Blogophilia 35.15: Taming the Fear

Blogophilia Facebook group HERE

Blog Topic Parameters Right Here

Hard Bonus: Incorporate a homophone

Easy Bonus: Include a stop sign

Gotta gofer the nuts

It seems like we all have a fear of some sort, and depending on what it is, we may or may not be able to do something about Taming the Fear. In Japan, they celebrate the arts, and started doing castanets in 3 year old preschool to learn beats, rhythm, subdividing, etc. The next year, we got different pitched finger cymbals to learn those, and we did a little concert kind of like those handbell choirs. We got recorders in 1st grade, and we kept them through 2nd grade. I was even a fish once in a school play, and I remember I was scared out of my gourd for the one line I had… I came to Wisconsin in 3rd grade…

I officially joined a school instrumental program in 5th grade, and mostly have been in at least one ever since. I’m glad I’ve never been banned in band. In the 45+ years of performing, I STILL get a little nerve wracked right before a show. Even with my health conditions, I’m able to continue playing and will keep doing so until a stop sign is put in front of me.

Here is what’s up:

• RACINE CONCERT BAND: 7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 27, Horlick High School, 2119 Rapids Drive, Racine. Also performing: Horlick Symphonic Band. Enter the building from the staff parking lot on the west side of Horlick High School, near the tennis courts. Standard RUSD admission fees apply: $6 for adults, $5 for students, and $4 for Seniors. Tickets will be available for purchase by credit card only at the concert box office.
• Under the leadership of Jacob Myers, the Horlick Symphonic Band performs Mars by Gustav Holst, Folk Song Suite by Ralph Vaughan Williams and One Life Beautiful by Julie Giroux.
• The Racine Concert Program features music by Pulitzer Prize winning composer Morton Gould. Jericho retells a biblical story in music: Joshua’s epic struggle to follow God’s commandment and claim the city for the Israelites. The Algerian Suite by Frenchman Camille Saint-Saëns is a fond memory of his Colonial-era vacation travels in Northern Africa. A light-hearted Divertimento by modern Czech composer Jindrich Feld, Mark Eichner’s arrangement of Handel’s Air and Variations from the 5th Keyboard Suite, and a Spanish march complete the Racine Concert Band program.
• The bands will join forces for a grand finale performance of Sedona, by Cincinnati Orchestra Pops conductor Steven Reineke.
• The Racine Concert Band Education Outreach Program is funded by the Racine Community Foundation, the Lang Family Foundation, the L. C. Christensen Charitable and Religious Foundation, the Wisconsin Arts Board, the National Endowment for the Arts, the City of Racine, and the Music Performance Trust Fund, in collaboration with the Racine Unified School District.
• Buy your tickets ahead of time online at Ticket Spicket – there will be no cash sales for tickets on the concert night.

Coming up on March 7th at 7pm will be the UW-Parkside Wind Ensemble & Community Band concert. Stay tuned for more information next Sunday in my weekly blog.