Holiday program: it's all over but the cryin'!!

[WxJeff]

We had our last rehearsal last night before the Saturday night/Sunday morning Christmas program performances at Lilburn Christian Church. We're doing three purely instrumental pieces plus accompanying the choir on another three. There are three "congregational" hymns in which the orchestra is playing background. Four other numbers are strings and choir only (well, our very fine flute player gets involved a bit) so our robust brass section (two French horns, a baritone, a trombone and yours truly) gets to tacit. The insightful director actually added another hymn after we sit out for three pieces in a row so we could get some air back into the horns before playing the more technical music. Good call!

I was recruited by some friends at this church about six months ago when they informed me that their previous trumpet players had moved, left the church, or decided to not play in the orchestra any longer. Faced with the heresy of my friend playing fanfare parts on her clarinet, I had no choice but to jump in I've played with the church several times on Sundays, but this will be the first true concert in which I've played since high school (27 years ago!) My mom is coming, as are friends from the neighborhood, work and my own church... I feel like I'm in junior high again (that's ok, because sometimes I sound like I'm in junior high!)

There are really only three sections of the entire program that are still a challenge to me. Not surprisingly, they all are indicative of the overall challenges to my comeback experience (I've been playing again for about a year.) One is a fast moving technical part in the key of F# so there are several 23 to 1 to 23 to 2 combinations over about eight measures. The second is an exposed part on a beautiful arrangement of "Silent Night" where the flute soloist takes a break and I do "sleep in heavenly peace" in a real sustained, maintain good tone/air section of about seven to eight measures in the D/E/F mid-range (oh, yeah... this piece also ends with me holding a C on the staff seemingly forever while the lower brass and strings fill out the chord... so that would be an endurance problem, would it not?) Finally, we're doing Michael W. Smith's "Little Town/Emmanuel" which really builds at the end and has a screamin' dit-dah part near the end that is 8ths/16ths and intervals in the G at the top of the staff to C above the staff range. Of course an entire concert of Trumpet 1 parts would be well outside of my range/endurance limits so I'm taking many sections of the concert down an octave.

The music director is a great guy and it has been a pleasure working with him. The only part of the whole program in which he has provided constructive criticism to me personally (it's a very live sanctuary, so he has on occasion had to encourage the entire brass section to "hold back") has been the "Emmanuel" piece. About three weeks ago, he told me (in front of the whole choir/orchestra group,) "Jeff, I gotta have that lick in measure 87, because you're the only thing going on. Everybody else is holding the chord for just a moment while this thing builds. I don't care if you lay out for half a page before and after, I have to have that." My response, "Ok, so long as there's no pressure " I started playing it down an octave to make sure it was well articulated and that seemed to be OK. This past Tuesday night after rehearsal we were talking and he smilingly asked, "What do you think about taking that Emmanuel part up as written?" I tried it last night and hit the C but muddied the phrase and he gave me a hearty laugh as he continued to conduct the furious tempo.

This is been a great experience as the music and the decision making about how I am approaching the music has stretched me. The other brass players have given me great advice because as great as the music director is, he's still a "choral" guy. For example, one of the French horn players told me last night, "Now when we show up Saturday evening, he's going to run through the entire program, so make sure you take it easy and don't blow your chops on the rehearsal." Still, being the only trumpet player has been a growing experience as working out rhythms, entrances, range problems, etc have really all had to be determined by yours truly. Certainly not something I had to deal with in my previous high school experience!

If any of you Atlantans want to come give a not-too-critical listen, the concerts are at 6:30 on Saturday night and 11:00 Sunday morning. The church is at 314 Arcado Rd in Lilburn (just south of Lawrenceville Hwy/US 29.) Hope all of you participating in holiday programs have similar good experiences!
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Kanstul F Besson International 800 Bb
Jupiter SCR-520

[valvepimp]

Jeff - please post here to let us all know how your first performance in 27 years went. I am curious if you will be nervous or not. I never used to be that nervous playing in public (auditions are another story). But somehow I feel that nowadays, after a long absence from performing, I might feel less than comfortable. This may have to do with being in my 40s, as opposed to my 20s, when my nerves were probably steadier. If you do well, it will be as if you are acting as a surrogate for all the CB players. So here's to you taking some heat on all our behalf!
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[_swthiel]

[WxJeff]

Thanks, guys!

Valvepimp: The first time I played with these folks on a Sunday, I was very nervous! The seating was such that I was kind of up there on stage in my own little row. This weekend, however, I'm on the back row with the French horn players somewhat behind this huge Christmas tree! (That'll help...)

Steve: You're exactly right, of course. There's only One who will hear that really matters

[WxJeff]

Well, guys, it went pretty well!

Saturday night attendees included my mom, my wife and kids, two families from my church and a friend who is a former low brass player. They all gave me good, positive feedback. I thought the program went well also: the choir was full of energy, the sections I had been concerned over went OK (ok, not great...) and I didn't mess up anything else during the program (and there were plenty of chances for errant entrances or "continuances" when every one else stops.) Whoever wrote some of this stuff wasn't real sensitive to my limited counting ability as one of the pieces was in 12/8, another had 3/4, 4/4, 2/4 back to 3/4 sections, etc. My teenage son came up with some specific feedback, which was heartening since I wasn't sure he'd really be paying attention and my 11 year old daughter had the line of the evening, "Daddy, you didn't squeak as much as you do at home!"

This morning's performance also went well and a friend of mine who is both a local high school band director and a trumpet player was in attendance. He was pretty fired up about the whole blend of choir and orchestra (he'd not heard this group before) and seemed to be considering how he could join us. (Cool, I get recruitment points!)

It was truly a blessing to work with this music director and this group of musicians. I got lots of warm fuzzies both from people in attendance and from choir and orchestra members. (Of course some of the little old ladies in the choir want to know why I can't have my family change church memberships so I can play with them all the time!)

Of course, the real rush came when I was introduced to some of the choir members' families, "This is Jeff. He's our trumpet player." Like the man said, it doesn't get any better than this!
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Kanstul F Besson International 800 Bb
Jupiter SCR-520

[jharris2]

Wow - great story!! There's nothing like playing before an audience.

Congratulations on the performance. Now that the first one is under your belt, you'll have many more to come.
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John

2014 Flip Oakes Wild Thing flugelhorn (copper bell)
2014 Flip Oakes Celebration trumpet
2005 Flip Oakes Wild Thing trumpet
2002 Flip Oakes Wild Thing short cornet
1976 Getzen Eterna Severinsen trumpet
1951 Olds Ambassador cornet