Well it's been a while. You may wonder why?

The answer is, a professional gig has intruded on the peace of Tuba playing, and as usual has brought mixed blessings... Tons of cash and lots of stress!
If anyone has ever played the Bass trombone/Tuba book for the Lion King they know what I am talking about. The show itself I have not seen, having been deep in the pit, but the music, especially the choral music was heavenly. It was just a few things: the many sforzandi, and the one important pedal C on tuba at the close of act one which cause one's brow to become furrowed...

That wonderful experience is over, and now I am free to enjoy my hobby, away from the constraints of performance pressure. The PT-3 is more fun than ever!

Now we are at Truro on the Salmon River for Charles and Courtney's wedding. I have known Charles since he was 14 or something, and he has become a wonderful young man.
This is the first time we are not on the Atlantic in about 9 days. Should be a fun time, except for all the chop-killing quartets that Charles picked out for us trombonists to play!

Today we didn't go far. Down the road in the afternoon to Green Bay- a few hours on the nicest beach we have yet seen in NS. Not many people go there. I can only assume because it is not well known to other vacationers, or maybe it' the end of the season. It was pure heaven- less seaweed than normal, water less cold than the heretofore arctic temperatures, and nearby McLeod's canteen, which serves really fine fish and chips and chowders among many other things. Their coconut cream pie is really really good. (I guess the coconuts are not local).

That photo is of "Blue Rocks", which, I guess, is or was a lobster fishing village. It was lovely and very quiet when we were there. Some really interesting houses and shacks there.
More tomorrow

Wrong photo

The one on the top is my EEb Besson and the one underneath is a photo of a Holton just like the one I have.

Tuba time

Here is and idea of what my new baby looks like:














Here is my other one:

Off on vacation to the town of Petite Rivière in Nova Scotia. Our friend Lindsey and Augusta have a place out here. It's peaceful and new to us. Lovely beaches and waves. Of course I brought along my new Tuba, the wonderful and quirky Holton 345 to play, as well as trombones etc. to get in shape for the coming fall with the OSM and some work with a well-known brass quintet.

I am loving it out here and we are looking into real estate!

Vivian is having a nice time, I think. Too bad we have to practise. Actually I love it.

That was a hefty month and a half. Too much work, and not enough balance. I saw a quote today on Norman Bolter's website that I really enjoyed. "I like finding music in everything, including my trombone". Something to ponder.
Was judging Vanessa Fralick's grad recital at McGill last night. Wonderful playing. That young woman is going to go far!

Viv says Hi.

Off to the wood shed.

Played with the MSO today. First trombone on Tchaikovsky 5 with Rozhdestventsky. Wonderful, idiomatic, caprious, in-control maestro. A real eye-opener, although one wonders if his quirky approach would become fatiguing in time. Really was getting what he wanted with the absolute minimum of effort, and maximum gestural impact. Nice.
Got a call from the Nation Arts Centre orchestra for a chart. Always glad to get that sort of call. Looking forward to it.

Off to bed with some of Marion Meade's biography of Dorothy Parker. An delightful book.

Well, it's been a while. Still writing music, playing trombone, singing, teaching, and conducting.

Last week did two charts for my friend Stephane Laforest for his orchestra's tribute to Luc Pamondon.
This week I am guesting on first trombone with the OSM. Should be fun.
Next week we are off to our annual (O.K. this is the second one) gig for Laura Davis in the Turks and Caicos. Viv and I on trombes, and then Bobby Slapcoff on drums and Eric Harding on piano.
We will be joined down there by the multi-talented bassist David Bowen, who is TCI's director of culture.

Just came from NYC where Viv was playing and I went to the Met. Beautiful production (as always) of Otello.

Talk to you soon!