What a day...I believe today's events have made it to be one of the most excellent memorial days in the history of memorials.
My mother called me early in the morning on Saturday, August 20th to tell me that Grandpa had died. He had been battling various forms of cancer for quite a while, so it was expected. I believe that this is why the memorial service was such a joyous occasional rather than a painful one. He was in such pain, and he is truly in a better place...wherever he may be!
She also told me that Grandpa had died in his sleep at the hospital, so peacefully. Grammy had been sleeping in a recliner in his hospital room (he was there for treatment), and found that Grandpa was not breathing. As she was waiting for the doctor to come to his room and pronounce him dead, she decided to go ahead and call my Uncle, who is the only son. She selected his phone number from the list of "recently dialed" on her cell phone and as the call recipient answered the phone (at about 5:30 AM, I might add), she said, "You're daddy's gone."
The man on the opposite end of the line was confused. He said, "What? Excuse me?"
"Billy-Bob*, you're daddy's passed away."
"I'm sorry, but you've got the wrong phone number," the gentleman said, "but I am so sorry for your loss!"
Woops.
My father and brother picked me up from the airport in Little Rock yesterday, and we continued on to Stuttgart, Arkansas. During this trip, my dad informed me that my younger cousin had been arrested the same night Grandpa died and was charged with "minor in possession." The cops had busted a party at which many teenagers were drinking, and had ordered the children who had been drinking to go to one part of the room, and the other non-drinkers to remain on the opposite side of the room (don't know how they could have escaped that one). She and about 40 other members of the Dewitt/Stuttgart youth were hauled off to the local police station where they were locked in a cell (with their phones for maximum texting opportunities). Just so you know, she is at large.
When we arrived at Grammy's home, everyone seemed to be doing well. They had managed to arrange a memorial service for the following morning (today). My Aunt had taken control of the works, had enslaved her husband in the kitchen (he's a great cook, so I don't complain), and had taken on my mother as her personal assistant. All in all, they got it done, and weren't stressing out about anything. We went to the church to do some setting-up and so I could rehearse a piece I was to perform at the end of the service (No. 17 from Rose's 32 Etudes). If you couldn't guess, classical music is not a common occurrence in this part of the world. The Etude is a very lovely, adagio art etude--my favorite, in fact. My few dress rehearsal attendees became a bit weepy but agreed that the piece was perfect. I didn't have the strength to perform for my paternal grandfather's funeral due to the fact that he was a clarinetist, and we had a special connection because of that. I was very happy that I could do that for Grandpa.
The next morning, we headed to the cemetery for a quick graveside service. Before the service started, we all gathered around the grave site. Included in our group was my immediate family, my mother's siblings and their immediate families, my grandmother, my grandfather's sisters, and my grandfather's mother (my 103-year-old great grandmother!). Naturally, Great Grandmother, who was sitting right next to the grave, was not entirely sure as to where she was or what she was doing. So, one of my great aunts (the one who takes care of her), hollered, "We're at Joe's service," to which Great Grandma replied, "Is Joe Henry sick?"
My great aunt continued to say, "No, we are at Joe Henry's funeral service."
"Joe Henry's sick? Didn't he have a bad case of the mumps? Is he coming over later?"
"No, Mamma. He's not coming over anymore!," concluded my great aunt.
"How old is he now? 58?," Great Grandmother asked Grammy.
"No, he's 78," replied Grammy.
"I must have been OLD when I had him! How much older am I than you?," replied Great Grandmother.
"Well, you're about 30 years older than me," replied Grammy.
And then, as my other great aunt failed to hold an umbrella to shade the elderly lady, the service began.
After the graveside service, we headed to the church for a short memorial service. The flower arrangements were beautiful and even included some tasteful accents of rice, deer antlers, and pheasant feathers (Grandpa's career was rice farming, and his favorite hobby was hunting). I performed at the end of the service, and it went well. I feel like I played well, and it was well received.
