Re: Re: Re: Re: How did you get your start?


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Posted by Mike Ross on January 28, 2002 at 19:09:33:

In Reply to: Re: Re: Re: How did you get your start? posted by Rick Denney on January 28, 2002 at 14:04:54:

Yeah, I remember that other part of the "Hard Sell", too.

1. You'll always have a place to play - true, but he forgot to specify "Amateur" or "Reserve" army. Turning pro and getting rich and famous seems to have only been an option for the Sax players (and how important are they in the band}
2. Tuba players are too few - also true in my area, with the proviso of "amateur" mentioned above.
3. You will be popular - unfortunately, this was only true in the context of band directors experiencing a shortage of tuba players.

As for my Mom and Dad, well, every male in my mother's family had played either tuba or euphonium (my uncle also doubled on French Horn) in Canadian Navy bands, so she was an easy sell. Dad just thought it was cool that I could "oom-Pah" my way through Sousa marches and that I started getting asked to play Beer Garden gigs when I was 15 (Shhh, don't tell anyone). Since my father was really into big, mid-70's Chrysler sedans, the fitting the instrument in the car thing just was never an issue.

After playing that "Academy" horn of mine, and now playing a fibreglass Conn sousaphone in Santa Claus parades, I actually don't think you had it that bad. I always remember Mom's remark the first time I played 3 notes on a borrowed B&H - "Oh, now THAT's a tuba."

Mike "I gotta get some new stories" Ross


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