My Electric Violin Journey

It has been a little while since my last post. Wrapping up the school year and trying to finish up what has been a trying year of hybrid teaching at NCSSM has been my priority for the past several weeks. Finally, today I am finished with most of my teaching and administrative work at the school and have some time to sit down and write a bit. 

I have wanted for some time, to give a little bit of my history with electric violins. For most of my readers, electric violins are simply part of everyday life as a teacher and performer. But for me, there has been an interesting journey which really starts back in the 1970s.

High school/college

Many folks know that my early training was in a modified Suzuki environment. I began playing violin at age 6 and was consistently enrolled in private lessons and youth orchestras throughout my elementary, middle, and high school experience. In junior high I became interested in the electric bass guitar and began playing in various rock bands from the age of 12 or so. I was a standard Rock kid of the mid-1970s, listening to Boston, Foreigner, Queen, Donnie Iris, and my favorite, Styx. WDVE, the rock station in Pittsburgh, was my radio station of choice and I could pick it up all the way out in Indiana, PA. At some point, I became very interested in the music of the rock band, Kansas. I loved their musicianship, intense lyrics, progressive rhythms, and of course the electric violin.  I was thrilled to see them in 1978 or 1979 at the Civic Arena in Pittsburgh. Of course,  Robby Steinhardt playing electric violin captivated me. My parents also had bought me several Jean-Luc Ponty albums over the years and I was very familiar with his electric violin work through those recordings. By the early 1980s, I was in high school and playing bass guitar in a very good high school cover band which consistently performed around the Indiana, PA region. As part of that band, I really wanted to occasionally pull out a violin to play novelty tunes like the Bunny Hop, the Chicken Dance, and other similar songs which were expected as part of a party band's set list in those days. My parents purchased an old Sherl and Roth violin and we had a Barcus Berry pickup installed. I, like everyone who did that sort of thing, struggled with feedback and poor tone quality. It never sounded great and it really didn't feel right or fit my needs. At some point, that band ended and I went off to college to study music education.  Throughout my undergraduate years, I focused much more on classical repertoire as a violinist. I played bass guitar in the college jazz band, but otherwise I really was strictly a classical violinist.

Palmyra Bluegrass and Believer

My first teaching position was in Palmyra, PA, as the district-wide string teacher. I taught string students from grades 3 to 12 and was there from 1987 to 1992. While in Palmyra, I was fortunate to host several residencies of great musicians through the innovative Authors and Artists Series which was run by faculty member,  Jim Woland. (That is a story for another day.) One of those was with the Modern Mandolin Quartet.  One of the huge impacts on me from those events was an introduction to bluegrass music.  One of my significant accomplishments and strongest areas of impact in those years was the founding of the Palmyra Bluegrass String Camp. I didn't really know how to play bluegrass music, but I was very interested in learning and thought that my classically trained students would like to learn as well. Through that time, I began to lay some foundational groundwork for improvisation and also rubbed elbows with some wonderful bluegrass musicians. I still really didn't need any strong amplification in those years, but the experience played a part in my electric violin journey.  

Another significant relationship in those years was my friendship that developed with Kurt Bachman. Kurt was a junior in high school when I arrived at Palmyra in 1987. He approached me and asked me if I wanted him to play guitar in the orchestra for his senior year. I wasn't sure how that would work, so I invited him to learn to play the cello instead. Kurt came to school in the summer to take cello lessons and joined the orchestra for his senior year. In the midst of that year, his metal band, Believer was signed to REX Records, and they invited me to play violin on their first record. Kurt and I wrote a cool introduction to the title track of Extraction From Mortality and I performed all of the parts to that intro on my acoustic violin in my first recording studio experience. Again, no electric violin yet. But this all laid the groundwork for what was to come. That album and song gained some national exposure and the band asked me to write and play on something for their second record. 

In 1989, Believer released their second full-length album, Sanity Obscure, which featured a orchestral, operatic, epic take on the Dies Irae (Day of Wrath) movement of the requiem mass. My sister, Julianne Laird, sang on that track and we again, garnered some national attention for the innovative work we were doing. You must remember that this was all before the S&M (Symphony and Metallica) projects and other similar metal /orchestral projects of the late 1990s.

By the time Believer set out to write and record our third album, my writing and playing was an important component of the Believer sound and reputation. We decided to write a extended metal/opera epic which we called Trilogy of Knowledge. Back in my Palmyra bluegrass days, through the Palmyra Authors and Artist Residencies, I had become good friends with Mike Marshall, the principal (and virtuoso) mandolinist in the Modern Mandolin Quartet. Mike and I had stayed in close contact and at one point I was telling him about my work with Believer. Mike mentioned that he had a Zeta solid body electric violin in a closet at home that wasn't being used. One day I came home from work to find a box with the electric violin in it. I called Mike to thank him and tell him I would return it as soon as I was done with it. He let me know it was a gift from him to me. This gift changed my life. I ended up using that Zeta Stratos on pretty much all of Trilogy of Knowledge which was released in 1993. That album, Dimensions, was nominated for a Dove Award and garnered a great deal of critical acclaim. It is still considered to be a groundbreaking album in the thrash metal genre. I'm very proud of the work that I did on that record, although I must admit, I was really just learning about solid body electric violins during that recording process. All of the effects processing and tone shaping on that record we're done after the initial tracking. I seem to recall that I recorded everything dry for accuracy and the sounds were added in during the mix down. 

I have to add that the first time I plugged in my Zeta violin, I felt that I had finally found my voice. This is what I had been preparing for my entire life. I was in my late twenties and I knew that my musical journey had been positively altered forever. 

Following the recording and release of Dimensions, I began experimenting more with the capabilities of electric violins. For a while, I played in an instrumental trio with Joey Daub (Believer's drummer) and Ted Hermanson on bass, who had engineered Dimensions. We were seeking to create a Jean-Luc Ponty type sound and I began developing some sensibilities for what the instruments could do. I bought a DigiTech multi-effects processor, a DigiTech harmonizer (DHP33), and a Lexicon Jamman which allowed me to do some basic looping. These tools for tone shaping became integral to my understanding of what the electric violin could do for me. A highlight of that band was a featured performance at a summer NAMM show in Nashville.  A lowlight of that trip, however, was that my original Zeta violin which was given to me was stolen. That was a really tough pill to swallow!