During the postlude, we family members were led to the fellowship hall to receive all of the mourners. Once again, Great Grandmother had found herself confused. August is a popular month for birthdays as it includes Grammy's, Grandpa's, and Great Grandma's birthdays. Even though we had just concluded Grandpa's memorial service, she was convinced that all of these people were gathered at the church for her 103rd Birthday Party! She exclaimed, "Where's the cake?!" Once again, my Great Aunt stepped in to delicately clear up the confusion.
We must have greeted 200 people at the reception. Everyone was reminiscing about and celebrating his life. I also learned that I do, in fact, need to be careful if I am ever interested in dating someone from South East Arkansas because there is a very good chance that we are related and will have no idea.
Yes, it is sad that my Grandpa died, but I have loved seeing my family and meeting all of the people who loved him. This is the way funerals should be--a celebration of a person's life with a healthy dose of dysfunctional moments, not a depressing parade of sobbing people.
( btw, * = fake name)
Monday, August 22, 2011
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Home Again...Home Forever?
I just returned to Michigan from a lovely trip to my hometown of Branson, Missouri yesterday. It was a wonderful trip, and I have to say that it was better than usual. With the planning of the Taneycomo Festival Orchestra, I have considered the idea of turning this nonprofit organization into my job or career. This is the only time in my life I have ever considered moving home. I always wanted to be a professional musician, but as a classically trained clarinetist, there are zero job opportunities for me in Branson. I recognized this at a very young age as my father reminded me of the challenges my future career presented me. Now, there is, and I am creating it myself.
The Ozarks have always spoken for themselves--such a beautiful landscape is hard to resist. I suppose I took it for granted while I was growing up, but since then I've learned to see those lakes and hills in a new light. I had a great time sailing with my family as well. My father purchased a Catalina 250 last year, and it has been a wonderful way to spend time together. Because I am rarely home, though, I don't posses the skills needed to sail a boat of this size...it's quite a step up from the Hobie Wave (as much as I loved that boat).
However, it is not only the lack of job opportunities that have discouraged me from returning home--that strange conservative, Bible-Belt culture is so disagreeable to me. I am a long-time agnostic, and I don't appreciate the smothering nature of Branson's Christian culture. This always made me somewhat of a misfit in school and difficult to understand. I know everyone means well, but damn! can't they just leave me alone or keep their beliefs to themselves?
On the other hand, that ambiguously southern culture is something that I always miss while living in the cold, white North. I do not know why Michiganders are like this, but I have found that it is extremely difficult to meet new people here, and when you do, there is a very wide gap between acquaintance and friend. In other words, friendship is not easily won. My best friend from kindergarten is still my best friend--she keeps me grounded, in touch with reality, and we always pick up right where we left off despite our extremely different life-paths. When I return home to Branson, I tend to meet a lot of new people, but they also tend to fall into the category of Bransonians that I don't particularly care for (conservative, bible-belt smotherers). I can, however, appreciate that these people do care and do mean well. During this last trip, though, I met a good handful of wonderful people that I hope to know forever, that don't consider themselves part of the regular Branson culture, and that have made me reconsider my prejudices against my home town with a desire to come home and run with the career opportunity presented by the Taneycomo Festival Orchestra.
So, at last, I feel like I could not only have a job that I love in Branson, but I finally feel like I might fit in. I have a while to make this decision. I still want to pursue a DMA, but perhaps it would be reasonable to take a couple of years off from school to really try to make this work. By then, I may have someone who I'd trust to run many aspects of the festival for me. The more I think about it, the more I really want to embrace the opportunity to get some real-world experience between degrees and spend a couple of years just practicing the clarinet and working on fundraising and planning.
Decisions, decisions...
The Ozarks have always spoken for themselves--such a beautiful landscape is hard to resist. I suppose I took it for granted while I was growing up, but since then I've learned to see those lakes and hills in a new light. I had a great time sailing with my family as well. My father purchased a Catalina 250 last year, and it has been a wonderful way to spend time together. Because I am rarely home, though, I don't posses the skills needed to sail a boat of this size...it's quite a step up from the Hobie Wave (as much as I loved that boat).
