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Thread: Could Barely Play (Troy, NY)

  1. Could Barely Play (Troy, NY)

    This happened back in I believe 2013. I was stationed at Parris Island with the Marine Corps band down there as a euphonium player at the time. We decided to take a trip up to NY for a set of gigs and the one I was looking forward to the most was at the Troy Savings Bank Music Hall. Most of the trip's gigs had gone pretty well for me up until that point so I was pretty excited.

    The morning of the gig I woke up with a giant sore in my mouth (I have no idea how it got there...I didn't do anything out of the ordinary) on my gums. It hurt pretty bad and when I tried playing in the morning before the gig I couldn't even manage anything higher than a low Bb. I told my section leader that day (there were three of us in the section) and he pretty much said "play what you can or just fake it" which really wasn't much. There was no way I was going to be allowed to just sit it out it seemed and I honestly didn't want to. I loved the sound in that hall so much that I was more than a bit upset to know I wouldn't really get to make music in it that night.

    Well the gig went really well for the band. Long story short, I think that was the best that my section ever sounded, lol. The sore went away in about a day or two (we still had more gigs, but it didn't bother me as much by then. I learned that toothpaste does wonders in those situations). We never went back though during the time I was in the military unfortunately.

  2. Did you know Steve Giove when you were at Parris Island? He is (I believe) OIC there now and will be retiring soon. I met Steve and his wife at the North american Brass Band Summer School at Halifax, Nova Scotia in 2014.

    Doug
    Adams E3 0.60 Sterling bell - Prototype top sprung valves
    Concord Band
    Winchendon Winds
    Townsend Military Band

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    West Palm Beach, FL
    Posts
    3,853
    CWO2 Stephen Giove became director at Parris Island July, 2013 after leaving Okinawa, Japan.

    What a small world! Chief Warrant Officer Giove has been a guest director and performing artist with the Symphonic Band of the Palm Beaches several times. Since he grew up here in S. Florida, he knows our MD quite well. It's always a treat to have him perform with us and direct the band. What an accomplished percussionist too!

    If interested, you can hear some of his artistry on drum set from our "Parris In Springtime" concert in May of last year.

    St. Louis Blues March (John Handy, arr. Larry Gray)

    Please ignore the piccolo player who got lost around 1:25

    BTW, welcome to the forum 'Deminicua'
    Last edited by RickF; 07-01-2016 at 03:58 PM.
    Rick Floyd
    Miraphone 5050 - Warburton BJ / RF mpc
    YEP-641S (recently sold)
    Doug Elliott - 102 rim; I-cup; I-9 shank


    "Always play with a good tone, never louder than lovely, never softer than supported." - author unknown.
    Symphonic Band of the Palm Beaches
    El Cumbanchero (Raphael Hernandez, arr. Naohiro Iwai)
    Chorale and Shaker Dance
    (John Zdechlik)

  4. He was my band officer for most of my time spent down there. He is definitely a phenomenal drummer and conductor. I improved a lot as a musician under his leadership. Wow...small world indeed!

    Thanks Rick!
    Last edited by Deminicus; 07-01-2016 at 05:21 PM.

  5. #5
    Small world indeed! At the time, he was still a Gunnery Sergeant, he was the Placement Director for my district, and did my audition to get into the band when I was still in high school. That was a little over 10 years ago now!

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