IN THE CLASSROOM

One consistent thread in my teaching life has been the notion that things that inspire me musically will probably also inspire my students. This had happened with bluegrass music back in Palmyra and now I was living in the Washington DC suburbs, teaching at Eleanor Roosevelt High School in Greenbelt, MD, and felt like electric violins might really inspire my students.

I started reaching out to The Zeta corporation about the possibility of some sort of sponsorship with my educational background as the centerpiece. I shared Believer recordings with them and told them that I thought I could be an asset to the company. At the same time, I began thinking about how I could share what I knew about electric violins with other educators. I applied to give a conference session at the Maryland Music Educators State conference sometime around 1995. I had never spoken at a conference before but I felt like I had something unique and valuable to share with my peers. Initially, Zeta was hesitant about me. I am not sure that they fully understood the music of Believer and they probably received lots of inquiries about sponsorships and had some level of caution. (Believer is heavy, fast, rhythmically complex,  and features screaming non-melodic vocals.) When my conference session proposal was accepted for the Maryland Music Educators Association, I let Zeta know. I wanted them to know that I was going to move forward with or without their support, but I would love to show off some of their technology. When I had already set up this session, it peaked the interest of the folks at Zeta. I think this set me apart from the others. After a couple of phone calls and letters back and forth, we came to an agreement and I was now a sponsored artist with Zeta music systems. They sent me a little bit of equipment and I began working to fully master and understand their products. It is important to mention that this required a good deal of investment of my personal funds as well. They had an early MIDI controller in those days. So, I had to run out and buy a MIDI sound bank. I bought amplifiers, cables, effects processing, and other necessary tools of the electric violin trade. 

On the day of my conference session, I remember that a famous speaker, Tim Lautzenheiser, was scheduled at the same time as me. Tim's room for his session had easily a thousand chairs set up. Mine had about 30. (By the way, he was so encouraging that day.  He assured me there would be people there to hear what I had to say.)  But, people came. I had a small but enthusiastic audience and my first conference session presentation was a success. I talked about how the electric violins worked, how MIDI worked with violins, and how these could be used in the traditional public school classroom. Again, a significant course had been charted in my life and for the next decade or more, I spent a great deal of time speaking with teachers across the United States about the technology and applications of electric violins in the traditional public school classroom. 

While I was traveling around the country giving seminars on electric violins and their applications to the classroom, I met many wonderful people in the music industry. One significant friendship that grew out of that time was with Rich McKenzie, a sales representative for CodaBow International.  Rich would frequently stop in my sessions and listen to what I had to say. At some point he handed me a CodaBow and asked me to give it a try. He thought it would be a great compliment to the electric violin. Boy was he right! I fell in love with CodaBows immediately. At some point during those years, I met Jeff Van fossen, the founder of the company. We all became great friends and I have played CodaBows exclusively ever since. I have walked with the company through thier development of many different bows and technologies. It has been such a pleasure to be part of their organization and associated with them over the years. They are the perfect compliment for not only my electric violins, but all of my instruments. 

At one point in the late 1990s, I was working at Zeta HQ in Oakland California. Jean-Luc Ponty, another Zeta artist, was in town. I had the opportunity to meet him and talk for a while, and see his show that night. He was so generous with his time and treated me like a peer. Haha! One significant result of those conversations was that he suggested I use a viola bow with my electric violin. I made the switch to a Coda viola bow in those years and it really changed my sound. It gave me that heavy, beefy sound that Ponty is famous for. I used viola Codabows with my electric violin for many years until the Coda Joule  was developed. It is designed for exactly the same thing in much more of a "violin bow" package. (See any of my posts on Intentional Design) I encourage everybody to give the Coda Joule a try if you are an electric violinist.

The following year, around 1996, my school invested in a quintet of Zeta instruments and we began working to create a groundbreaking Electric Zeta String Ensemble at Eleanor Roosevelt High School in Greenbelt Maryland. That group of students performed all over the Washington DC and Maryland area for a variety of events. Some highlights included: a performance of the national anthem for all Prince George's County teachers at the then Cap Center. It was a huge crowd and a huge success, a performance at the Rayburn Congressional Office Building on behalf of NAfME (then MENC), performances at the MMEA State conference, and many many others.  

About this time, I was also experimenting with my own solo projects and particularly with looping technology. My work with the Lexicon Jam man had blossomed into quite a bit of solo material which incorporated guitar, bass, drum machine, and analog and MIDI electric violins. I became quite interested in recording technology as well and through my live performances and with the help of   an ADAT studio in my home, I produced my first solo record, Freeway. Most of the songs on that record were built using my looping technology and could be performed live as well. I spent a great deal of time in the fall of 1998 performing at Borders Books and Music stores all over the greater Mid-Atlantic region. I sold a lot of CDs in those days and it was a great deal of fun. However, I must admit that when I go back and listen to that recording, it sounds dated. 

In 2001 I took a new position at the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics in Durham North Carolina. In those years, things at Zeta had slowed down a little bit and I could tell that my partnership with the company was probably coming to a close. This was not a bad thing, in my mind, because I felt I was becoming known only as the technology string teacher and it was very important to me that folks knew I was a traditional pedagogue as well. By 2002, Zeta and I parted ways and I focused on my guest conducting work and more traditional pedagogical seminars. 

Durham NC and NC School of Science and Math

When I moved to Durham NC, I had no idea that I was also moving so close to the Electric Violin Shop, the worlds largest retailer of electric violins. They certainly knew me from my time and exposure with Zeta Music Systems and eventually we all became close friends.  I began spending some time at the store playing all the different brands of electric violins. At some point, I told Blaise Kielar, the owner, that the only other company I'd ever consider working with was NSDesign Electric violins. I had met Ned Steinberger several years earlier at Berkeley's String Fling. He and I were both manning booths at the event. I for Zeta and Ned for his new company NSDesign. Traffic was fairly slow at the exhibits and we got to know each other pretty well. We had long conversations about music, ergonomics of electric violins, both of our backgrounds, and many other awesome topics. Ned is absolutely brilliant and I was honored that he was interested in my opinion about his instruments. Ned evidently remembered me and after my hiatus from the electric violin education scene for a few years, he reached out to me in 2005. 

