About CMG's contributors!

[Lance]

At the suggestion of Slofstra (thank you, Henry), I've changed the title of this thread and have made it "sticky" so it will stay on top. I'm hopeful many more will contribute their "stories" here!
________________________________________

Piston's post about biographies of our musical lives, so to speak, prompts me to hesitatingly place this new thread.

Many of us wonder about people on our boards, and not wanting to be too inquisitive, I would, as would many others, like to hear what you have to say about yourself. New member Friedrich Kuhlau did a great job as a newbie!

It would be nice to know if you:

• are male or female [it's hard to tell by sign-on names!]
• sign-on name AND what do your friends call you?
• what country you reside in
• study music - if so what instrument
• are a performing/practicing musician
• collect records [CDs or LPs]
• are a composer or teacher
• said anything else you might like us to know about you

Now, is this a good idea?

[Guitarist]

• are male or female [it's hard to tell by sign-on names!] Male
• what country you reside in USA
• study music - if so what instrument Guitar for a long time, now I'm learning the piano
• are a performing/practicing musician I mostly play for my own enjoyment
• collect records No, just CDs
• are a composer or teacher Both, but I teach English rather than music
• said anything else you might like us to know about you I'm married; have two cats; a few favorite composers include Bach, Beethoven, Bruckner, Liszt, Henze, and Schnittke

Edit: my name is John.

[ch1525]

Lance, I think that is a great idea and I will write something up right now to take my mind off of that devastating Saints loss!

I'm a 23 year old male, to start. Right now I'm studying to get a Master's of Pharmacology at Tulane. Next year, I plan to start Medical School.

I started studying piano when I was about 6, I believe. I never really practiced very much which resulted in my sight reading skills being fantastic because I would many times go to my lessons without having practiced at all!

I began playing organ also in 2003. Now, I am the organist at a Catholic church and choir director at a Presbyterian church. Nice to have some variety! The sight reading skills have certainly payed off, too. I also play music for weddings, funerals, etc.

I have a pretty extensive collection of Classical CDs which I acquired in a pretty short period of time, but I've drastically cut down on my buying and am now basically going all digital. Don't worry though, I obtain my music in FLAC so it is just as good quality as the actual CD.

[Lance]

Hey - Guitarist and Chad caught on fine. Please keep them coming! I've amended the original post so we can know what people call you - other than your sign-on name! It's also nice to know who's a he and who's a she!

[IcedNote]

I'll play:

I'm Garrett, male, and 28 as of Oct 7th.

I started piano at the age of 5...took lessons all the way until I went off to college. Picked up guitar in high school and taught myself, although I later went on to become classically trained. Did composition at UMichigan for undergrad, did two MMs at UMiami (electronic music composition and music theory), started a PhD in music theory at Florida State but dropped out after a year. I'm currently in my first year of a PhD in composition at UC Davis. I've taught piano, guitar, and bass privately. I'm done 4 soundtracks for documentaries and 2 for independent films, the latest of which, IN THE DARK, won the Gold Remi at the Worldfest International Film Festival for Best Low-Budget Feature.

I have about 1,500 CDs or so -- not all classical -- but, like Chad, I've severely cut back.

So yeah, I'm primarily a "classical composer" these days, but I also produce hip hop, techno, breakbeat, drum'n'bass, etc. I've also done some recording sessions with rock bands.

I don't perform anymore, but I have played lead guitar in metal bands and used to compete on piano (classical, not metal ).

Hhmm...that's a pretty good summary of who I am.

-G

[Corlyss_D]

Hey, Herr Direktor, where's your contribution?

[Kuhlau]

... I would, as would many others, like to hear what you have to say about yourself. New member Friedrich Kuhlau did a great job as a newbie!

Thank you, Lance.

Here's a little more about me:

My interest in classical music goes back to orchestral accompaniments on pop records - Kate Bush's music comes to mind here - and began properly with the purchase of a four-CD sampler set in 1991: the 'best of' Mozart, Bach, Beethoven and Tchaikovsky. Seventeen years later, I've progressed through 'Smooth Classics at Seven' on Classic FM (a UK-based radio station which takes a resolutely popularist approach to classical music) and my first complete recording (Swan Lake as conducted by John Lanchberry for EMI CfP - not actually 'complete', as two repeats of the main theme got left off, otherwise the performance wouldn't squeeze onto two CDs), to discoveries as diverse as Grechaninov and Glass, Bloch and Boccherini, Respighi and Rawsthorne. My three favourite composers, however, are ever unchanged: Beethoven, Saint-Saens and Sibelius.

Delve into my personal library of recordings - over 2,000 on CD, around 700 as downloads - and you'll quickly form an impression of me as a musical butterfly: an explorative type who hopes, someday, to hear all the 'core' repertoire, but who keeps getting distracted by the next exotic flower (usually, a chance discovery on the radio or in a CD sale of some obscure or lesser-known composer).

