Life: A Journey Through Time

Picture of the video screens at the dress rehearsal.


Here's a funny story from Santa Cruz. I mentioned that I happened to meet Alex Chadwick at the rehearsal for this new premier. After the premier, there was a reception/party for the orchestra and everyone involved in the project. I ended up sitting at a table with some friends, and the conductor happened to join our table. After awhile, I heard someone say my name, and it was Alex Chadwick. He congratulated me on a wonderful performance, and told me how much he enjoyed the concert, and then walked away.

When I sat down, the conductor said to the table, "That's a first: the second trombone player gets congratulated by the press, and no word to the conductor, who's sitting at the same table." Jokingly, I told her it happens to me all the time.

I think Alex is just a gracious guy, and because I was complementary of him the earlier day, he was gracious enough to return the favor. I wish I'd had a chance to talk to him more at the party. Talk about an interesting life!

Anyway, if you want to listen to the broadcast on Day to Day, here's the link. http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5594899

There's some stuff about "Gaia" in the interview, which I obviously think is hogwash. I find it hard to believe how people can fail to believe in God after being confronted with the awe and wonder of nature. I guess I just want to be able to give somebody a pat on the back for making redwood trees, but that's just me. It's more fun to believe in God, but out here, they're pretty much more enlightened than I am. Poor me. A word to the wise: experiences such as this can be referred to as "spiritual," but never "religious." I made that mistake, and was corrected. At a local bar, one of the musicians wondered how this would play outside of Santa Cruz, which of course is the center of the enlightened universe. The assumption was that the "evolutionary" message of the program would meet with flora and fauna thrown at the screens in outrage. I suggested that whoever sees the program would bring their own beliefs and philosophies to any viewing of the work, and that I thought that anyone who believed in intelligent design would enjoy it just as much as the Darwinians, and indeed, find meaning in the work. This was met with raised eyebrows. I followed this by saying that I even believed that the Vatican has said that perhaps evolution was the method of creation, but that this doesn't deny the existence of an Intelligent Designer. Their eyes glazed over at the mention of the Pope. (tehe).


Here's a picture of Philip Glass talking to our conductor.

I've got to take off now. It's time for some SUSHI!