We agreed to spend some time together in coming months and see if this would be a good match. Without going into all of the details, the partnership between Ned Steinberger and myself was a home run! I immediately fell in love with the instruments. I loved the sound, the feel, the look, and everything about the company.  To add to the serendipity of it all, NSDesign had a close relationship with D'Addario who had been long time supporters and sponsors of my work.  Ned and I were a fantastic match in terms of our personality, interests, and mutual respect for each other. I entered into a partnership with NS Design at that time and it still goes on to this day.

In the coming years, I would be featured in NS Design advertisements and their blog, give numerous sessions at national and regional conferences on their behalf, and become a featured educator/artist for the company in many other ways. Ned would often call me for my opinion on new products or other ideas. I would lean on them for technical information and new ideas of how these instruments could be used and how I could articulate the science and engineering behind the technology to teachers.

I continued my live looping performances and released a second solo record in 2005 entitled Simple Gifts. By this time I was using a three phrase looper, the boss RC-50 Loop Station. This allowed me to create a chorus, verse, and bridge on the fly in my performances and toggle between the three as I was soloing with my electric violin. My live performance tool was taking me to the next level in terms of my writing and capabilities. 

Over the next 15 years electric violins have remained a huge part of my teaching and performing life. I have been a featured soloist with a variety of orchestras including the Carolina Cool Jazz Orchestra on two different occasions performing my original music and arrangements. I have maintained a strong YouTube presence highlighting educational applications of electric instruments and my own performances as well. Electric violins have been a wonderful enrichment for my orchestra students at NCSSM. And, I continue to perform around the region with a variety of bands and as a solo artist with my looping capabilities. I now use the boss RC-300 Loop Station. It is an upgraded version of the three phrase looper that I began using back in 2005. I continue to speak at conferences around the country on applications of electric violins in the traditional string classroom. I am always looking for innovative ways to incorporate boat electric string instruments into my teaching and to share those ideas with others.

In the end, it has been an incredible journey with electric violins and it is really fun to look back on the progression.  And, I have to say, I am not close to being done.  Just in the past year, I have been experimenting with extended range strings, doing more multi-track recording, giving a ton of seminars for students,  and giving many live performances.  The possibilities really never end. 

Thanks for taking this little walk down memory lane with me. Until next time...

Peace.

Scott

A Culture of Grace

A couple of days ago, a longtime friend reached out to me and asked if there would be an opportunity for us to talk about my experience in arts administration.  He is a retired Arts Supervisor in PA and is now teaching arts admin classes at a couple of different institutions.  Later that morning, we connected by phone and had a great conversation.

I was happy to share some of my story of serving as Fine Arts Coordinator at NCSSM for much of my 18 year tenure here.  The Coordinator position is a unique one, because I really serve as a peer-advocate for my colleagues in the arts at a variety of levels.  I am not their supervisor, but I do have the opportunity to lead our discipline in many ways.  I promote our programs, provide feedback on events and activities, allocate foundation funding, provide feedback, lead interview and hiring efforts, and generally set philosophy and tone for the arts at our school.  All of this is in addition to my role as Music Instructor and Orchestra Conductor at the school.

During our conversation, I had the opportunity to articulate many of the core philosophies that have driven our success over the past 15 years or so.  I brought the seeds of many of these ideas to NCSSM in 2001, but others have been developed or refined as a result of my unique experiences here at this unique school.  I have been privileged to teach in a variety of circumstances over the years and certainly bring expectations and models from each to NCSSM.  I was reminded in the conversation of the stellar organizational structure that I witnessed during my student teaching at Williamsport School District in PA.  I also worked with and modeled much of my teaching after one of the most dynamic teachers I have encountered in my career, Walter Straiton.  Walt was always quick to remind me to develop my own style and to be ever mindful of my style/substance ratio.  One without the other is significantly less effective.  I was also reminded of the wonderful teachers and mentors I encountered in my first position in Palmyra PA.  The music instructors at the elementary, middle, and high schools were all top quality teachers and incredible mentors to me.  The community embraced me completely and my colleagues cared for me as I navigated the difficult early years of a career in music education.  They let me make my mistakes and always encouraged me to find my voice.  As I moved on to Eleanor Roosevelt High School, I encountered colleagues and leadership that expected excellence at every turn.  They were truly "world class" educators, musicians, and directors.  They provided models of stellar leadership and musical outreach that positioned me to significantly expand my sphere of influence, not to mention my confidence as a pedagogue and conductor.  All of these experiences came with me to NCSSM.  But, I had no idea how my perspectives would change as I got to know this new and unusual residential learning environment.

After a few years of introduction to NCSSM, it became clear that the traditional K-12 music program philosophies were not going to be sufficient at this place.  Students come here as basically math and science "majors."  They are here for this unique academic residential program - not exclusively (or primarily) for the orchestra.  The academic workload is heavy.  The expectations are high in every class and department.  The residential experience can be exhausting.  Student and parent goals and expectations are different than even the science and technology magnet school I had worked in for the previous decade.  I had to come up with some revised guiding principles if I was going to survive here and if the music and arts program was going to thrive in years to come.  I must admit, I thought about leaving more than a couple of times.  It would be much easier at a wealthy suburban high school.  I knew that scene.  I could kill it there.  But, there was something about NCSSM.  I knew I had a mission here.

