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Some
of the groups I've performed or recorded with include: Joyce Kilmer 4-8 Band The Milltown Firemen's Band Led By Charles Krauss Spotswood High School 1979-1983 Wind Ensemble 1980-1983 Marching Band 1981-1983 Jazz Band 1983 Symphonic Orchestra 1981-1983 South River Imperial Orchestra Trenton State College Dr. David Uber's Percussion and Brass Ensemble, 1983-1987 Orchestra 1983-1987 Concert Band 1983-1986 Wind
Ensemble 1987 The
Union Symphony Orchestra South
River Imperial British Brass Band The Relay (Cover Band, 60's - 80's, classic rock) 1981-1984 The Alighted (Cover Band 80's jersey rockish) 1986-1988 Sensational Meringue Band Catch
Twenty Two
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I ended up here by accident. I think if you ask most people how they got somewhere they didn't expect they'd say the same thing. Up until eighth grade if you asked me what I'd like to be when I grew up I would have told you an artist. When I told my grade school band teacher, Mr. Kraus's, I wasn't doing music in high school he looked at me and said in front of the class "you're my biggest disappointment". In Spotswood however, something unforeseen happened. The guidance counselors ignored my request for drawing 101 and painting and put me in wind ensemble instead. This was not my plan. I played until eighth grade. A promised I had to make when my parents when they got me a trumpet in fifth grade. By the way trumpet was my third choice after the violin and french horn, neither of which the Milltown school district offered. I did ask my parents if I could play the violin around first grade after watching one being built then played in New England but they said I was too young at the time. This tells you two things: one my parents aren't musicians, and two they aren't asian. Anyway my elementary and jr. high bands were horrible. I was glad to put music behind me when Spotswood through me that curve. I'll never forget my first day in the Spotswood Wind Ensemble. Howey Cohen, the band director, raised his hands and with the first note I was awestruck. The balance between the instruments combined with the level of skill of each musician sent a chill down my spine. My eyes filled. My heart changed. I was having an epiphany. Like genuflecting at the alter I knew I would become a high school band director. Sounds corny or crazy like seeing an apparition that could just be a stain or an accident. It doesn't matter what you think. If I cared what people would think I wouldn't tell the story. You got your story and I got mine. So anyway.. All I knew was that Howey Cohen got to stand up in front of that group and make music everyday. He played music everyday. He and his assistant Jerry Milstein, turned normal kids into competent working musicians. Up until then I'm sure my parents would have insisted on me going to college but I wasn't sure for what. Now I had a goal. I also had alot of work to do. You see since I planned on quitting the trumpet and becoming an artist I was a horrible trumpet player. I had never taken music seriously or practiced. I was last chair in a section of ten and I deserved that chair. As the year went on I leaned the things I should have in my younger days. "You should sign up for concert band. You don't belong here" remarked Howey Cohen. I practiced in my basement everyday. Working on anything my director would show me. Slowly I started working my way up the section. "When you got here you couldn't even blow your nose", this was a compliment from Howey. When I was first chair second trumpet I was told I needed braces. "Forget it, just quit now", said Mr. Cohen, throwing his hands in the air. But I went on practing. My first solo was the trumpet whiney in Leroy Anderson's "Sleigh Ride". I was late to the game. Most good musicians had been much more serious at younger ages. They had parents who were musicians like the Par brothers, or studied privately for years. I was playing catch up and forming habits, some of which weren't good. I could go on and on but my life in music as with any other field has been filled with positive and negative reviews. I never expected to become a working musician. I thought I was too late to the game. In spite of this I have been lucky to participate with some wonderful groups. More importantly I've met some great people and been to some amazing places. Negative messages are part of life. For me hearing them is often more important then hearing the praise. Everyone likes praise but well defined critics helps an artist more. In the end I work in music because it has a psychological effect on my being. Why do you do what you do? | |
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