This past week I have experienced conducting and performing music more than I have in about 10 years.
Last Sunday, I conducted a concert with the Iberia Community Band. I have not been music director and conductor of a concert band in over 13 years. It is good to be back. This opportunity came to me instead of seeking it.
I received an email that was sent to all of the members of the Lafayette Concert Band that the Iberia Community Band needs a guest conductor on July. I called but received no answer. So I just thought it was a missed opportunity and went on my vacation trip to Vancouver, Canada with DD.
In October, I received a call that their conductor has again dropped out 2 weeks before the concert. So I came to 1st of the 2 rehearsals I will have with them and started working on them. My rehearsal technique came back. I must have impressed them because after rehearsal they asked if I could be their permanent conductor. So weeks later preparing for our December Christmas concert, I have molded them into a professional sounding concert band.
So Sunday the 8th was the Iberia Community Band Christmas Concert. The band performed very well.
Tuesday was the dress rehearsal with the Lafayette Concert Band. I play timpani for this band and I have a lot of timpani parts Including a few solos.
I was asked to play timpani for the Eunice Concert Band because their timpani player told the conductor on Monday that he could not do the Thursday and Friday gig. (What is it with people dropping out of commitments?} So I went to the dress rehearsal on Wednesday to play timpani. Then did the concert on Thursday and Friday.
On Saturday, I played drum set with the Iberia Swamp Band (a jazz band I named) for a gig at a church. We played some Christmas stuff and some standard swing and rock tunes.
Sunday was the concert for me to play timpani for the Lafayette Concert Band.
And this was on top of giving and grading finals and giving class grades.
Now that is a lot of music playing.