During our conversation, my friend asked me to describe the arts culture at NCSSM today.  After thinking about it for a few minutes, I responded that I believe we have a "culture of grace."  I heard him typing.  He had never heard of that before.  I told him that many years earlier I had read a book called Love Works, by Joel Manby  The booked helped to shape some of the ways we look at student involvement and participation and faculty leadership in the arts now at NCSSM.  I also believe that in our arts hiring over the past several years, we have looked for folks that understand the complexity of life at NCSSM and embrace the challenges (and sometimes frustrations) that go with teaching in the arts here.  We have built and incredible team who all embrace the concept of "grace."   It is also important to note that for grace to occur, there must be a great deal of trust.  We have to trust colleagues (within and outside our discipline), administration, and students. Students have to trust us and the school.  As a residential school, our students' parents must have an incredible amount of trust in us as mentors and guides for their kids in order to send them here for the last two years of high school. And, our administration must trust us to make good calls at every turn.  Yes - trust and grace go hand in hand.

Last Saturday, my orchestra performed Brahms' Symphony No. 1 in C minor. The students did a wonderful job and I could not have been more proud of their performance.  One of my cellists was at the state swimming championships earlier that day and made the finals.  She had not expected to go that far and fully expected to be back in time for the concert.  She e-mailed me about the situation and I encouraged her to swim and miss the concert.  Grace.  I dropped her a quick note after the concert to see how she did.  I received this note in response:

"I actually did really well! I hate that I couldn’t be there and my mom was planning on coming to see the concert and then I realized that we were going to make finals and I was honestly crushed and stuck between two very hard decisions. I ended choosing finals because I knew my team was counting on me to be in our two women’s relays and I didn’t want to let them down. Thank you for understanding and I am looking forward to Trimester 3 :)"

I can't tell you how happy this note made me. She trusted me.  I trusted her.  Love works and a "culture of grace" works.

There are other guiding principles and philosophies that I haven't touched on here.  We try to consider the individual before the ensemble.  I try to always find a way to say "yes." We believe in mastery based learning.  I believe the concepts of "essence" and "functional musicianship" are key to great ensemble success - musical and otherwise.  I could go on.

But for now, I am so appreciative of that conversation.  It inspired me to reflect on how the heck I got to this point.  There are many new hurdles to clear in coming months and years at NCSSM.  My close colleague and friend, Phillip Riggs recently retired and I am trying to re-imagine what life and work here will look like without him here with me on a regular basis.  Another long-time colleague and musical collaborator is looking at retirement in the very near future. We are opening a new campus in Morganton, NC and there are many decisions to be made regarding curriculum, staffing, etc.   Technology keeps marching on.  We have to keep up!  New students, programs, and opportunities continue to show up in Durham and we will work to stay in front of all of it.  But, I am certain that I will continue to believe in and promote a "culture of grace."  This we need.  This, we ALL need.

Peace.
Scott

Hall of Fame

Today I'm thinking about Hall of Fame careers.

Recently, Terrell Davis, former running back for the Denver Broncos, found out that he will be inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame this coming year. What a wonderful recognition of a great career, albeit a short one. A couple of days ago, I heard Mark Schlereth, former offensive lineman on the same team and current radio broadcaster, tell a great story about Terrell Davis. He said that Davis was on his Radio Show recently when Mark expressed a real sense of pride that his teammate was going into the Hall of Fame. He said, "It's almost like I am going into the Hall of Fame." Terrell Davis responded by telling Schlereth that he is, in fact, going into the Hall of Fame. He, in fact, owns a piece of that bust that will be put up and that yellow jacket. For, they were teammates. And nothing great ever can happen without a Hall of Fame team.

Schlereth then went on to tell Mike Greenberg and Mike Golic, hosts of Mike & Mike in the Morning on ESPN radio, that he was really proud to have been on two Hall of Fame teams over the course of his career. The Denver Broncos, the team that Terrell Davis was being recognized for, and Mike and Mike in the Morning, the magnificent morning radio show that has been on ESPN's radio waves for the past 16 years. Schlereth went on to articulate how all Hall of Fame teams require sacrifice on the part of each individual. It's family. It's about taking care of each other and loving each other in many ways. Sacrifice is the central  important  concept.

I heard this story while I was driving in the car and it really moved me. I began reflecting on my career and the amazing Hall of Fame teams that I have been part of. I have made three stops in my professional career. First in Palmyra Pennsylvania where I was so fortunate to be mentored by magnificent music educators and others that cared for me as a young professional. They were, effectively Hall of Fame mentors and teachers for me.  Three of those individuals are: Dan Hoover, an amazing elementary instrumental teacher who modeled excellence, stellar musicianship, and consistency every day; JB Yorty, a lively and unique individual who taught elementary classroom music, kept me in line, and challenged me to look and act like a pro during my time in Palmyra; and Fred Otto, a hilarious and totally effective middle school music instructor who inspired kids to keep playing and laughing every day at Palmyra Middle School for many years.  These guys really shaped me during those formative years in my teaching career.

In 1991, I moved on to Eleanor Roosevelt High School in Greenbelt Maryland where I became part of my 2nd Hall of Fame Team. When I landed at Roosevelt it became clear to me that I was working side-by-side with some of the best instructors and teachers that the music education business could possibly provide: Sally Wagner, Barbara Baker, and Judy Moore, along with principal Dr. Gerald Boarman. Sally Wagner was the band director at Eleanor Roosevelt High School for about 40 years and is the author of The Band Directors Guide: In the Pursuit of Excellence.  Sally and I shared an office and many great musical and professional moments over the years.    Dr. Barbara Baker, who was at ERHS for many years as well, is now retired and enjoys a vibrant career as guest conductor and speaker all over the world in the area of choral music. Barbra taught me more than I could ever express in one blog post.  Judy Moore was our department chair and administrative department leader. She had a keen sense of how to keep our multi-tasking department moving in a common direction and all on the same page. Dr. Gerald Boarman, principal of ERHS at the time, went on to serve as Chancellor of the North Carolina School of Science and Math and is now the head of the Bullis School in Potomac Maryland. He is noted nationally as a progressive leader of specialized and innovative academic institutions.

