Are Our Eyes on Our Conductor?
My friend asked me to go to a middle school orchestra concert at the McNeil High School Performing Arts Center. My first response was “No, thank you!” I said “no” because I remembered the band concerts that my son played in when he was in middle school. He played the saxophone and, Lord, have mercy,…
Maestro, Make My Life a Symphony
With friends last night at Austin’s Long Center, we heard Austin’s Pops Symphony Orchestra play many of the film scores and ceremonial music of renowned composer, John Williams. He wrote scores to the highest-grossing films of all time, including, the Star Wars series, Superman, Jaws, E.T., the Indiana Jones series, Schindler’s List, Jurassic Park and…
Maestro! May My Eyes and Heart Be on You!
Maestro definition: Master Conductor, expert, genius, prodigy, pro, virtuoso, a great or distinguished figure in any sphere. I’m sure you’ve been there when an orchestra is tuning up before their concert. All of those musicians are doing their own thing to check out their instrument – to be sure it’s in tune. Those players are…
Do You Hear What I Hear?
Do You Hear What I Hear? The second verse of this wonderful Christmas carol is: “Said the little lamb to the Shepard boy, Do you hear what I hear? Ringing through the sky Shepard boy Do you hear what I hear? A song, a song, high above the trees, With a voice as big as…
What is Blocking Your View?
IWhat is Blocking Your View? If you’ve been a musician in an orchestra, you know that seeing the conductor throughout the symphony, is of paramount importance. That’s why you’ll notice that the placement of every chair is in direct eyes’ view of the one that is directing and leading the music. The conductor is responsible…
Maestro (Master Conductor) Make My Life a Symphony!
Have you heard an orchestra tuning up before a concert? How could anything beautiful come from what sounds so disharmonious and chaotic. But, then, it all changes! The Maestro appears and you hear a tap, tap, tap of his baton. And, voila, suddenly the chaos turns to the most melodic, rhythmic, harmonious, sweet sounding and…