Football isn't top dog everywhere

Be kind. No government, state, or local politics allowed. Admin has final decision for any/all removed posts.
Forum rules
Be kind. No government, state, or local politics allowed. Admin has final decision for any/all removed posts.
Post Reply
tbn.al
6 valves
6 valves
Posts: 3004
Joined: Thu Apr 21, 2005 6:00 pm
Location: Atlanta, Ga

Football isn't top dog everywhere

Post by tbn.al »

I am playing a concert in a HS auditorium Saturday. Rehearsed there last night. Awesome acoustics, 1000+ seats, shiny almost new, stage chairs that are really tall enough, WOW! Wish we could use this facility all the time. It was a 2 minute and 32 second commute for me last night.

https://www.google.com/search?q=lassite ... AQ&dpr=0.9" target="_blank
I am fortunate to have a great job that feeds my family well, but music feeds my soul.
User avatar
bort
6 valves
6 valves
Posts: 11222
Joined: Wed Sep 22, 2004 11:08 pm
Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota

Re: Football isn't top dog everywhere

Post by bort »

Wow, that's impressive. That couldn't possibly be much different than my HS Auditorium, and I was halfway through college before they opened a new music building with appropriate facilities. Enjoy!
bobd0
bugler
bugler
Posts: 20
Joined: Sat Sep 06, 2014 1:18 pm
Location: New Jersey, USA

Re: Football isn't top dog everywhere

Post by bobd0 »

Wow, indeed.

I attended a high school for music and art that was built during the WPA years, during the Great Depression. Our auditorium was ancient but we didn't mind. Our gym classes were held in an average classroom-sized room with painted cinder block walls and a tile floor.

But we studied music theory, harmony, and music appreciation five days a week for the entire school year for three consecutive years, from college texts (there were no high school theory or harmony text available back in the 60s) with some of the finest music teachers on earth. We had daily performance classes. Band and orchestra rehearsals and performance. Marching band. It was heaven.

It would have been nice to have an auditorium like that. But these days they're building more and more football and baseball and soccer stadiums here in New Jersey while cutting the arts all together from public education. It's a sin. And if you've heard any of the recent news regarding the Sayreville, NJ football program -- well -- our gym teacher used to tell us that playing sports built character. Based on what's happening in Sayreville, along with so many other horrible incidents involving sports players these days, apparently sports no longer build character.

I could go on and on about sports and the arts in America today, but I won't. I'll just say that it's been so long since I've even watched any sports, I can't even remember. And I used to be an avid multi-sports player and fan. But no more. They could shut down ever pro team and sports program in the USA and I wouldn't even notice. Good riddance.
tbn.al
6 valves
6 valves
Posts: 3004
Joined: Thu Apr 21, 2005 6:00 pm
Location: Atlanta, Ga

Re: Football isn't top dog everywhere

Post by tbn.al »

We played the concert in the aforementioned auditorium Saturday night. The acoustics were phenomenal. The orchestra had never sounded so "present" according to my wife. We closed the first half with the Dukas and I was able to listen from the hall in rehearsal since I don't play for the first half. The strings were right in my ear and the woodwinds were incandescent. All the interior block walls have moveable drapes so you can tune the hall to your specs. We had the front sides open to amplify the strings and the rear closed to muffle the percussion. I have never had a situation where a hall improved basic the sound of a group so clearly. From my seat in the back row I could actually hear the back row of the violins, not always a good thing in a volunteer group. I heard things in the Dukas that I never knew were there, for instance the trills in the cornet parts, and I have played this before with these same musicians. All In all many kudos to Alfred Watkins who had artistic and acoustic license for every phase of construction of his monument.
I am fortunate to have a great job that feeds my family well, but music feeds my soul.
Post Reply