LUCO concert - January 12th

Intermezzo

                            January 4, 2019

                LUCO concert - January 12th

Welcome to 2019, friends! I have my first concert of the year coming up on Saturday, January 12th, with LUCO. This concert includes:
Puccini: Intermezzo from Manon Lescaut
I don't get to play much Puccini at all, since he was mainly an operatic composer, and I don't end up playing much opera! I've been enjoying the drama inherent in this piece, because that's what opera is all about.
Weber: Clarinet Concerto No. 1

This was written relatively soon after the time that the clarinet became a viable solo instrument, due to improvements in its design, so it's an example of technological improvement that makes art possible.

What I'm excited about here is that the soloist for the concerto is LUCO's long-time clarinetist, Steven Noffsinger. I love it when a member of the orchestra gets to come out front and take the spotlight, especially when it's someone from the wind section. You hear each of them on every single concert, but you rarely get to see them; they are so often unsung heroes. In Steve's case, this is even more appropriate, because in addition to playing the clarinet for us, Steve is also our orchestra manager.  We would not be able to function as an orchestra without someone doing this work.

You are likely wondering what an orchestra manager does, exactly, so here are the things I can think of that Steve does for LUCO, just off the top of my head (there are more than this, I guarantee it):

Emails us all to ask whether we are available for the next concert and figures out whether we have enough people or need someone to fill in on a part
Emails us if the weather is bad to tell us whether rehearsal is canceled or not (spoiler: it's not)
Takes attendance at rehearsal
Lets us know what the agenda for each rehearsal is, so people who aren't playing in all the pieces don't have to show up for the whole thing
Figures out how much it will cost to rent, borrow, or buy parts
Organizes and hands out those parts so we all get the right ones
Tells us where to sit (yes, someone needs to do this, especially for the violins)
Tells us where we should go for beers after rehearsal
Reminds us what to wear for concerts, when and where to show up, and what the performance order is
Rents the percussion truck for every concert
Helps load up the percussion truck
DRIVES the percussion truck

You get the idea, Steve deserves to come out and take a bow just for all that, never mind the fact that he does all that and plays the clarinet on every single concert that I can remember, and does an amazing job. Come see him out in front of us and cheer him on.

Beethoven: Symphony No. 5

What can I tell you about this- it's super famous! It's just as much fun to play as it is to listen to. Someone made a disco cover of it. The first movement is the famous one, but the exuberant fourth movement is my personal favorite.

This concert will be at the First Free Methodist Church, on January 12th, at 7:30 pm. If you want your tickets in advance, you can get them online. As always, thanks for listening, and if you come to the concert, come on up to the stage at intermission and say hi!

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