New Amsterdam Symphony - Brahms Requiem 2/11

[Ben]

I just got a call last night to play this with the New Amsterdam Symphony Friday 2/11 at 8PM. The concert is at Symphony Space, 95th and Broadway NYC. Looks like it will be a Brahms weekend for me (play Brahms 2 with another symphony in town on Sunday).

This will be an interesting challenge as I am not as familiar with this work as I would like, and I am not aware of any of the personnel for this orchestra.

[bort]

Cool... funny too, I just saw something about this group earlier this week and thought "I wonder who their tuba player is?" Heh, shoulda known!

[Ben]

I am also wondering who their regular tubist is. A 48 hour notice cancellation before a gig is hopefully not status quo. The website for NASO does not have a personnel roster.

Now... what tuba should I play....

[Bill Troiano]

I played it on a Yamaha top action Eb (321?) because that was my new toy at the time back in 1984.

[Ben]

Yup, the part screams bass tuba. I was mocking my previous post about Brahms 2. I am going to get a lot of F tuba action this weekend.

[bort]

How'd it go?!

[Ben]

The performance was very nice. The community orchestra contained members of some of the better community orchestras / semi-pro orchestras that I have played with in the city. They were very good: B+ strings, A- winds... but the choir was excellent! I haven't enjoyed tacet movements quite that much in a while.

As for my meager part - the best compliment I got was from a trombonist who said "It sounds like you've been playing that part for years", when in reality, I had never sat down and played the part. Ever. I studied with a recording on the train, but I never had the opportunity to run down the "licks" between getting tapped to play Wednesday night and performance call Friday @ 6:30. While the performance had some adrenaline moments, I am happy with my performance. I would like to hear the recording that was made.... I gotta work on that one.

Thanks for asking, it was a sold out show, so I am uncertain my advertisement here would have done any good if anyone had desired to check it out.