Where do you want me to go?

After reading this following bit of theatrical terminology I realized why the orchestral musician may have trouble when I tell them to cross extreme Down-stage left. Hmm, yeah...maybe the orchestra needs a theatrical terminology briefing.

THE LOGIC OF THEATRICAL TERMINOLOGY
In is Down
Down is Front
Out is Up
Up is Rear
Right is left
Left is right
A drop shouldn't
A block and fall does neither
A prop doesn't
A cove has no water
Onstage is on stage
Offstage is on stage
A wing is a place or a thing and neither is used for flying
You can't wear an apron
A teaser doesn't
A tormentor doesn't
Footlights are not for lighting feet
Tripping is OK
A dress circle is neither
The fly floor isn't the floor for the flys
A running crew rarely gets anywhere
A single or double purchase buys you nothing
A strike is work (in fact a lot of work)
A green room usually isn't
A leg isn't a body part
When a leg is IS body part, wishing you to break it means wishing you well

Enough Already!

Enough of the crazy weather, already! Strong winds and hail on Thursday night, snow on Friday night...

I vote for today's weather. Sunny and 70+.

If a tree falls in the forest

Last night's lecture for the music business class went really well. The topics were a little scattered as the format was more Q&A then straight lecture. (Thank goodness!)

Topics included:
Personnel How do you deal with musicians? How do your supervise individuals who are much older than you? How do you address issues with musicians relating to performance level? How is disciplinary action taken?

Production What does it take to produce a symphony concert? How much preparation is needed? How much does it cost?

More Personnel Drug and alcohol policies...why are they needed? How should they be enforced.

Privacy

Employment How do you find a job? How do you prepare for the interview? (Including a mock interviews)

The format of the class was such that I could turn many of the questions back to the students and ask them to solve the problem in a guided fashion. (Lots of role-playing)

The class also provided an opportunity to share an interesting article that appeared in Sunday's edition of the Washington post. If Joshua Bell played in a subway station would anyone stop to listen?

Scratch, Scratch, scratch

That's what I am currently doing to the lecture I had planned for tomorrow night. Tomorrow night I am scheduled to guest lecture for a music business class at the local university.

The scratching is what I am doing to that presentation....a presentation that I had prepared on what it takes to produce a symphony concert. The planning, the budgeting, the contracting, the execution.

Ha. That was a good idea in theory.

I recieved an email from the professor of the course this evening. She would like to change the focus of my lecture to privacy matters, drug and alcohol policies, and the need for tactfulness and ethics in the work place.

So, that means a little more work this evening. If anyone has any suggestions, I would love to hear them.

In the meantime, I'll be prepping a case study or two.

Multi-tasker

Uh oh! Someone read this article and said it reminded him of me. Am I really this bad?

Ok, I probably do I have some multi-tasking moments....

Say Hello

Come on, say hello already. I know you are out there.

This evening I was checking my blog stats and discovered that I have reached the milemarker of 1500 site hits in a mere 6 months.

Ok, I know that is not alot. (and yes, the counter is set to exclude my own personal hits) Yet, for a blog that was intended to share stories with a close circle of friends and family, it certainly has had a lot of activity.

So, you have been discovered. I know you are out there...peering and reading. So, say hello already!

A tale of two basset horns

This is the tale of two basset horns.
No, this is not the tale of two basset hounds.

As I said, this is the tale of two basset horns, or Cornetto di bassetto.

Earlier this month (I can't believe I am this far behind in updating!) I was designated to make the trip to pick up two basset horns for an upcoming symphony performance.

The day went something like this.