16 years ago I found myself at the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics in Durham North Carolina and knew that I had left and amazing, Hall of Fame team of colleagues in the music department at ERHS. Since that day I had been seeking to recreate the environment that I experienced at Eleanor Roosevelt. There was something exciting about every single day working with these amazing colleagues and knowing that something special was going to happen in the classroom and on the performance stage each time we got together. We at NCSSM certainly have that team in place now!  Currently, I am so aware that things are really clicking in the Fine Arts Department at the North Carolina School of Science and Math. I am so blessed to have these Hall of Fame colleagues to work with. My colleague in the music department is Phillip Riggs, 2016 Grammy Award winner for Music Education. I couldn't have a more caring, humble colleague. He is a fantastic musician and and magnificent advocate for our students and our institution. David Stuntz, our Choral Director has just the right mix of musical expertise, choral chops, and caring father figure. Adam Sampieri, Theater Instructor, brings a young energy, artistic experience, and impeccable pedagogical sense to the classroom and theater rehearsal every day. Cary Alter, the newest addition to our team, rounds out this Hall of Fame team, bringing a real air of deep thought, fresh energy, and artistic talent to our Visual Arts discipline.

Hall of Fame teams require sacrifice on the part of each individual. It's family. It's about taking care of each other and loving each other in many ways. Sacrifice is the central  important  concept. I have had this 3 times in my career.  It is such a pleasure to go to work every day as part of a great team. Somehow,  Mondays rarely bother me. 

I wish each of you the opportunity to be part of a Hall of Fame team. It starts with sacrifice. 

Peace.

Scott 

Reconnecting with Friends

Today I had the pleasure of reconnecting with a couple of friends from many years ago. While here at Interlochen during the summers, I often have the opportunity to see folks from around the country and rekindle old friendships. Occasionally, however, I have the opportunity to reconnect with friends from long ago in my life in ways that are completely unexpected. Today was one of those days.

First, this morning I had lunch with Mike, a student from the early 1990s at Eleanor Roosevelt High School. Mike was a trumpet player in the Wind Ensemble and in my Orchestra. He was one of those students that  involved himself deeply in the lives of his teachers and allowed us to be deeply involved in his. I could always tell that we would be lifelong friends as he became an adult. Following his graduation from Eleanor Roosevelt High School, he remained in close touch with me and my colleague Sally Wagner. Mike had two very significant influences in my life during those years.

First, when my wife Barbra was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1997, Mike came to me and asked if he could ride in her honor at an MS 150 Bike Tour event. Of course, I was honored that he would think to do this, and
upon not very much reflection, I asked him if he would mind if I rode with him. Mike and I rode in that event and the Eleanor Roosevelt High School Music Community really rallied around us. We raised over $5,000 between us for that Bike Tour event and it represented the beginning of many years of cycling events raising money for the MS Society for me. I believe that Mike and I rode in two or three MS Bike Tour events in those years.  We always had a blast.  I continued riding in them for many years after. Mike started it all for me. I continue to be a cycling enthusiasts today and all of that is due to Mike.

Secondly, many of you know that I love progressive rock music. Mike is responsible for turning me on to one of my all-time favorite progressive rock bands, Dream Theater. I will never forget the day he came into my office, handed me a Dream Theater CD, and told me to give it a listen. That CD was their early recording, Images and Words. I immediately loved it. It's still is one of my favorite recordings to this day. I think I own every Dream Theater record that has been made since. Mike had a good sense of my musical tastes and even as a young guy, he was confident enough to turn me on to this awesome band.

Mike and I had a great breakfast this morning. We swapped stories about our lives, families, work, and involvement in our respective churches. It was so comfortable to get together, drink some coffee, and catch up on 15 or 20 years of absence. What a wonderful way to spend my morning.

As I returned to Interlochen, I was exchanging text messages with a friend from my high-school days in Indiana, Pennsylvania.  She was dropping off her son at Interlochen for 3 weeks of intensive jazz bass study today. My friend, Jeanne, had called me several weeks ago to find out a little bit more about the camp when her son was encouraged to attend by a potential college professor who would be teaching here. As she researched the camp, she found out that I was on faculty here and reached out to me to get just a little more information. Today was their day to drop off their son. Jeanne and her husband Dan, another friend from high school, are just like I remember them from the early 1980s. I pulled into the parking lot just as they were saying goodbye to their son and we exchanged 15 or 20 minutes of wonderful conversation. We exchanged memories of classes, friendships, and musical activities. They told me a little bit about Scott's musical background and also of his sister's activities. They are such a lovely family. I know that their son is going to have a great time here at Interlochen. I am so excited that I can be a small connection to home while he is here. I am also thrilled that toward the end of camp we are going to be able to spend a little bit more time together catching up on the past 25 or 30 years.

It is so wonderful to rekindle old friendships. I really believe that our friendships and relationships make us who we are. Today, I was reminded of how fortunate I am to have so many wonderful people in my life. These folks we're a great reminder for me today. Thanks to all of you that are involved in my life and care for me. We all need each other; sometimes more than one could ever know.

Peace.

Scott

Congratulations, Sally!

Friday night was an epic evening in Greenbelt, MD. It was a night of wonderful music and tributes to my friend and colleague, Sally Wagner, as she prepares to retire at the end of this school year.

Sally is retiring after 40 years public education and 34 years at Eleanor Roosevelt  High School. We shared an office from 1992-2001 and developed a friendship and musical/educational partnership that will last a lifetime. In the years that I was there, ERHS won numerous awards, including 2 White Blue Ribbons, a New American High School award, countless musical honors, and many other incredible recognitions. We took musical ensembles to England, Scotland, the Yucatan Peninsula, and locations all over the United States. We took on musical challenges and endeavors that were lofty and ultimately incredibly rewarding for the students and teachers alike. We shared in each other's successes and failures, joys and sorrows, and daily challenges. We became fast friends, trusted colleagues, and grew to genuinely care for each other and support each other on a daily basis.

Last night, each of the Roosevelt bands performed two selections, and they were all fantastic. From the prestigious Eleanor Roosevelt Wind Ensemble to the newly named Roosevelt Band, the students performed with precision, artistry, and passion at their respective levels. An alumni band performed at the end of the evening consisting of just about 100 alumnus from the past 34 years at Eleanor Roosevelt. True to form, Sally ended the evening with a beautiful Benediction that served as a poignant ending to the evening and this portion of her career.

