Some recent stories about changes and problems at Interlochen caused me to recall the two wonderful high school summers I spent at the National Music Camp in 1956 and 1957. I took a photo of the 1956 high school band tuba section from the 1957 catalog and posted it at the above web site. I hope I've done it in a way that permits you to share it.
Number the 9 players from left to right, first row then second row:
1. Of course, Roger Bobo, who was on a different planet from the rest of us. The other 8 can accurately be desciribed as journeyman players, in the positive sense of that term, but certainly not virtuosos. Roger was a great guy and really led and helped us all. He is the only one who owned his own horn and the only one whose horn was not Bb. Also the only one with rotary valves. We were in awe. He had just graduated from high school and was on his way to Eastman.
2. Alan Estes, playing a 4 valve York (I think, could be wrong - I played it 1957).
3. Stanley Laws, playing a Conn, if memory serves me well.
5. Yours truly, with the King sousaphone. I had just finished my freshman year of high school. I stayed number 5 most of the summer, but made it to number 4 one week, which meant I got to play in the radio broadcast on Saturday evening. Heady stuff.
7. Bob Black, from Northwest Indiana, studied with Arnold Jacobs. He and I rotated between 3 and 4 in 1957, but it was easier to do that without Bobo, Estes and Laws around.
I don't remember the instructor's name. I think he was from Texas. Rex Connor came in 1957, and he was a very memorable guy.
Please pardon a little nostalgia. The memories are very positive.[/url]
