ULM again this week to work with James Boldin

Driving to ULM again this week to work again with James Boldin as our schedules finally coincide again in the month of August. Practice the little things when you are bored out of your gourd because orchestra season hasn't begun yet. Little things will capture your attention quickly and not fade away so much as the week goes by. Sooner than you think, you'll be wishing for some melodic lines again with solos from Brahms, Beethoven and Tchaikovsky. Maybe even Stravinsky?

Lawson - vintage mid- 80's

Idaho and my summer vacation 2012

Laura, Susan, Mom, Donna - July 2012

My sister and I arrived in SLC airport late last Saturday night where my other sister and her husband picked us up in their white chariot (truck) and whisked us away to wonderful ID. Their home which overlooks the Little Bear River from a hillside is western in design with verandas on three sides for broad sweeping views of the countryside filled with cattle and horse farms and others which grow some of the food we put on our table everyday. The basement has extra bedrooms and a living area and is ideal for for family retreats and reunions.

My ATT service is sporadic at best and will not link up most of the time (Verizon seems the best connection here), but I now have managed to use my sister's Wi-Fi connection to check my email and write on this blog. Can't call out or receive calls or send messages. My hubby is holding down the fort at home. He was scheduled to fly with us but one of our cats became sick a few days before our departure and hubby is having a great time trying to make sure her antibiotic drops are landing in her mouth and not on his shirt. Of course he is watering our vegetable garden as well which includes watermelon, squash, tomatoes and bell peppers.

I will be working more with horn player James Boldin when each of us returns to our perspective work. My contracts with TSO and LSO have been returned and am looking forward to a season of music.

I plan to revisit the recent SSO catastrophe which unfairly took away my Individual Contract rights in what I believe to be a sham of an appeal's process and an MCBA which was fraught with mistakes, some of which now have been retracted in the new 2012 Agreement AT MY EXPENSE.

Have a safe and fun summer -

I am now signing off as your fellow musician and colleague,

COLLATERAL DAMAGE - Susan W Rogers

Well, DANG - I am feeling very unappreciated and betrayed

Well, "Dang", folks - My SSO  "core" 2nd Horn position is up for grabs, first time in several decades. So says the Musicians' Union monthly periodical, "The International Musician". Yep, I know how it works because I was the SSO Personnel Manager for 32 years and prepared all auditions for years. Always had to plan my summer vacation around auditions and payroll. A real bummer for my family every year.


And, "Geez," the SSO 4th Horn position, the position I was offered again and declined again only a few days before I was given my termination notice (and 2 months after I had received my Intent Contract for the SSO 2012 - 2013 season) as Second Horn, is also up for grabs. Imagine - two horn positions, both vacated at the same time? Good grief, Charlie Brown, what happened and why? Two of the three oldest members of the SSO and in the same section getting pink slips? Actually, in reality, one retired and the other definitely has decided not to retire, yet. 


Could it be that "others" did not do their collective bargaining homework, someone else took advantage of the "miscue" in our previous MCBA and now that clause will never be used again? The new MCBA (The Master Collective Bargaining Agreement) which I am sure has been signed by now (June 30, being the end of our official fiscal year) most likely re-clarified (corrected) the termination date and reverted to the previous date of March 15, NOT MAY 15, two months after contracts are issued. Well, well, a little clause with a big date that will never be used again on any musician, BUT it certainly whacked me from the blind side. Hey, I didn't even get to register my vote - wasn't asked to the signing party.


And that, my readers, is why I wrote my first post a few weeks ago on this blog about being blind-sided, hit by a Mac truck and shoved over a cliff with no regard for protocol or damage control. Collateral damage? Yes, indeed. An innocent bystander who was not protected by the system? Yes, indeed. Now what? Indeed!


Ah . . . . I feeling better now . . . . . . . .  To be continued . . . . . . . . 

one of the rare opportunities to play my Lawson

In-school ensemble concerts - one of my very favorite core member orchestra activities

Shreveport Summer Music festival begins its ensemble series with a BANG - well almost - The Festival Quartet and Emma Meeks

A patriotic celebration made our day this afternoon, at Azalea Estates with Boy Scout troop 48 trooping the colors, the SSMF String Quartet playing patriotic music and singer Emma Meeks singing some old American Classics. 

Zackery Grant, Leonard Kacenjar, Mary Eileen Grant, Pam Martin

The Shreveport Summer Music Festival String Quartet

Recording artist Emma Meeks

Boy Scout Troop 48 presenting the United States flag

refolding the flag and what each fold means

Leonard Kacenjar

Lenny and Mary Eileen

Pam Martin and Zackery Grant

Len and Madeline Elford

SSMF Summer Ensemble Series - Classical and Pop music, Jazz and Blues - The Festival String Quartet, Emma Meeks, Seva May, Chris Allen, Brad Kozak

The Shreveport Summer Music Festival 2012 continues with more concerts this summer than ever

and all are free!!!

