Exciting 2012 Thing #1

A post or so ago, I mentioned that there is some fun business going on in these parts, and today I'm here to tell you about one of them.

This funness starts out with some not-so-much-funness.  As you may or may not know, for the past year I've been playing violin with the local Southern Baptist Theological Seminary Orchestra.  (I play a very sketchy second violin, only because there is no part for third or fourth violin.)  I've been having tons of fun doing so, despite being neither Baptist, or a seminary student-- I suppose I am Southern, so that counts for something, right?

Well, evidently it doesn't count for much, and most of the other orchestra members were in the same boat, because a few weeks after our last concert back in November, we got dumped.

As in, kicked to the curb.

As in, don't let the music stands hit you on the way out.

It was a sad situation; many of the members had been playing together for years and years, and the orchestra itself has been in existence since, oh, sometime in the early 1980s, I think.  Add to this personal sad situation the general community sadness of losing our professional orchestra this year as well. 

But!  This story does not remain sad, oh, no it doesn't!  Because this group of saucy musicians (and me) -- those Formerly Known As The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary Orchestra -- decided to stand up and FIGHT! for our RIGHT! to PAAAAR . . TY! (Thank you Beastie Boys, for that inspirational tune.)

We have reformed, in an as-yet unnamed, entirely musician-run community orchestra. (Trust me, a snazzy new name is on its way.)  It's terribly exciting.  Never again will we be at the mercy of another organization to tell us when, where, or what to play.  We will be entirely independent, which is more rare than you might think.  Professional orchestras, as well as most amateur orchestras, are funded, and therefore controlled, by other, non-musician entities.  We're going to be way cooler than that.

The exciting-est part for me is that I get to make up for my lack of stellar musical skills with my legal skills by being a part of the Interim board. I'm so proud to be part of this endeavor, and will be sharing upcoming concert dates with you, the loyal readers of Around the Subject. Be looking for a performance in the month of May!

(Maybe we'll just do that Beastie Boys tune.  Hmmm . . . . )

Working on Career #2

I finished my one year of violin lessons as required by my 101 Things list, and while I knew I definitely wanted to continue with lessons, I wasn't particularly sold on the specific lessons I was taking. Over the past year, I saw two things which made me really want to do MORE on the violin than what I was doing. The first was the TOTALLY ROCKIN' electric violin player with the Led Zeppelin cover band. Man, was she the coolest.

The second was Ben Sollee, who is ONLY the most awesome, kick-all-kinda-ass cellist I've ever seen. He was the co-coolest, definitely.

So, as of last week, I started with a new violin teacher, who is letting me do some celtic music, lots of fun duets, and is generally helping me with being a musician, rather than just playing a bunch of notes. I'm pretty excited about it.

I'm thinking someday, when I'm . . . oh, maybe 50-ish . . . I can be in my own heavy metal-bluegrass-celtic jam band, and I'll have my own electric violin, and I will be the coolest, too.

You'll all come see me, won't you?