Pokorny Radio Recital Post-Op

[Northern]

Greetings and thanks to so many of you who have written here regarding the radio recital I had the pleasure of giving today with Rex Martin and Yoko Yamada.
In the five hours or so since the recital ended I have heard from alot of folks who listened from all over the place via the internet from China to Japan to Australia to Israel as well as Europe and all over the US. I hope the main message that got across was that it is fun to play music and playing the tuba is a very valid way of expressing one's self. While I would love to have had a couple of re-takes on a couple things, I feel that some of our responsibility in a recital (or any solo situation) is to make sure we hold the door wide open for those who are listening so they can not only get a peak into "our" world but that they are invited into it; they are welcome to stay, listen and enjoy it. The musical product is always primary but I don't mind putting that product on a bonafide china or a paper plate; as long as it makes people comfortable and seduced into enjoying the music they are hearing. /// A couple questions answered here: I did play one of the CSO York tubas for the Prokofiev and the Plog "Animal Ditties". The F tuba I used was a Miraphone "Firebird" 5 valve model. I used a Tilz M2 mouthpiece on that horn. The mouthpiece I used for the York is my Laskey 30H./// This has been a somewhat challenging week as I have been playing (and will play on Tuesday) another Mahler #2 with the Orchestra and Haitink on a BBb prototype that Meinl Weston has been in the process of designing. [I haven't played BBb tuba since the Disneyland All American College Band in 1973 and the USC Marching Band in the 1974 Rose Parade!] Anyway, the fingering possibilities going through my brain at any one time during the recital today was close to melting down my dura or matter (or what is left of it). /// Again, thanks to so many who tuned in. A comment about tubenet: Seldom do I answer posts. It is not arrogance but mostly my lack of time and the inevitable backlash of other questions that ensue. In any case, I enjoy reading and hearing many of the well-thought opinions of so many of you on many subjects over the years here. Enjoy your Thanksgiving week here in America and for the rest of you: Do something on Thursday that will make you smile. "Engine room to Bridge: Out" "Northern" aka Gene Pokorny

[TubaRay]

Many thanks, Gene. Thank you for all you do to promote our noble instrument. It is so good to hear you speak of promoting the tuba as "a valid way of expressing one's self." I feel this is an important part of any adult tuba player's role in life. Thank you, also, for satisfied the geek in many of us, by sharing what equipment you used in the recital. And, lastly, thank you for being a part of the project. Many of us who aspire to be better players get a good deal of inspiration from your playing.

[Rick Denney]

I was entertaining guests, and don't have a fast internet connection, and didn't get to hear it. But I will download it.

And it's nice to see you moving up to a Bb tuba.

Rick "waiting patiently for more details on the new Bb M-W tuba" Denney