*******************Independence Day Concert******************

The Festival String Quartet

Leonard Kacenjar, Mary Eileen Grant, Zackery Grant, Pamela Martin

with singer Emma Meeks

Tuesday July 3 @ 2:00 PM

Azalea Estates

516 Flourneoy Lucas Rd

******************* Live Oak Concert - Ice Cream Social  ********************

Featuring the Festival String Quartet

and singer Emma Meeks

Saturday July 14 @ 3:00 PM

Live Oak Retirement 

600 E.  Flournoy Lucas Rd

***********The Kozak Memorial Jazz Concert Series ***********

Brad Kozak and Company with singer Seva May

Sunday August 12 @ 2:00 PM

2220 Flournoy Lucas Rd

Brad Kozak

photo by Susan W Rogers

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Chris Allen & Friends with singer Seva May

Saturday August 18 @ 7:30 PM

LA State Fair Exhibit bld - Auditorium

3015 Greenwood Rd

Chris Allen

photo by Susan W Rogers

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The Jazz Professors

Saturday August 25 @ 7:30 PM

LA state Exhibit Bld. Auditorium

3015 Greenwood rd

 

James Boldin and his refreshing techniques for Horn study - summer 2012

Some solo work, some etudes and flexibility exercises, listening to famous Horn solo orchestral passages from his shelves of recordings and ending with duos and harmony all around us. Today was my third time to work with Hornist James Boldin who teaches at ULM in Monroe.

Last week I tried and took home one of James' mouthpieces, a Hauser. My very own should arrive later this week. It feels really great and I am impressed - stainless steel cup and rim with the rim coated in a special finish, smooth to the lips and easy on the eye. The performance is outstanding - excellent tone quality, note centering, a fine edge to the sound and easy flexibility, equal facility in all ranges and a tonality of warm sound that runs from loud to soft with the ease of an opera singer's breath. My Rauch loves it and this week I will determine if my Lawson medium - large feels the same way. Our schedules will interfere with immediate follow-ups, but that will work in my favor giving me time to reflect on many things including the future. We will be working together again soon and I promise to keep all of you updated.

More comments to come plus a few photos.

James in his ULM office

real LP's

More work with James Boldin at ULM and thoughts on the beauty of music

I am having the time of my life working with a colleague of mine, James Boldin, at ULM in Monroe. Yes, it's a long drive, but a relatively easy one when you compare it to traveling West the same distance on I-20.

We've compared horns, mouthpieces, study books, solos and duets and ensembles, some of which he has edited himself for his students. If I had had time to teach over the years, I would certainly have done something quite similar. There's more to playing and teaching an instrument than playing loud or fast and furious with little regard for your neighbors. Harmony is everything in more ways than one.

When I was in high school and both of my sisters were playing horn (my brother played as well later when he was in junior high) I used to write and edit songs for us to play as a trio of horns - harmony parts, to get more of a feel for the melodic line and to enhance the chord structure. By the time I was 9 years old (I am the oldest) we could already sing anything in three part harmony, church music, gospel music and popular songs of the times.  We spent several years singing on local television (TV was in its infancy here) and talent shows with TV hosts Hub Brandao and Bob Griffin. We even sang on the local country western shows.  It was a natural part of our lives and it seemed natural for us all to play horn. We three had taken piano lessons (our mom was a pianist and could listen to music and make up her own accompaniment for us) and I know that was one of the reasons our band directors had suggested horn for all of us. It's an extremely difficult instrument to play and much easier to work with if you don't have to think about finding the notes and learning how to read music at the same time.  I could listen to and write down anything I heard which proved to be a god-send when I decided later to major in music.

James copying and pasting - interesting and challenging studies for me 

I will be working with James and others this coming year to try to recapture how truly enjoyable it can be playing the Horn, an instrument I have always been fascinated with even when I did not know what it was called. Radio days will do that to you when there is no TV. No visuals. Just your EAR. Teachers can make or break your spirit - all the more important to respect each other's differences and likeness'es.  

NOTE - for the person who used my search box looking for a trombone mouthpiece, try Bill Causey's Band House in Shreve City, Shreveport/Barksdale Hwy




More comments in future posts -

Working with horn player James Boldin

Today I drove to ULM in Monroe, LA to work a little with a friend and colleague of mine, horn player Dr. James Boldin. I have admired his playing for some time and we managed to go through a few warm up duets and exercises after chatting a while about his recent trip to Thailand to teach lessons to some very energetic and dedicated students who have a passion for the everything HORN. If I can manage to copy some photos that he took while there, I will post them on this blog soon.

Next week we will look at some solos and other duets. It's great to be playing again and I love my Rauch. Anyone need a Lawson medium - large bore? Not much going on for me this summer in the way of music so far. The summer musical I always play with FUMC Shreveport (this year it is "Music Man") apparently is not orchestrated for Horns. 

