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Re: Member Bio Request

Author: Gandalfe
Date: 2004-12-24 03:39

At just six months shy of the big 50, I've been playing saxophone for the last two years (after a 27 year hiatus) in a community band and periodically gigging with the Tsunami Dance Band and the Red, White, and Blues Jazz band. I am also a new moderator on the Sax On The Web (SOTW) forum this year.

I married a clarinet player, who played much better than I in high school. We were both first chair players who were thrust into leadership positions with the band in our senior years at high school.

Just this year I bought her a used, high-end Leblanc clarinet, got her to contribute her Selmer Signet to our son, and got her to join me in the community band. She also is learning to play the oboe, flute, and soprano sax. She joined us for the Christmas concert at Crossroads this year.

This BB has been a primary resource for me where I have learned about clarinets, teaching/learning methods, and the music that interests most players. I actually can be found here two or three times a week enjoying the patter, give, and take.

My primary instruments are:

Antigua Winds (Yana 991 clone) 590 BC soprano sax
Couf Superba I Alto Sax
Couf Superba I Tenor Sax
Yanagisawa 990 Baritone Sax
Conn Straightneck C (Melody) Tenor Sax

In my freshman year at the University of Minnesota (I was in the Architecture Program) I tried out for the band. There were over 12 of us freshman trying out for one spot. I had worked my audition materials so much that summer, with my first professional instructor, that I had the stuff down cold. As we warmed up for our auditions, I heard one young lady say, if he (that would be me) was trying out the rest need not try. I felt pretty cocky.

So I played my one piece to the two graders and then they handed me some music to sight read. I was shocked and totally blew the audition. I hadn't even considered that there would be sight reading as part of the audition. I was so disappointed that I decided to forget band. And with school, work, and family to concentrate on, that wasn't too hard to do.

Anyone living near Seattle's eastside, the Woodinville Community Band needs people who play clarinet, sax, trombone, drums, or french horn. You can find our contact info by searching the Web for the name of our band.

Jim and Suzy

Pacifica Big Band
Seattle, Washington

Post Edited (2005-07-23 03:23)

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Member Bio Request new

Robert Moody

2004-12-20 19:57