RCEditions

Carl Atkins is the person most responsible for my position and then career as a saxophone teacher at New England Conservatory. Carl was the head of the Jazz Dept., taught saxophone, and was interested in returning to school at Eastman for his DMA. I didn't study with him, but we were friendly. The NEC vice-president, composer Donald Harris, wanted me to go to Paris, where I was offered a Fulbright Scholarship. Don was a Francophile, and living in Paris changed his life. But I didn't want to change my life. I wanted to teach at NEC. Several times Carl had phone conversations with Don, convincing Don we should go ahead. And, when Don met withy me and said Paris would be a dream I said, that's not MY dream. I want MY life.' And I have a life in Boston. Within a year I was playing for the Boston Symphony, also turning down an invitation to interview for the University of Texas saxophone position. I knew Boston, (where I was being paid $15 an hour (no full time position or benefits)), was where I wanted to be. During my last year in graduate school, I had walked across the street to Symphony Hall, to speak with one of the highest integrity persons I have known, Bill Moyer, whom I mentioned earlier, the personnel manager of the Boston Symphony. I told Mr. Moyer I was a member of the union, he smiled, and thanked me for coming in. Several months later, I sent him an invitation to my recital --but he didn't come. Several months after that, I sent him a recording of my recital. Several months after that-he called, and said he liked it and would call some time. Then, several months after that (a year had gone by in total), I was called to play 2nd alto in a Sousa tribute, playing 2nd alto, and I was on top of the world.

Phil Viscuglia, bass clarinetist (and saxophonist) of the orchestra was a gentleman, and helped me have confidence in my playing in later interactions, for which I will always be grateful, including my first subscription performances with the orchestra as a member of the concertino (soloists), in David Del Tredeci's ‘Final Alice,’ a Bicentennial Commission performed by many of the major US orchestras. Seiji Ozawa was the conductor, and I sat just below his right armpit! During that week, three of the five members of the concertino were fired and replaced because they had not learned the 15 page part. An accordionist was flown in from Chicago, Harvey Pittel from Los Angeles, and a new mandolin player from Boston. I don't believe it ever happened before, and it has not happened since. That certainly taught me to ALWAYS get the music before the first rehearsal, for any engagement, and to make sure I learned the part before walking in the door. How could I do otherwise? A year later, Phil was leaving the orchestra to teach in Las Vegas, and I became the 1st call saxophonist for the orchestra, which but for a few instances has remained so for the last 35+ years. But there are no guarantees and I earn my next performance based on my playing. In Boston, while there may be no job 'security,' the quality of the music making and the schools are so fine, that I wouldn't have it any other way. I am certainly glad to have made my home here.

During the next few years, I taught at many other schools. My name and reputation as a person and performer became the 'franchise,' that caused people to want me to perform or teach for them. In the earlier years, the head of the Wind Dept. at NEC, a wonderful man, excellent clarinetist and fine teacher William Wrzesien, also helped me with referrals to Univ. of Lowell and Andover, with Carl Atkins also helping with Brown U. Bill and Carl were an example for me to do the same for my own students, and other young people (whether or not they are my students), and I believe I have done that to the best of my ability over the years.

A Salute to (My) Teachers

7. 'We get by with a little help from our friends' - thanks to The Beatles (cont.)