Stirring an interest

[Eric B]

I need some advice. I am a minister of music who served in the same church in Texarkana, TX for 11 years. God called in April and I am now in Malakoff, TX. In Texarkana I was involved in three ensembles in which I played tuba:

1. Texarkana Community Band (met weekly)
2. Brass group that performes for the Singing Men of East Texas (monthly)
3. Texarkana Symphony Orchestra (4 concerts annually)

Now that I'm in Malakoff, I only have the Singing Men brass group and that's just once per month. I am afraid I'm going to lose interested in playing. I am 1 1/2 hours from Dallas, and 45 minutes from Tyler. I'm considering joining the Tyler Community Band although the gas money and travel time are factors (any TubaNetters in the TCB?). I did play my euphonium for the offertory a few weeks ago however!

Have any of you had a similar experience?

What did you do to keep involved in performing?

[Eric B]

I did a little digging and found that Navarro JC in Corsicana (30 minutes) has the New Horizons Community Band and Trinity Valley CC in Athens (10 minutes) has a community band. I'll probably check into the Athens group. I guess that confirms I am a joiner and not a founder I would love to get a PM from anybody in the area who would like to play duets, quintets, whatever. Elephant, give me a call when you pass through beautiful Malakoff.

Eric

[Mark]

Maybe you should look into starting up a band or other ensemble in Corsicana.

I don't know about Corsicana. I've heard it's full of fruitcakes!

[Eric B]

Maybe you should look into starting up a band or other ensemble in Corsicana.

I don't know about Corsicana. I've heard it's full of fruitcakes!

Ah, yes...http://www.collinstreetbakery.com

And nuts....http://www.navarropecan.com

Navarro Pecan Co.
2131 E. Highway 31 903.872.5641

Largest pecan-shelling plant in the world, with over 50 million pounds of pecans processed each year. Choose from a tempting array of dried fruits, candies and nuts in the retail store.

[iiipopes]

When I had to give up the regular basis weekend bar band gigs (cigarette smoke and clotting conditions just don't get along) I was disappointed as I really enjoy playing guitar and bass guitar.

So after having put it down after grad school, I picked back up tuba instead, and in the meantime finished my design for my fanned fret guitar and had the neck manufactured for me while I finished the rest of it: body, hardware, electronics, etc., as much out of my own desire to see projects finished, even if they don't have an immediate application.

Then in the meantime almost out of nowhere I got a position as lead guitar with a very respected larger area church where I live as they reorganized their contemporary service in conjunction with the completion of a large addition including a multipurpose room, and held that position for three years until called to another situation.

I remember after getting out of the hospital wondering if I'd ever play my guitar in public again. Hang in there; you will find an even better place to play tuba.

[TubaRay]

That God guy sure gets around. First he shows up in our politics and now on Tubenet. Go figure...

To be sure, he shows up a lot. And not always when politicians claim he does, either.