Quote:
Originally Posted by bcrdukes
Edit #2: Nice horn - i really enjoyed playing on the Doc Severinson series Getzens, but was never able to find any for sale when I was looking. I grew up playing student-level horns throughout elementary and high school (Yamaha and Jupiter, sadly) and when I did honour band with Martin Barrinbaum at UBC, he hated it, and always gave my band teacher a hard time about giving us junk horns. I think one of the things Martin didn't know was the income disparity and social situation compared to 99% of his students, but I could be wrong.
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Oh, it was rough going to UBC with a less than desirable instrument. I think I had a King trumpet. My mom scrimped and saved to buy me that in high school. She saw I had musical talent and made it her goal to support me in every way possible. I remember UBC days. Going to parties and not fitting in. I kept my background a secret. I was ashamed of it. But, I survived. I learned that it doesn't matter where you come from. I did die a little each time the others talked about going to fancy places and shit - the things they experienced, etc. I had nothing to contribute. In the end, it made me stronger. My playing did the talking.
North Van community band with Victor Guy. Damn. You're so young. My band instructor at China High was Harold King. He was like the John Philip Sousa of Canada. At least that was how I saw him. He must be dead by now. He was like 100 when he was the band teacher. Did I tell you about professor Theo Goldberg? He was the music teacher at Strathcona. Man, he inspired me. He was the reason I got into music, aside from the marching band. When I went to UBC, I was blown away. He was a prof at UBC. Music Ed, iirc. I visited him a few times to talk about his days at Strath. Damn, that guy was pure gold. Actually, most of the teachers at Strath were exceptional.
Yamaha student trumpets were the best. That case, lol. I still have the used one I bought for my youngest son when he was in secondary school.
My playing was mainly gigs around town. Never joined the union, so I was limited to gigs like amateur musical productions at theatres like the Metro Theatre, Theatre under the Stars, helping out friends by playing in the pits at secondary school productions. I was also an adjudicator at some music festivals, played in big band/dance ensembles, conducted a few stage bands, etc. I miss those days. Musicals in particular. Tight little hotties running around with barely nothing on. At least at the Metro. Hot Jazz Club. Were you around when that place was hoppin'? Didn't matter if you were blind or not, lol. Couldn't see jack shit. I just looked it up. They were in operation till 2004? What the hell. I thought that placed died way before that.
Have you ever gone buskers? Granville Street, when it was still a street, lol.
At UBC, I was at a crossroads, do I pursue a career in music, or do something else? I was a perfectionist and my playing was never good enough in my eyes. Friends thought I could make it, but I couldn't make the commitment. A lot of what if's.......................
I'm tired. Need to take a seniors nap, gulolol.