On Thursday evening, I had the opportunity to conduct the Goddard High School Orchestras in a performance of "Declarations" and also managed to talk their director, Ms. Marla Weber, into letting me conduct one of my favorite pieces , "Incantations" by Richard Meyer. The kids played great and it was an awful lot of fun to have a "photo op and autograph session" post-concert. It was a major bummer, however, that we didn't get a chance to have a clinic the next day! It seems that a water main broke near the high school that night so we couldn't get into the building!
So, Goddard folks, I owe you one! I'm also hoping they'll consider a commission for their orchestra - those kids can play! And the string program in town is only 10 years old! Very impressive, indeed.
On Saturday I conducted the Pioneer League Junior High Honors Orchestra in Haysville, KS. Good group. Well-prepared, too. We ended up doing all five pieces of the "to be selected from" list, so that was cool. Best line from the gig, though, was from a little dude in the violin section. As they were walking into the performance, and he didn't realize I was standing right behind him, he said to his friend, "No, really. He looks just like Dark Helmet from 'Space Balls!'" I wondered who he was talking about then it dawned on me: he was talking about ME! Hilarious! And, if memory serves me correctly, I think he's right: Rick Moranis had those big nerdy glasses like mine, and let's face it, I'm short!
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| Dark Helmet |
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| Dork Composer |
So, for all of you who know me and have thought over the years that I was in fact some kind of evil overlord, it turns out to be true: but I'm not a Sith Lord, I'm a Dork Lord!
Gotta love what comes out of the mouths of adolescents....
Jef
