How do you get to Carnegie Hall?

Practice, practice, practice...

I am back from my vacation in New York City. The main purpose of the trip was to play at Carnegie Hall with my wind symphony group here, called The Kansas City Wind Symphony. Prior to my joining the group, they were invited to participate in a visiting ensemble series at Carnegie Hall. Since August we have been raising and collecting money, making arrangements, and building ensemble.

Sunday night we played. We sounded awesome. I played very well and I was pleased! Perfect? No, of course not! But for me, I did remarkably well - I kept focused and maintained my breathing and relaxation to play well.

Did I mention it already? I play clarinet and I'm in the second clarinet section of the symphony. In a wind symphony, clarinets are something like the violins - the largest section. Second clarinet suits me fine. It's an interesting enough part without all the pressure of being a first clarinet.

Anyway, we were the fourth group to play in the concert. There was a youth symphony from Arkansas, another symphony from Las Vegas, a high school band with whom we are affiliated (Winnetonka HS in Kansas City, MO), and then us.

We played:

1. A brass fanfare


2. Opening to the third act of Lohengrin, an opera by Richard Wagner


3. The 3rd movement of a Stravinsky Piano Concerto


4. Giannini's Symphony Number 3


5. Liberty on Parade by KCWS member Randall Cunningham


6. Slava! by Leonard Bernstein

I didn't play in the fanfare (for obvious reasons) and I wasn't in the piano concerto - it was a small ensemble piece, needing only 3 clarinets. And, it was written for an A clarinet - I only have a B-flat clarinet.

Carnegie was a brilliant venue to play. We sounded beautiful without trying hard at all. It was a remarkable opportunity! I wore my concert dress, a long black dress I had to purchase when I sang with the Concert Singers of Cary. I wore a black sweater over the dress, since it has short sleeves our standards require long sleeves. I was made up pretty, and I looked good.

Because there were four groups, we didn't get on stage until after 10:30 pm and we finished after 11:00 pm. Then all the groups went to the celebratory dinner cruise of the New York Harbor. The cruise was pleasant, although it was awfully late. I got back to my hotel room at about 2:30 Monday morning...and I had to catch the bus to LaGuardia at 8:45!

My thoughts on this event

The cynical side of me shakes her head at the production. This whole concert series is a "racket." The company, Mid America Productions (MAP), identifies good amateur groups around the country and invites them to play. They show you a slick marketing video, in which the likes of Isaac Stern and other greats of classical music wax poetic on the experience of playing at Carnegie. You too, can join the ranks of Leontine Price, the Beatles, the New York Philharmonic, blah, blah, blah. But you have to buy their package, including the cruise, the hotel room, and ground transportation. There are other tour options you are encouraged to purchase as well. And it isn't cheap! Five days in NYC, 4 to a hotel room runs well over $2000 per person, not including air fare or food or other ground transportation. It cost our group something in the neighborhood of $80,000 to do this trip.

Ah, but the carrot is irresistible. Playing at Carnegie Hall. Every musician's dream...

What a racket!!! Then, when all these goofy groups from around the country go to Carnegie, their family members come too, and MAP is happy to sell them tickets, hotel rooms, and such at the "group rate." They also use us to fill up Carnegie Hall's seats on the off nights. Indeed, our performance was nearly sold out.

Heh, most of the audience had left by the time we went on stage. Our family members had to suffer through those other performances.

When I sang in Duke's Chapel Choir, they too were invited to Carnegie by MAP for a similar exorbitant price for a Monday night performance. (or maybe a Tuesday....whatever....). Same kind of package with tours and such.

All in All

I'm really glad I did it and from now on, I can proudly say that I played at Carnegie Hall. I think I'll keep quiet about the reality. Folks here can think I'm great, that's fine with me.

It's late and I've got to work in the morning. So, I will write more on the trip to New York later.

Gawd, I just love that city...