However, it is not only the lack of job opportunities that have discouraged me from returning home--that strange conservative, Bible-Belt culture is so disagreeable to me. I am a long-time agnostic, and I don't appreciate the smothering nature of Branson's Christian culture. This always made me somewhat of a misfit in school and difficult to understand. I know everyone means well, but damn! can't they just leave me alone or keep their beliefs to themselves?
On the other hand, that ambiguously southern culture is something that I always miss while living in the cold, white North. I do not know why Michiganders are like this, but I have found that it is extremely difficult to meet new people here, and when you do, there is a very wide gap between acquaintance and friend. In other words, friendship is not easily won. My best friend from kindergarten is still my best friend--she keeps me grounded, in touch with reality, and we always pick up right where we left off despite our extremely different life-paths. When I return home to Branson, I tend to meet a lot of new people, but they also tend to fall into the category of Bransonians that I don't particularly care for (conservative, bible-belt smotherers). I can, however, appreciate that these people do care and do mean well. During this last trip, though, I met a good handful of wonderful people that I hope to know forever, that don't consider themselves part of the regular Branson culture, and that have made me reconsider my prejudices against my home town with a desire to come home and run with the career opportunity presented by the Taneycomo Festival Orchestra.
So, at last, I feel like I could not only have a job that I love in Branson, but I finally feel like I might fit in. I have a while to make this decision. I still want to pursue a DMA, but perhaps it would be reasonable to take a couple of years off from school to really try to make this work. By then, I may have someone who I'd trust to run many aspects of the festival for me. The more I think about it, the more I really want to embrace the opportunity to get some real-world experience between degrees and spend a couple of years just practicing the clarinet and working on fundraising and planning.
Decisions, decisions...
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Music Festivals
It has been a very inspiring summer so far. I was lucky enough to attend and perform at Chamber Music Midwest, a music festival in rural Wisconsin that was created by one of my most favorite people in the whole world, Clare Harmon.
We had such a wonderful time. Not only did we get to play wonderful music, but we made some incredible friendships as well. Moreover, Clare was kind enough to give me the title of "Composer in Residence" and I had one of my newest pieces premiered at the final concert. We have also planned to give a recital at Drake University, where Clare will be taking a post next year as an adjunct professor of violin and viola. It will be on August 14th and will feature my compositions played by some of the new friends that I've made through the wonderful thing that is Chamber Music Midwest. I cannot wait!
Through this whole experience, I have been inspired to start my own music festival made up of good friends. It will be called the Taneycomo Festival Orchestra and it will take place in my hometown of Branson, Missouri. I am hoping that it will take place in the last 2 weeks of June as to prevent conflict with CMM and another friend's festival and to avoid the sweltering heat that is Branson in July. I want to give 4 orchestral concerts, and I would like them to take place at The Landing, Silver Dollar City, and one other yet-to-be-decided venue. In addition to the orchestral series, I'd like there to be a very busy chamber music series that gives a concert every day. I imagine that with enough players to fill an orchestra, we should have plenty of chamber music as well. Of course, no music festival would be complete without a series of fabulous parties at the ends of every concert. I absolutely cannot wait!
It's unfortunate and strange that Branson does not have an orchestra. After all, the town is one of the few in this country right now that is not broke, but prosperous. It's an entertainment capitol, yet there is no symphony. I believe that if this orchestra plays in accessible places where people are not required to be dressed and proper, then it will attract a wider audience and who people that the orchestra is not a thing that belongs only to the chic and wealthy, but can be enjoyed by anyone.
I've also arranged for the repertoire list to consist of a lot of classical heavy-hitters. I'm hoping that people will recognize all of these tunes that they've heard forever and realize that classical music does not, in fact, put them to sleep. I hate this excuse...they clearly haven't listened to much!
I'm hoping to include a lot of local musicians as well as my friends from around the country. I will begin fundraising soon, and I hope to raise enough money to reimburse travelers for at least part of their travel expenses. I will also arrange that traveling musicians stay with host families as to cut down on their room and board expenses. Branson is ambiguously southern, but I do think that it exudes southern hospitality.
