So yeah, the performances are a plenty this December. The Saratoga Orchestra does its 3 Peter & the Wolf concerts on the three parts of Whidbey Island: South, Middle and North. They're free concerts, so if you're local, come check them out. More info here: www.sowhidbey.com. And my wife is playing 3rd horn for me on this concert! Always good to have her in the section, although it's always a challenge finding a babysitter of three little destruction machines! Haha. They're like tornados...my boys.
In addition, my horn ensemble (the Whidbey Island Horn Club) has its normal December Concert this Saturday. Should be a pretty fun program, including music by some of the great Romantics: Brahms, Beethoven, Bruckner and Dvorak. Plus, we're playing Christmas tunes. We'll be putting that concert on at 6pm at Click Music in Oak Harbor. Come check us out!
And, on December 14th, my brass ensembles have their Christmas Concert. I'm so excited because these guys are sounding really good. It's getting better every time. We're going to put on quite a show...December 14th, 6:30pm at Click Music.
I've also planned this fun event in reminiscence of my days of playing in by Salvation Army red kettles in front of stores. I've organized with the Oak Harbor Safeway store manager to bring a group of my students and local teachers/musicians to play Christmas tunes in front of the store. It's just a fun thing to do, and hopefully will liven up some folks' days or weeks. I remember when I played by myself I made a lot of people happy, and got a ton of compliments. Just imagine what a big group can do. I'm anxious to see how many of my students will show up to this. The nice thing is that I can work with whatever instrumentation I have, as long as I have 4, thanks to my Christmas Carols for the Flexible Brass Quartet, Vols. 1&2. It will be lots of fun!
In addition to all these performances, I have this commission for my 2nd horn concerto to complete this month. And I want to retool this website and clarify some things, fix errors, and add products. I have to apologize to any of you who have had your shopping experiences soured because of any technical difficulties my site has caused. I'm working on it!
So wish me luck on this busy December, as I wish you luck on your busy Decembers. I'll be sure to check in and write posts, and I really hope to share performance videos with you.
I absolutely love this month as a musician. To me, being busy has always been so much fun.
I have mentioned before that I love my job, haven't I?
Take care and value music.