
When I lived in Austin (I moved from there to San Antonio in 1987), I played in the Austin Symphonic Band. When Randy Bass was conducting that group, we played Rocky Point Holiday. I've loved that piece of music ever since--it was the first really challenging band part that I worked at hard enough to be able to play it, even though I still hid behind the better players in the section. I've been a big fan of Nelson ever since, and the DWS recording of it really puts the shine on all that sparkle. Your definition of embarassment must be different from mine.
After that performance in San Antonio at TMEA, nobody at band rehearsal the following Tuesday night could talk about anything else. That was during the San Antonio Municipal Band's heyday, and it was full of music educators who had attended the concert. There was a lot of green skin at that rehearsal! "Well, yes, of course they're good; they are all symphony players, wahhhhhhh."
Rick "usually not shy about invading the backstage area" Denney