And so to me. I'm 35, male, and happily married to a woman I met in a forum about cats and their behaviour. We now have two cats, and one wonderful daughter who's a year old. I'm relatively ignorant about music from a technical perspective, and I can't read or write it. But I love it passionately, nonetheless.

FK

[barney]

Piston's post about biographies of our musical lives, so to speak, prompts me to hesitatingly place this new thread.

Many of us wonder about people on our boards, and not wanting to be too inquisitive, I would, as would many others, like to hear what you have to say about yourself. New member Friedrich Kuhlau did a great job as a newbie!

It would be nice to know if you:

• are male or female [it's hard to tell by sign-on names!]
• sign-on name AND what do your friends call you?
• what country you reside in
• study music - if so what instrument
• are a performing/practicing musician
• collect records [CDs or LPs]
• are a composer or teacher
• said anything else you might like us to know about you

Now, is this a good idea?

I'm a very private person, but I'll reveal a bit: Male. Barney. You bloody cretin. Australia, but born England and raised NZ. No. No. Yes (CDs). Yes, occasional teacher but not of music. Anything else? I'm devastatingly handsome, and extraordinarily witty in an understated ironic sort of way, but you'd never learn any of that from me. Far too modest.

[TopoGigio]

Im not modest...Im Anonymous I

[Seán]

• are male or female [it's hard to tell by sign-on names! My name is Seán, Seán is the Irish for John.
• sign-on name AND what do your friends call you? The few that I have call me Seán
• what country you reside in Ireland
• study music - if so what instrument No I don't
• are a performing/practicing musician I use to play the field, nn longer though now that I 'm married.
• collect records [CDs or LPs] I collect both
• are a composer or teacher No

Now, is this a good idea? Yes

[Seán]

Im not modest...Im Anonymous I

No surprise there, Topo.

[piston]

Bearing in mind that personal information can be transformed into weapons of mass destruction by one's opponents:

Male, 55;
baptismal name: Jean-Jacques, born in rural Quebec.
resident of the USA since 1985.
not a "collector," just a consumer.

a student of history who would love to make classical music more relevant to other students of history.

[TopoGigio]

Bearing in mind that personal information can be transformed into weapons of mass destruction by one's opponents...

Bbut Piston ,no music studies with Die Oblaten?

[Ralph]

• are male or female [it's hard to tell by sign-on names!]: Male
• sign-on name AND what do your friends call you?: Corlyss would delete names by which I'm called.
• what country you reside in: USA
• study music - if so what instrument: Nope
• are a performing/practicing musician: Nope
• collect records [CDs or LPs]: Yep
• are a composer or teacher: Teacher/lawyer
• said anything else you might like us to know about you: Handsome, urbane, suave, cultured, use chopsticks like a native

[slofstra]

• are male or female [it's hard to tell by sign-on names!] Male
• sign-on name AND what do your friends call you? slofstra, my last name is my sign-on name, for security. First name, Henry.
• what country you reside in Canuckistan
• study music - if so what instrument No, I am a pure listener.
• are a performing/practicing musician No, unspoiled by such complications.
• collect records [CDs or LPs] CDs and ancestral birth
• are a composer or teacher No.
• said anything else you might like us to know about you Even more suave than Ralph, if such a thing were possible. Can even eat loose rice with my chopsticks, if desperate enough.

Now, is this a good idea? Let me get back to you on that.

[Lance]

Why, why ... Dear Lyssie ... I was waiting for YOU to go first! Don't you know, I'm a very shy person! Now that the thread has started officially, I'll be there but defer to you first.

Hey, Herr Direktor, where's your contribution?

[Lance]

Gee, everyone's wonderful personalities are emerging and bringing a big smile to my face!

Hey guys/gals, please do not be afraid to participate in this. Remember, we are one big happy family!

[Scott Morrison]

• are male or female [it's hard to tell by sign-on names!] Male
• sign-on name AND what do your friends call you? Not surprisingly, my sign-on name and real name are both Scott Morrison. And my friends, not surprisingly, call me Scott.
• what country you reside in United States
• study music - if so what instrument - Piano, trombone - Was pretty good at the first, lousy at the second. No longer play piano because of arthritis. I now sing in a college-community chorus.
• are a performing/practicing musician - amateur
• collect records [CDs or LPs] - omigawd, yes, 1000s - I began with 78s in the 1940s
• are a composer or teacher - not of music - I was a psychiatry professor at a medical school
• said anything else you might like us to know about you - I review classical music CDs and DVDs at amazon.com; have written about 1800 reviews so far

[Auntie Lynn]

I rather suspect that everybody here knows dear Auntie - probably more than they wanna...

• are male or female [it's hard to tell by sign-on names!] Female Feminist
• sign-on name AND what do your friends call you? Auntie Lynn
• what country you reside in "Born in the USA"
• study music - if so what instrument piano lessons with head of piano department at school.
• are a performing/practicing musician Performing/working piano player
• collect records [CDs or LPs] Both - got some tapes and 45's too
• are a composer or teacher Working musician
• said anything else you might like us to know about you - competitive weight lifter, inveterate researcher, seeker after truth, foxy lady, support the arts with $$ and attendance...