I hope that this will eventually inspire the city to establish a year-round sustainable symphony orchestra. I would love to work with it, and ensure that it happens. If a full symphony orchestra is established, then the festival orchestra can truly turn into a music festival--players from the symphony can be mentors for younger students and create a wonderful outreach program.
I never thought I'd end up in my hometown of Branson, Missouri. However, if this festival evolves into the triumph that I hope it will, then I just might move back home. It's so hard for clarinetists to find a job these days because there are so many of us! I never wanted to "think outside of the box" about my career before...all I wanted to do was to become a professor, establish a great chamber ensemble, perform, and teach! But this is so exhilarating to plan--it's not overwhelming, daunting, or frustrating. I may have found my new "calling." That is, it will be a new calling if there is a job in it for me.
Be sure to check out the website for the festival to learn more about how wonderful it's going to be:
www.taneycomofestivalorchestra.yolasite.com
We had such a wonderful time. Not only did we get to play wonderful music, but we made some incredible friendships as well. Moreover, Clare was kind enough to give me the title of "Composer in Residence" and I had one of my newest pieces premiered at the final concert. We have also planned to give a recital at Drake University, where Clare will be taking a post next year as an adjunct professor of violin and viola. It will be on August 14th and will feature my compositions played by some of the new friends that I've made through the wonderful thing that is Chamber Music Midwest. I cannot wait!
Through this whole experience, I have been inspired to start my own music festival made up of good friends. It will be called the Taneycomo Festival Orchestra and it will take place in my hometown of Branson, Missouri. I am hoping that it will take place in the last 2 weeks of June as to prevent conflict with CMM and another friend's festival and to avoid the sweltering heat that is Branson in July. I want to give 4 orchestral concerts, and I would like them to take place at The Landing, Silver Dollar City, and one other yet-to-be-decided venue. In addition to the orchestral series, I'd like there to be a very busy chamber music series that gives a concert every day. I imagine that with enough players to fill an orchestra, we should have plenty of chamber music as well. Of course, no music festival would be complete without a series of fabulous parties at the ends of every concert. I absolutely cannot wait!
It's unfortunate and strange that Branson does not have an orchestra. After all, the town is one of the few in this country right now that is not broke, but prosperous. It's an entertainment capitol, yet there is no symphony. I believe that if this orchestra plays in accessible places where people are not required to be dressed and proper, then it will attract a wider audience and who people that the orchestra is not a thing that belongs only to the chic and wealthy, but can be enjoyed by anyone.
I've also arranged for the repertoire list to consist of a lot of classical heavy-hitters. I'm hoping that people will recognize all of these tunes that they've heard forever and realize that classical music does not, in fact, put them to sleep. I hate this excuse...they clearly haven't listened to much!
I'm hoping to include a lot of local musicians as well as my friends from around the country. I will begin fundraising soon, and I hope to raise enough money to reimburse travelers for at least part of their travel expenses. I will also arrange that traveling musicians stay with host families as to cut down on their room and board expenses. Branson is ambiguously southern, but I do think that it exudes southern hospitality.
I hope that this will eventually inspire the city to establish a year-round sustainable symphony orchestra. I would love to work with it, and ensure that it happens. If a full symphony orchestra is established, then the festival orchestra can truly turn into a music festival--players from the symphony can be mentors for younger students and create a wonderful outreach program.
I never thought I'd end up in my hometown of Branson, Missouri. However, if this festival evolves into the triumph that I hope it will, then I just might move back home. It's so hard for clarinetists to find a job these days because there are so many of us! I never wanted to "think outside of the box" about my career before...all I wanted to do was to become a professor, establish a great chamber ensemble, perform, and teach! But this is so exhilarating to plan--it's not overwhelming, daunting, or frustrating. I may have found my new "calling." That is, it will be a new calling if there is a job in it for me.
Be sure to check out the website for the festival to learn more about how wonderful it's going to be:
www.taneycomofestivalorchestra.yolasite.com
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