Please stand by

6,000 miles
$0: Home (Delaware)

This year, I tried something different on my long summer trailering adventure. I took a one-week vacation from my vacation.

I’m lucky that as a bass player, I can take a few weeks off, and return to normal playing fairly quickly. But after last year’s 10-week trip, I felt like a seventh-grader holding my bass four the first time. Where are the notes? How does a bow work. Where are my calluses – ouch.

I used to try to accept a”starter-gig” with a group playing easy pieces – a symphony by Boyce, a Pops concert, etc…

This year, I had some offers of playing work in mid-August, and it occurred to me, it would more than pay for a trip home. The trailer could stay at mom and dad’s, the car at Sea-Tac long term parking. I’d remind myself how to play my instrument, check the mail, mow the lawn, and be there when they put a new roof on the house.

So Sunday, I took a red-eye east, rented a car, and headed to Bethlehem Monday morning for concert #1 with the Bach Choir of Bethlehem. They’re one of my favorite musical organizations, and throughout the year, they present monthly free “Bach at Noon” concerts. What’s better than lunch-hour with Bach?

Bach has some of the most challenging parts for bass (a member of the “continuo“), so it was a great jump-start to my week. And a reminder of why I love what I do. Between two pieces of Bach I played with them, they sang a piece by Brahms, and I got to sit out and listen.

Click here for a piece on the local PBS station that aired that night, about the retiring music director, Greg Funfgeld, with clips from that day’s concert and rehearsals.

Next, it was off to the Mann Center to play the movie “Grease” live with the Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia. Yes, based on the audience reaction, rock and roll is here to stay.