Trey and I both went to Alma College, where we both spent a large percentage of our time in the department of music. Alma has a distinct Scottish flair. Members of the band sport kilts, the school has its own registered tartan, students can study bagpiping and highland dance, there is an annual Robert Burns dinner where haggis is served, athletes come from great distances to compete in highland games summer, and the college offers a study abroad program with the University of Aberdeen. The mascot is Scotty, and the sports teams are the "Alma Scots," which most people agree is an improvement over the previous designation of the "Fighting Presbyterians." Go! Fight! Win!
A limerick by Maestro Doug Scripps (written for me in 1998 for the Alma Symphony Orchestra dinner honoring the graduating seniors of Alma College. He wrote one for every senior, each year):
Her swan song's a dismal refrain
which is driving me slowly insane
Whose dreaded bassoon
is so out of tune?
that rubber chicken Buckeye Elaine.
Our last concert of the season was Carl Orff's Carmina Burana. The Swan Song features a prominent and challenging bassoon solo in the beginning, so for each rehearsal I brought along a rubber chicken, which served as the bassoon section mascot. During one rehearsal, the trombone section took it up into the catwalk, tied a noose around its neck, and lowered it down over Mr. Scripps' head during my solo (which worked brilliantly; the string section completely lost their composure). Even though we had a lot of fun, we took the music seriously and were a fine little orchestra that played quality repertoire well. I learned so much from Mr. Scripps about what the sublime is in music, that it is necessary to take risks and put your full heart and soul into each performance no matter how raw or vulnerable or overcome with joy it leaves you, the importance of quality over quantity, and living well and the importance of the better, richer, finer things in life. I would not be a bassoonist today had it not been for him.
The Roasted Swan from Carmina Burana (listen for the bassoon playing in its highest register right at the beginning):
If you don't recognize that section of Carmina Burana, you'll likely recognize this part:
And, on that same note, the best classical music flash mob to date (in Vienna's West Train Station):