Throughout the evening, several folks had an opportunity to pay tribute to Sally. Speakers included my friend Dr. Gerald Boarman, for whom the Eleanor Roosevelt Auditorium is named. The audience also heard from my friend and current principal of Eleanor Roosevelt, Dr Reginald McNeil, former principal Sylvester Conyers, and distinguished alumnus Dr Rebecca Phillips, class of '90. I was honored to be among these folks and the many others who spoke that night.  There were also tributes from the Maryland Music Educators Association, The Maryland Senate, and even a congratulatory tribute from President Obama!

It was a fitting tribute to a true music educator. Sally has impacted thousands of young lives both musically and personally throughout her distinguished career. The love that was shared on that stage was simply stunning.  It was clear that the students on that stage represented the many more that had walked through her classroom door over the years.  Her awards are too numerous to mention even some of them individually. Suffice it to say, her impact is broad.

Friday evening was followed by a wonderful ERHS band alumni picnic on Saturday.  At the picnic I had the opportunity to reconnect with so many former students that are now young professionals and young parents.  I can't tell you how proud I am of each and every one of them.  And, their reaction to me really warmed my heart.

In the end, it was a great weekend of reflection and re-connection.  I had a chance to reflect on the importance of my time at ERHS.  My years there were so important to me as a professional, musician, educator, husband, and father.  And, my relationship with Sally was central to all of those areas.  I am so happy for her and wish her all the best in every new adventure that comes her way.  And, for those of you that are looking at potential band clinicians for coming years, book her now.  I know that her schedule is going to fill up fast!!

Peace.

Scott

Duo Amantis

On Tuesday, July 3, I had the pleasure of catching a wonderful performance by Duo Amantis, a virtuoso flute and guitar ensemble that specializes in music of the twentieth century and features Dr. Tara Schwab, flute and Dr. Michael Kudirka, guitar.  The performance was in an intimate rustic room on the Interlochen Campus and, while it was a hot and muggy afternoon, served a perfect venue for the recital. 

Tara Schwab and Michael Kudirka happen, also, to be family’s next door neighbors at the Interlochen facility and we have really enjoyed hearing them rehearse for the recital for the past week as we were winding down from our activities of each day.  On our first night at camp, my son, Matt, and I listened as Michael worked a passage on his guitar with incredible accuracy and precision until it was simply perfect.  We both remarked that it was a wonderful lesson on perfect practice: 1. Identify the passage in question, 2. Slow it to a speed that it can be played perfectly, 3. Slowly and accurately practice the passage, 4. Bump up the tempo in small increments with care to maintain the accuracy, 5. Insert the passage back into the work and practice through the transitions. 

The performance was a true demonstration of virtuosity, musicianship, and exceptional ensemble.  First, they performed a Grand Duo Concertante, by Mauro Giuliani, Op. 85.  Guiliani, apparently was a contemporary of Beethoven and this was apparent from the first note to the last.  My favorite movement was the Scherzo and Trio that included a wonderful hemiola figure that returned over and over in the first strain of the “Bethovensque” Scherzo.  Next, they performed Songs and Dances from the New Village, by Dusan Bogdanovic, which featured a melancholy Shepherd’s Song and Prophets Song as well as a more up-tempo Gankino Oro and even a Milsho’s Boogie that recalled the first movement shepherd’s song at one point near the end.  This work was completely mesmerizing and the duo really captured the essence of the piece in every way.  Next was a programmatic piece entitled, Nastrond, by Jeffrey Holmes that conjured up images of an icy Nordic afterlife for warriors that had died with dishonor. This piece featured a variety of interesting and wonderful sounds and colors for the flute and guitar that included third-tones for which Tara had to create fingerings on the flute. Finally, they finished the program with Le Tombeau de Couperin, by Maurice Ravel, a piano piece that they arranged for their ensemble.  Again, the colors and images that they were able to create with this new instrumentation were simply magic.

In addition to my interest in this performance for all of the obvious musical benefits lies another interesting relationship.  Dr. Schwab served as principal flautist in the Eleanor Roosevelt High School Orchestra, which I directed, in the mid 1990’s when she was a teenager and exceptional young musician.  It is so gratifying to see former students grow to become such wonderful scholars, musicians and professionals.  I beamed with pride as I listened to this performance.  I am so honored to have a place in the music education of this wonderful musician, however small it may be.  I recall a wonderful relationship with Tara and her Mom as we navigated the waters of Tara’s high school experience together.  At one point, Tara performed a movement of the Chaminade Flute Concerto as a soloist with my orchestra.  I remember her preparation and musicianship in those years to be exceptional and she has certainly maintained and expanded that level of commitment!

Congratulations to Duo Amantis on a wonderful performance last night and I wish you much success in the future. 

Peace.

Scott

A Christmas Story

Back in December, 1995, I was teaching at Eleanor Roosevelt High School in Greenbelt, MD. I was fully immersed in the rigors of running a high powered string program in the suburban Washington, DC area and the stress was catching up with me. The fall had included All State Orchestra auditions, numerous concerts, including a concerto concert that need to be prepared and performed in a very short time, a couple of fruit-sale fundraisers, and the rigors of my regular teaching schedule; not to mention the traffic, cost of living, and real-life stresses of living in that area. My overall attitude had become pretty gray – especially for me, a generally enthusiastic and positive guy. I loved my work, but my outlook wasn't generally positive. Life had become a treadmill of school, fundraising, musical performances, negotiating traffic, church obligations, and a variety of other stresses. I certainly wasn't in the mood or frame of mind to appreciate the Christmas season in all of its richness.

As we moved toward the holidays and I was immersed in concerto concert rehearsals, my wife and I ran out one evening to get a Christmas tree for our home. We were still relatively new homeowners, but we had a nice tradition already of putting up a live tree at Christmas and enjoyed the process. We had a number of ornaments that were quite important to us, many of which had been given to us by students over the years. Our tree was an important symbol of faith and friendship and really represented us and our, albeit, short history at that point.

