Tuesday, March 25, 2008
"Those who can, do. Those who can't, teach."
I first heard the above phrase in 1984, and, frankly, it pissed me off. 24 years down the road, and it still pisses me off.
I can relate my personal story, and history, on this later. I would rather tell you a story.
When I was in college (the late 1980's), the persons playing in the top few seats of the military bands in Washington, D.C., were regarded as the best euphonium (my instrument) players on the planet. A man named Brian Bowman was the top euph player for the Air Force band in DC. At the time, Brian Bowman was considered the best living euph player on the planet. There were more than a few people (most of my college professors with a knowledge of brass playing included) that built a reasonable case for Brian Bowman being the best euph player in history.
I heard Brian Bowman play, live, in concert, in January. His playing was ... imagine the most scrumptious meal you have ever eaten ... the taste, the smell, the textures ... Now, imagine all of that for your ears. He played that sensation for an hour. Music that was written for cello, not euph. Everyone there that knew him (and there were more than a few), said that he had lost some in his playing ability. But, it was, still, musical "ambrosia".
With that said, he is no longer Chief Master Sergeant Bowman of the Air Force Band in DC. He is, now, Dr. Brian Bowman of the University of North Texas.
He is a teacher, who, occasionally, gets a chance to play.
He might have lost a "step" or two from his best day, but he can, still, captivate, and render silent, a crowd of almost 500, to include most of the euph players that were his peers when he "could" play.
Not bad for a guy that "can't", and, therefore, has to teach.
I can relate my personal story, and history, on this later. I would rather tell you a story.
When I was in college (the late 1980's), the persons playing in the top few seats of the military bands in Washington, D.C., were regarded as the best euphonium (my instrument) players on the planet. A man named Brian Bowman was the top euph player for the Air Force band in DC. At the time, Brian Bowman was considered the best living euph player on the planet. There were more than a few people (most of my college professors with a knowledge of brass playing included) that built a reasonable case for Brian Bowman being the best euph player in history.
I heard Brian Bowman play, live, in concert, in January. His playing was ... imagine the most scrumptious meal you have ever eaten ... the taste, the smell, the textures ... Now, imagine all of that for your ears. He played that sensation for an hour. Music that was written for cello, not euph. Everyone there that knew him (and there were more than a few), said that he had lost some in his playing ability. But, it was, still, musical "ambrosia".
With that said, he is no longer Chief Master Sergeant Bowman of the Air Force Band in DC. He is, now, Dr. Brian Bowman of the University of North Texas.
He is a teacher, who, occasionally, gets a chance to play.
He might have lost a "step" or two from his best day, but he can, still, captivate, and render silent, a crowd of almost 500, to include most of the euph players that were his peers when he "could" play.
Not bad for a guy that "can't", and, therefore, has to teach.
