Miscellaneous

I was a symphony orchestra musician. I got to play a lot of great music. There were memorable performances for which I can still recall the feeling of flow, the thrill to know that I was at that moment part of something really great. But what people on the outside don’t see is that a […]

On this unusual day, when we celebrated the life of Martin Luther King and witnessed the inauguration, again, of the President, I thought to share these words of Abraham Lincoln from the 1858 Lincoln-Douglas debate, commemorated in Aaron Copland’s Lincoln Portrait: “It is the eternal struggle between two principles, right and wrong, throughout the world.

Woody Allen said, “80% of success is showing up.” But showing up shouldn’t mean simply being in the room. Showing up should mean being present—attending to what’s happening around you. As an orchestral trombonist, my role in the orchestra often meant that I stayed in the background for long periods of time. Entire movements of

I’m at a performance of the San Francisco Symphony tonight, with James Gaffigan conducting. Program: Missy Mazzoli: Sinfonia (for Orbiting Spheres) (2014) Samuel Barber: Violin Concerto, Opus 14 (1940), with violinist Ray Chen Sergei Prokofiev: Symphony No. 5 in B-flat major, Opus 100 (1944) Live music is the best music.

Maybe it’s just me, or maybe it’s my age, but the turning of the year seems less important than the act of putting one foot in front of the other every day. Perhaps the real significance is just to say, yes, the old year has passed, with all that was in it; with some failures

To all who celebrate this day, here is a moving performance of “Salvation is Created” by Pavel Tschesnokoff, recorded in the Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis.

Among my personal holiday delights is the annual baking ritual of a treat that everyone in my circle finds irresistible. Treat yourself to some Cinnamon Pecans. Beat one egg white and one tablespoon of cold water together until frothy. Stir 1 pound of pecans into the mixture. In another bowl, mix 1 cup sugar, 1

As 2024 draws to a close, it is a good time to step back from the day’s to-do list and think about what the year means to you. With our noses to the daily grindstone, it’s often hard to see the totality of our accomplishments. Take a moment to reflect on your personal 2024 in

Most of us work hard to get what we have. We have to give ourselves credit for the work we put in to get what we have. We might have a college degree or a job or a house. We might have a great musical instrument that we worked hard to save for. Even a