My husband and I will be flying to Idaho at some point this summer along with my sister to visit another sister, my brother and my mom, another family reunion of sorts. Gorgeous place, nice weather and lots to do. Can't take my horn as I did last year when we drove, only my mouthpiece. No, I don't plan to serenade the passengers. 

You can catch up with James and his tips on horn playing and teaching Horn on his blog:

https://hornworld.wordpress.com/

Photos provided by James Boldin

Alex Noppe, James Boldin, Micah Everett - ULM Faculty Brass

James with Thai students

sightseeing in Thailand

Royal Thai Navy Band workshop

With apologies to my friends, colleagues and fellow musicians

If you have toured my blog sometime in the last week or so, you will have noticed that many of my previous posts are no longer available for viewing on my blog. I know many of you use my blog search link to look up events and photos of you and your colleagues taken at various events or to check for upcoming orchestra and chamber concerts in our area along with ballet, opera and symphonic productions.


Unfortunately, due to some recent events in my professional life over which I had absolutely no control, I have found it necessary to remove from my blog certain orchestra events and photos I have posted over the past 3 years, a rather turbulent time in the history of the Shreveport Symphony. For me, wasted effort? I'm still weighing that one out. In fact, there are around 55 posts and several pages that are no longer included on my blog. Why? You may ask!

7-7-7 

My goal over the past three years in this blog has been to promote the arts and the musicians in our area, especially classical music of which I have been a part for almost 50 years as a Horn player, 32 of these years spent as the first full-time Personnel Manager of the SSO. I play in several other area orchestras which includes SSO work with the Shreveport Opera and the Shreveport Metropolitan Ballet, all of which have been mentioned and promoted on my blog. I am a co-contributor for Robert Trudeau's Shreveport Arts Blog. 


I am a professional musician and have been since I was 9 years of age, (I was a professional singer in my family sister trio act, and BTW, my sisters were also talented Horn players), but my options have never been made more clear to me than a week ago when I determined that there were some who wished to have me removed from the SSO for what I think is no less and no more than what others have done before me. Surely, I thought, my transgressions (if there ever were any) cannot be more obtrusive than certain others around me . . . . . . . .  after all, we all have our bad days and good days as players. Surely a contract (supposedly issued in good faith) cannot be rescinded 2 months after it has been issued to and signed by a tenured player. 


Unfortunately, however, some VERY UNIQUE LANGUAGE "popped up" in the 2010-2012 MCBA (a copy of which has yet to be seen by most of our orchestra members, including me at that time), which allows a musician to be terminated even after an Individual Contract (or Letter of Intent in a negotiation year) has been signed by both parties. This language is new to me; I had never seen it until recently. How did it get there? Why? And who wrote it? This master contract was written during our "Summer of Discontent", 2010 and there were many versions of it, one of which apparently was signed by both negotiating parties.


This language regarding termination and appeals must be changed, corrected and clarified in our next Collective Bargaining Agreement to protect our musicians and the integrity of our symphony orchestra. 


As for me, I am currently COLLATERAL DAMAGE, caught in this vice grip of unintended LANGUAGE which is slowly squeezing and testing my artistic patience. 

Ever been hit by Collateral Damage? Sideswiped by a MAC TRUCK? Bulldozed off a cliff?

Collateral Damage hits when one least expects it.

Collateral Damage can happen when the person or persons responsible for the well being of others has not done the required homework to insure that unintended consequences can not and do not happen. Lack of due diligence and lack of planning and preparation must be shared by all parties involved, but when innocent by-standers are caught unaware and unprotected in the firestorm of an impending but preventable disaster in the making, it speaks unkindly to the qualifications of those entrusted with the well being and safety of their charges.


Deniability is not an option and it is totally unacceptable to the aggrieved survivor. .  . . . . . . . . . . . . 


Question -  Will Collateral Damage happen again to another orchestra member? It most assuredly will until language is changed in the SSO MCBA to support the rights of the musicians under contract with a fair and just system of appeals, not currently offered.  

Comments and inquiries may be sent to my email address

 srogershorn2@yahoo.com

I AM

Susan Whipple Rogers - Horn

Collateral Damage

Chris Allen & the Jazz Trio at Red River Radio fundraiser tonight June 7, 2012

On Red River Radio tonight from 8:00 to 10:00 PM, jazz it up with Chris, Nick and Galen. Tune in on your radio dial or go streaming on your ipad, notebook or desk top. Either way you'll get to hear some of our BEST JAZZ GUYS playing the BEST SONGS!! What a great way to spend the evening, AND don't forget to donate your tax deductible gift NOW!!

Chris Allen on Bass

Nick Palmer on Guitar

Galen Smith on Drums

3.......2........1 .......... You're on the air, guys

Chris Allen

Crammed in like sardines, but sounding GOOD!

Nick, Galen, Chris

waiting for the guys to set up

Henry Edwards

KDAQ radio antenna 

The Jazz trio has arrived

Chris with his RRR mug. I WANT ONE!

Have guitar will travel

Nick Palmer

Galen Smith - Drum Set

Chris Allen