On Sept 18, 2010, the Round Rock Symphony began it's 3rd season with a program called Cowboys & Panoramas. The crowd went nuts - they loved it. They should have, because the orchestra played with heart. The rhythmic difficulties of Aaron Copland's Four Dances from Rodeo were no problem, and the musicians of the RRSO accompanied the singing cowboy in my own Four Cowboy Songs (sung by Bryan Bolzenthal) like real collaborative artists - listening and responding. Tarik Ghiradella gave us a three-movement fantasy on American poems called American Panoramas. Full of thick textures and crunchy harmonies, and oozing with emotion and angst, the piece gave the audience and orchestra alike something complex to ponder - something completely different from the other pieces on the program. John Williams' Cowboys Overture followed, and we closed the concert with a medley of western film themes, during which music students from the R.R.I.S.D. orchestra programs joined the pros on stage.
Bryan Bolzenthal singing my Four Cowboy Songs Less than two weeks later, on October 1, 2010, I conducted the Astoria Symphony's season opener. Going into our 8th season together was thrill, especially under the circumstances. As musical artists, we always want the best working conditions we can have, including ample rehearsal time, sufficient numbers in the string section, and plenty of lead time to prepare. Well, we had none of those, and we still emerged victorious. Times are tough, and the Astoria Symphony, like many arts organizations, is feeling the pinch. Strapped for cash and charged with opening the 8th season with a flash, we chose to perform a program of film music and popular classical pieces. The orchestra had only one rehearsal and the music was not a breeze. The concert included a tribute to great film composers, Rossini's William Tell Overture, Grieg's Peer Gynt Suite, Mozart's Eine Kleine Nachmusik, music from La Vita e Bella, Offenbach's Barcarole, Puccini's "O Mio Babbino Caro," a salute to John Williams, and more. For the John Williams suite, the Frank Sinatra School of the Arts Orchestra joined the Astoria Symphony on stage in our third "side-by-side" performance together. It was a blast. The concert was a huge success, and I give all of the credit to the incredible musicians of the Astoria Symphony who accepted the challenge, faced the stress, and selflessly produced beautiful music. They are amazing people. Special credit goes to Brent Chancellor, who conducted the Rossini and Grieg, and Megan Pachecano and Allyson Herman, who sang the Barcarole. Allyson also sang O Mio Babbino Caro, and many in the audience told me later that it was the highlight of show.
So much hard work goes into concerts like the two I mention above - and many people work behind the scenes and remain unacknowledged. The musicians and I certainly enjoy the applause and recognition by the audience, but the boards of directors, house staffs, backstage helpers, and many more people work to make great shows and then stay in the shadows. I could name 200 people who I am grateful to, but the gold medal winners as far as I'm concerned are Judy McLeod, president of the RRSO board of directors, Beverly Mintz, executive director of the RRSO, Alex Lauren, president of the Astoria Music Society, Alison LaFerlita, executive director of AMS, and the teachers who were involved in making these events happen. You are all saints!
And then there's Taylor, my amazing wife. She keeps me sane, takes care of me, and makes sure I am where I am supposed to be, when I'm supposed to be there. She tolerates me during the lead-up to the events. Typically, I'm a nervous wreck, wracked with anxiety, working around the clock, not sleeping, and generally creating a disturbance in the home for at least 2 weeks before each concert - in this case the whole month of September. Taylor takes it all in stride and never punishes me for it. I am so lucky she married me!
