Take Time to Enjoy . . . NORTHWEST NOTES - Scott Barnes, NW Division President
The Mountain Top Experiences W
ith the beauty of our Pacific Northwest, one of the things that I love to do is go hiking. Tere are few things better than rounding the bend of a wooded trail to have
a beautiful canyon or waterfall suddenly appear. But, how oſten do we snap a quick photo and just move on, not really taking time to appreciate the beauty and majesty that are displayed as free giſts? In Washington, we judge weather by the appearance of Mt. Rainier.
On a clear day, we simply say “the mountain is out,” which immediately elicits unconscious smiles. Tis time of year, it’s a pretty rare occurrence, but spectacular nonetheless. In reality the majesty of the mountain is always there, but we just can’t always see it.
Sometimes in rehearsals, or performances, we have those mountain top moments when things just gel and create magic. Most of the time, there is a constant layer of fog and flurry, but on these rare occasions the clouds part, the sun shines, and “the mountain is out!” Taking time to appreciate these occurrences is important, and they happen at all levels. I recently visited an elementary general music class which included several Intensive Support students, and I shared the joy of a non-verbal student singing his name as a part of a musical activity. For that student, and teacher, this was a ‘mountain top’ moment, a verification that a connection had been made. His classmates reacted with cheers and clapping. Hopefully, we’ve all experienced those goose bump moments when the music we’re performing transforms what’s on the page, and we communicate strongly with the performers and the audience.
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I play horn in the Cascade Symphony Orchestra, a regional group in the Seattle area. We finished our 2019 season with a concert that included Gustav Mahler’s, “Symphony #1.” It’s a glorious work, and the music was stuck in my head for several months. Tis piece calls for seven horns, and it was a true joy to expand our section with additional players. Te music is challenging (I even practiced!) but incredibly rewarding. Our section was united by an unspoken bond as we worked together to attain excellence.
Overall, I’m happy with the way that I played and thrilled with the performance of my section and the full orchestra. In many ways, it was a mountain top experience. But, as a perfectionist, my first response was to reflect on things that I could have done better. I came in early on an entrance, I scratched a high note, I was out of tune on some entrances. It’s that elusive pursuit of excellence that has fueled much of my career. Tis is the type of thinking that drove me as a high school band director. It’s what fuels the competitive side of our business. But, as I’ve matured (i.e. gotten older), I’m trying to focus more on the positive things and to truly enjoy them. It’s a blessing to perform with talented musicians, and to perform great literature. Te relationships matter just as much
Continued on Page 11 Wyoming Windsong
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