This tree, however, had a mind of its own. I don't know if the trunk was a little bit curved or if it was never mounted properly in the stand, but it just didn't want to stand up in the corner of our living room. If memory serves, I even used some wire to try to tie the top to a curtain rod to keep it in a vertical orientation. My recollection is that it had actually fallen down a couple of times and I thought that I finally had it up to stay. It was fully decorated and looked great.

One evening, after a particularly stressful day of teaching and rehearsing for the concerto concert, I arrived home at a late hour. I walked in the front door of the house, only to be greeted by my wife and a tree that was lying in the middle of the living room floor. That was it. The proverbial straw had broken the camel's back. I picked up the tree, ornaments and all, and pitched it out the front door. I was done with it. There would be no tree in the Laird's house this Christmas. My wife was mortified. I was resolved. I was done with trees for the year. The tree, effectively, had come to represent the sum total of my frustration with life, work, over-commitment and all that was out of control in my life.

I went to school the next day and related the story to my Chamber Orchestra, a group of exceptional string musicians that would be accompanying all of the concerto soloists that weekend. As I told the story of my previous evening, I could see the horror on their faces as I told the story of throwing the tree out the front door. At that point, I had more clarity of perspective and thought it was a kind of funny story to relate to my students. They however, perceived it as a result of something much deeper and apparently felt the depth of my frustration with life and work and took my state of mind to heart.

I went on with my crazy schedule for the next couple of days and basically forgot about the situation. I had too many obligations to dwell on any one thing and simply moved on. About two nights later, I was at a rehearsal at my church until fairly late. We were preparing for our annual Christmas Eve service and I would play a fairly large role as an instrumentalist. As I arrived home on that week-day evening, and walked up my driveway and onto the porch, nothing seemed out of the ordinary. It was just another quiet night and I was looking forward to getting home and relaxing after a long and busy day.

As I walked into the house, I could tell something was different. I walked into my living room and there was a fully decorated tree all set up in the corner of the room! I could hear some shuffling around in the kitchen and quickly turned around. Like a bunch of clowns climbing out of a phone booth, out came orchestra student after orchestra student from my kitchen. There must have been 15 or 20 of them there: kids from all over Prince George's County, MD. They had contacted my wife and asked if they could come over and set up a new tree. They went and picked one out, cut it down, and came over to my house where my wife had made hot cocoa and cookies for them and made a little party out of it. They weren't just kids that celebrate Christmas, either. There were kids from Jewish and Hindu backgrounds there as well. They were at my home as an expression of kindness and caring for their teacher. It was just the most perfect expression of love that I could have imagined at that time. They cared about me and they wanted to help me find the joy in the season. Did they ever! I still think back to the joy I felt that night and the selfless act of those kids from Eleanor Roosevelt. They gave me a magnificent gift.

One of my favorite aspects of the tree itself was the fact that when they got it into the house it was a little too tall for our 8 foot ceilings. Since it was already mounted in the base, they cut the extra 12 inches or so off of the top of the tree! It made for a perfect look for the living room. I think, in many ways, that made me love that tree even more. They ended up staying at my place for a while that evening. We talked about each of our family traditions and shared a great deal of conversation, laughter, and holiday treats.

Today, I took about 10 of my current students to play a Bach Cantata at a local church. It was such a pleasure to spend some extra time outside of class with this group. In many ways, they remind me of that group back in 1995. Then again, I have been blessed with great students every year. The relationships that we develop are deep and rich. The friendships that we develop, in many cases, last a lifetime. As I was driving the school van, filled with fine student musicians and lovely people, I felt so very blessed to have these opportunities to develop deep relationships with these kids. The cantata went great. It was really a rich morning with them. I am so looking forward to class tomorrow!

Happy Holidays to all of you. I wish you all the true joy of giving and receiving. Today, I am celebrating all that I receive from my students. Thanks to all of you. And, thanks to all of you that have passed through my classroom in the past. You have no idea how much you have given to me. I receive your gifts with love and gratitude.

Peace.

Scott

 

I Was Once a Violinist

The following is an essay that was written by a former student. He posted this on his Facebook page and I asked his permission to share it with you all. In it, he outlines so many of the hopes that I have for each of my students. Generally, his is a life that has been enriched by his participation in strings and orchestra. I am proud to have been both the "dancing conductor" and "Scott" to whom he refers! He got it. He received all that orchestra was intended to give. That is, a life enriched.
Peace.
Scott


Tonight I walked alone into a concert hall in LaGrange, Ga. A friend from my Tuesday and Thursday night trivia team is also in the local symphony, and she got me free tickets.

I brought a book with me to keep the boredom away before the show started, during the intermission, and if they started to suck.

Mind you, since I left the stage for the last time in April of 2002 (the last time I was in an orchestra), I have played at different churches for worship choruses. I have played the violin for myself at very random and sporadic times in praising God, using an old red hymnal from my childhood church. I have even seen professional symphonies from coast to coast, whether in Jacksonville, Denver, LA, or DC. This was not the first time I had been to see music performed.

The first piece, Strauss’ Die Fledermaus was decent enough and kept my attention. The second was a rather challenging arrangement by Tchaikovsky (Var. Rococo Theme OP33), a solo for cello. I came quickly to find that this young man, while not notorious enough to brighten the halls of the Kennedy Center or other infamous venues, was more than enough to take my breath away.

I found myself sitting on the edge of my chair, leaning into the high notes of this prodigy’s tune, and melting into a puddle as the depths of his lower range shook the foundations of the building. I was enthralled. The ending came too soon.

I was delightfully surprised to find that the conductor then allowed this young man the stage alone. While the rest of the orchestra sat as part of the audience, this young man played a soul rendering Bach piece that was short, non-technical, but lyrical throughout.

Intermission came and went, as well as a chapter or two from my book. The lights went down, and memory lane commenced. Within seconds of the opening of Rimsky-Korsakov’s Easter Russian Festival, I was lost in time.