1:05 a.m. Shock of realizing how late it is and how soon I must be awake again. Oops!
3:15 a.m. The alarm sounds for the first time. Thank goodness for the snooze button.
3:30 a.m. My, that alarm is really loud and annoying. Again, thank goodness for the snooze button.
3:40 a.m. Fail-safe alarm set on kitchen counter sounds. The only way to stop its incessant ringing is to get out of bed and walk across the apartment to silence it.
3:42 a.m. Ok, ok, ok..I'm awake. Time to shower, get ready and attempt to look somewhat decent.
4:20 a.m. Finally, I am ready to leave the apartment and make the trek to the airport.
4:40 a.m. Arrive at airport and have car inspected before parking in the parking garage. (Apparently the airline sector Homeland Security Level was increased, hence more precautions at the airport.)
4:50 a.m. Enter the terminal.
4:53 a.m. Egads the security line is far longer than I have ever seen at Rick Husband. Most likely a function of 3 flights departing within a 30 minute window.
5:21 a.m. Passed security. Thank goodness I was not checking bags for this journey.
5:24 a.m. Board extremely small plane for flight to DFW. (I think I squeaked through security just in time.)
5:45 a.m. Plane taxis to runway.
5:50 a.m. Plane departs AMA for DFW 5 minutes prior to scheduled departure. Score one for the airline.
7:03 a.m. Plane lands at DFW (on time). Score two for the airline.
7:15 a.m. Board bus for departure to rental car station.
7:25 a.m. Arrive at rental car location.
7:35 a.m. Complete rental car transaction and make short trek to pick up car.
7:54 a.m. Stuck on the interstate. Is I35 a parking lot or an interstate?
8:24 a.m. Arrive at UNT campus and locate infamous campus police check-point.
8:28 a.m. Begin negotiations with campus police office to obtain a visitor's parking permit.
8:34 a.m. Still negotiating with campus police officer. No wonder these folks are infamous.
8:38 a.m. Conclude negotiations and leave check-point with extremely valuable visitor's parking permit.
8:40 a.m. Make trek to music building. Locate music department office. Sign rental forms and make trek back to coveted parking spot.
8:47 a.m. Arrive at car. (Talk with campus police officer on return trip, thanking her for the spot. She seems amazed that I am leaving campus already. Was it really just a trip to the office? Aye Caramba! Yes, do the math this trip was solely for a 7 minute journey to the music department office.)
8:51 a.m. Return to beloved parking lot. Errr, interstate.
9:25 a.m. Return car to rental car pavilion.
9:36 a.m. Board rental car shuttle for return trip to airport terminal.
9:52 a.m. Arrive at airline terminal.
9:59 a.m. Reach front of line at security check-point.
10:01 a.m. Security pulls me to side for additional screening due to the awkward nature of my carry-on items. Security asks me to assemble items to prove that they are musical instruments. Avoid moment of crisis as security guard removes a reed knife from the bottom of instrument case. Another guard cracks joke about the initials that are located on the side of the instrument case. (UNT - does that stand for U iN To Music? har har har)
10:13 a.m. Starbuck's sighting! Caffeine at last.
10:21 a.m. Arrive at departure gate. Talk to gate attendant to explain nature of my desired carry-on items. She agrees that the airline does not want to risk checking these items as baggage and that I will be permitted to carry both basset horns as a carry-on item. Score 3 for the airline.
11:05 a.m. Gate attendant calls me to the gate and asks that I board the flight before the other passengers so that the instruments may be properly stowed before the plane is crowded. Score 4 for the airline.
11:25 a.m. Plane leaves gate and taxis to runway for an on-time departure. Score 5 for the airline.
12:55 p.m. Flight arrives on time at Rick Husband airport. Score 6 for the airline.
1:05 p.m. Arrive at car in parking lot, pay parking fees and make journey back to my aparment.
1:25 p.m. Arrive at apartment. Phew, I'm tired and it's time for a nap!

Yes, this is the rambling tale of my journey to Dallas to pick up two instruments for the symphony. Yes, I did take notes as to the timing of the events of the day. If not, where would the humor be? Yes, I did give props to the airline. Why? Well, many of my colleagues in the industry often speak of airlines hasseling musicians traveling with instruments. My experience did not reflect this attitude and I wanted to express gratitude when it is warranted. Thankfully my travel experience did not reflect the experience of Paul Casey. In addition, the airline that I chose for this quick business trip has often been criticized for excessive delays. This was not the case on my journey and the level of service I experienced was of a high quality. I say give credit where credit is due.

And yes, in case you were wondering I will be making a repeat trip at the end of April.

April Fool's

Last year at this time I was recovering from a whopping April Fool's Day prank. (In fact, the gem is still talked about in our circles.) This year I was running my own personal marathon and did not take the time to plot an appropriate blank. Instead, this year, I will share with you this fine piece of journalism.

Television City Chronicle

Follow-up
The same colleague that convinced me to participate in last year's whopper convinced me that Gmail was starting a new service, Gmail Paper. So, I was having a gullible moment, but he is just gosh darn convincing! However, I was not so gullible as to fall for Gmail's newest distribution method for reaching the internet.

Marathon

I feel like I have just finished a marathon.

In the past 8 days I have coordinated 11 full orchestra rehearsals (including 6 for the younger musicians), 3 concerts and one awards banquet.

Phew. I think a nap is in order....or at least a day away from the office!