[Trombone-l] :Re: Gilbert Kaplan's guest appearance

[mcclurefamily@srt.com]

Great art can inspire the audiences. And pension benefits.
Great audiences can inspire the orchestra. So can conductors of
any level, for good or for bad.

Dave's hit the quality issue on its head. 

We've had whole bands think that about our conductor/officer
(military field band, nameless individuals--to protect everyone).
Of course, to voice the issue--it became insubordination, a right
we didn't have. At least, not without repercussions  (think
Uniform Code of Military Justice). 

But reality meant that if Senator So and So wanted ____ field
band to play at _____ Festival, we went, no matter how ridiculous
it seemed and pulled it off. For the non military musician world,
it does often become  "Dancing for Dollar$$" 
(and even sometimes in the military band world).

A random thought---playing, whether in military bands or local
orchestras, on it's most strenuous of days, doesn't even touch
teaching general music to my rural-urban students....but, that's
a topic for another day.

Wasn't it about this time of year, a few years back, that the
Calgary Orchestra had to cancel a whole season, as well as some
others? That also comes to mind, and I bet they would have
welcomed Mr. Kaplan, had they known of him....

Here's wishing you all, prosperity both in $$$ and artistic
expression...and blessings too.

Chris Ann in ND
mcclurefamily at srt.com