Having played this piece numerous times, my mind wandered to yesteryear. Definitely not planned and definitely not organized, memories started to dislodge themselves from the recesses of my mind. With the quickening beat of the conductor’s baton, I sat back in amazement as I recalled…

…the smells of Eleanor Roosevelt high schools’ orchestra room, rosin filling my nose, while I ate there during lunch both junior and senior year.

…the stickiness of bow rosin if you wipe it off with your fingers.

…the crazy athleticism of my high school Orchestra director from the conductor’s stand and his never ending drives and swells to make the music come alive. In many ways, his dance became the rhythm that set the tone for the evening.

…various stand partners and all my crazy antics from all those years (5th grade thru the end of college.) Besides Josh Raskin, my only male stand partner, I spent countless hours vibing, laughing with, and fiddling around with Annette, Doris, Hannah, Maria, etc. For one Christmas, Doris gave me an Animal key chain (the drummer from the Muppets). She said it fit my personality. (Some things don’t change; all puns intended.)

…the sweat that lingered on my uniform after concerts until dry cleaned by my Mom.

…JB and all of our crazy escapades from Day One. Whether it was in wrestling practice, Bible Club, Prom, camping, overnights, “princesses,” or whatever we filled our time with, Scott and God were never far from our minds.

…from 6th grade through the end of my Senior year of ERHS, Allan Chui and I were friends from first sight. Through the wars of acne, youth orchestras and the Kennedy Center, the trials of junior high boys, the competition of awards, endless Friday afternoons at the movies, or the stage fright of “macking,” we always had our strings to keep us looking forwards and upwards.

…the hand lotion of my junior high orchestra director. There were times that I think I wished my violin would go out of tune, just so that she would have to come and retune it, filling my nose with her delightful smells once again. (Okay, yeah, I had a crush.)

Back to the present…Korsakov had to finish at some point. But just in case my trip was not over, Sir Edward Elgar’s (and now all the band and orchestra geeks are shaking their heads at me) Pomp and Circumstance March finished the program. If I had been alone when I walked in, the memories were coming full blast at me now, sitting down next to me, making me lose all sense of time and space.

Again, I was reminded of…

…tossing the tassel at my graduation from high school and college from right to left.

…my close friends, Jeffrey, Philip, and Rosemary Walters. To say that I was a part of their family growing up would be an understatement; I had dinner at their house weekly, if not monthly. Never having brothers, these men filled those roles, whether it was the older brother that I idolized, or the little brother that we ganged up against. “Mom,” to the great disapproval of my biological, was my first choral director, my churches’ organist (which was a coveted position in my life), my substitute teacher, and one of the most influential women of my musical and spiritual upbringing. We love you. We miss you.

…my angry organist-turned-orchestra-director from college. He really had no idea what he was doing up there; the orchestra from his tapes that were playing in his mind never reflected the sound that we cacophon-ized. I missed every other conductor I had sat under, every time.

…all the girls that I had crushes on. Whether it was redheads, blondes, or brunettes, whether in church or school, whether in practice and sweats or performance day and black skirts, I had the privilege to play with some gorgeous women. I still don’t think I would have the cahounas to ask most of them out, even today.

…the fact that I still carry my violin with me on the road. In 1992 or ’93, my mother bought me my own violin, which I still carry in its old, beat up, plastic case. Usually it sits in my closet, collecting dust.

Tonight, I was lost to the moment. I was no longer 29, but 13, 18, and 21 again. I thought about the cliques of my high school and longed to be a part of them. I sat there thinking of how proud I was for every time my sisters had crossed the stage, and how I am looking forward to all future stage crossings from them, myself, and our kids. I sat there wondering how I had gotten here, in Podunkville, GA, while dreaming about Beltsville, Hyattsville, Greenbelt, Baltimore, and Grove City.

Completely, wholly, I started to think back about all the things I had looked forward to, things that I had already accomplished. So many moments that had passed me by. So many times I had failed at taking the risks I had dreamed of, jumping off the ledge into. So many achievements that I never ever imagined I would have done by now, even in my wilder moments, that I look back on now with pride.

I sat there thinking “Am I where that kid dreamed I would be? If I could say something to that kid now, what would it be? If I am not where I want to be, from then or now, what is truly holding me back? Why am I not bold enough to dream, and then pursue, if the course of my life has not matched my fantasies?”

I sat there conducting the Orchestra myself, and as I tapped my feet, nodded my head, and even once or twice was so entranced that my hands were moving as well, I was lost in the music. And then it was finished.

And when I walked out, the sun was down.

Friends and Facebook

This has really been an incredible week. Last weekend, I created a Facebook profile for the first time. I had been putting this off for quite some time and finally decided to do it as a result of these last few books that I have been reading, particularly "Grown Up Digital." The result has been an absolute wildfire of connections with students from various times in the last 21 years. I have reconnected with students from my years in Palmyra, PA (1987-1992), Eleanor Roosevelt High School in Greenbelt, MD (1992-2001) and alums from NCSSM, my current institution.

Of course, it is nice to reconnect with old friends, but for me, it has been so much more. It has conjured up so many memories of great times with people that I really respect and love. The notes of appreciation that I have received this week have truly reminded me that there is a greater purpose in this life and career that I have chosen. Don't get me wrong - I know that and have known that my entire career. But, in this world of busyness and hustle, it is all still about personal connections and relationships. Yes, music and orchestra was the vehicle for all of these friendships, but ultimately it is the human connection that really matters in the long run.

I am so moved by the friendships that have been rekindled this week. While one may look at Facebook and other social networking sites as digital and cold, I have certainly found them to be warm and connective. I am moved and humbled by the friendships that have been reestablished this week and look forward to the future with so many of my old friends now part of my new life. These former students will see my kids grow up and I will see theirs, celebrate my personal and professional successes with m as I celebrate theirs, and support me in the ups and downs of life as I support them. Isn't that what life is all about - relationships and caring for each other. I am so glad that my social circle has found its way back to much of my past.

Peace.
Scott