North Little Rock High School

Yesterday morning, I had the pleasure of working with Bill Spainhour and the North Little Rock High School band on Dusk. This is as close I can get to "my" old high school (this one and mine were merged into one huge school the year after I graduated, so my actual school no longer exists). This is also the band room I basically grew up in - it was where my father was band director throughout the 1970s and early 80s, so it was a nice sort of homecoming.

The band sounded good - we worked on the tempo and the whole 'intensity/focus' thing, which is critical the effective performancce of the piece. As I told them in rehearsal, if you really play the piece properly, you will be exhausted by the end. I think they got it, and it was really starting to come together by the end of rehearsal. Their concert is next Thursday night, May 11th - unfortunately, I won't be able to be there, as I'm conducting three concerts up in Fayetteville, AR next week, including one at the exact same night and time. To the band: I'll be there with you in spirit - I wish you a great concert, and I hope you enjoyed my arm-waving with you yesterday!

I forgot my camera, but one of the flutists had hers, so we shot some group photos. When I get a copy of those, I'll post them...
UPDATE: We have pictures! I put them at the end of the post...

Sidenote: I finished Alchemy for orchestra last evening, and delivered, score, parts, and all to Juilliard. WOOHOO!!!

Now, off to Memphis for a day for their annual music and BBQ festival, "Memphis in May." I'm ready to get down to tha' bone on some a dem ribs...



The band!


Director Bill Spainhour, me, and Pat Lindsey


Bill's idea - me with the "Charging Wildcats" banner in the background. The mascot name came from when the two high schools were combined - this school was the Ole Main "Wildcats" and the one I graduated from was the Northeast "Chargers"...thus, "Charging Wildcats." Like I mentioned above, this is as close to going back to my old high school as I can get...