[Imperfect Pitch]

• are male or female Male, like everyone else who has answered so far except Auntie Lynn.

• what do your friends call you? “Hey” or “you” most of the time. Other times, Ted.

• what country you reside in USA, to the extent Massachusetts qualifies.

• study music - if so what instrument Piano.

• are a performing/practicing musician If you’ve ever heard me play, you would know the answer.

• collect records [CDs or LPs] I used to collect CD’s, but now I just collect digital bits on my iPod. I have 24 continuous days’ worth of music now, which is less than 4% of what Chalkperson has.

• are a composer or teacher Mercifully, no.

• said anything else you might like us to know about you I was a music major in college but lacked sufficient talent to pursue a music career, so I became a lawyer instead. In spite of my best efforts, I think I have the narrowest, most mainstream tastes on CMG. I don’t like to venture outside of my sweet spot of Bach, Mozart, Schubert, and Beethoven more than I have to, although a little Chopin and Scarlatti is OK every now and then. Off the top of my head, Rimsky, Tchaikovsky, Dvorak, Scriabin, Verdi, Rossini, Paganini, Vivaldi, and Sarasate also wrote a few pieces that are in my regular rotation. But I still have an allergic reaction to Brahms and most of Liszt. And yes, when I go to a restaurant I order the same thing every time. Every time. Oh, and I picked up the violin recently - a loaner from a friend. I'm trying to teach myself, and I can tell it will be a very long process.

[Donaldopato]

• are male or female [it's hard to tell by sign-on names!]: Male
• sign-on name AND what do your friends call you?: Donaldopato. Friends call me Don or "Pato" and at Mardi Gras "Rex Glitter"
• what country you reside in: USA
• study music - if so what instrument: as an undergrad I took more music history and theory classes than most music majors. I am an amateur singer (tenor)
• are a performing/practicing musician: Currently a member of the Heartland Men's Chorus and "East Gate Singers" a prison outreach chorus, 3/4 of the members are inmates (I am not one) and rest are community members.
• collect records [CDs or LPs]: CDs
• are a composer or teacher: no
• said anything else you might like us to know about you: amateur reviewer of local concerts, administer a website/forum on Pug dogs. I got the name Donaldopato, which is Spanish for Donald Duck, from my visits to Nicaragua. When I would tell little kids my name was "Donaldo" they would gleefully scream DONALDO PATO!

Think this is a great idea!

[Ken]

• are male or female: Male
• sign-on name AND what do your friends call you?: Ken in Ottawa; friends call me Ken
• what country you reside in: Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
• study music - if so what instrument: I 'study' the piano, but have pretty middling ability
• collect records [CDs or LPs]: About 300 right now; heavily weighted towards Schumann and Brahms
• said anything else you might like us to know about you: I'm finishing a masters degree in urban planning and anticipate trying my luck in the German job market after I'm done in the spring. Berlin beckons me.

[THEHORN]

My name is Robert. Im 54, live in New Rochelle, NY and have a varied background in classical music. I have a pretty large collection of CDs, I'm not sure how large, with all manner of obscure but fascinating works. Sure, I know the standard works backwards and forwards, so I only have some of them in my collection.
I first became interested in classical music at 13 when I discovered classical LPs in my public library. I got hooked for life, and read every book, magazine , article and review I could get my hands on, and have done so ever since.
I had already learned the horn in elementary school, where the band director said I had great natural talent. I continues to play in every group in school or outside I could, and studied music and education at Hofstra University under teachers such as composer Elie Siegmeister and NYC opera bass Herbert Beattie and composer Albert Tepper.
I studied horn with former Chicago symphony member Arthur Goldstein, who created the Schmutzig lesson book spoofs with his alter ego professor Schmutzig. I later studied horn on the graduate level with William Purvis of the Orpeus chamber orchestra at SUNY Stony Brook, and did graduate work in musicology at Queens college, CUNY under musicologists such as Edward Lerner, Rufus Hallmark Howard Brofsky.
I have played in numerous orchestras, concert bands, opera companies, chamber ensembles under well-known conductors such as Maurice Peress, Joann Falletta, Arthur Weisberg and Anthony Morss, among others, and have performed in Italy, Switzerland, Australia, New Zealand and the Fiji Islands.
I played music for solo horn, including a transcription of the Bach cello suites at locations such as Penn Station and Grand central in the "Music Under New York " program, an organized program for street musicians.
I have played in the Long Island Youth orchestra, Queens Philharmonic, Stony Brook graduate, Queens college and Hofstra orchestras, Bedford Springs festival orchestra in Pennsylvania, Rome festival USA orchestra, Siena Summer Sessions orchestra in Italy, Long Island Senior Citizen's orchestra, Atlantic Wind Symphony, Long Island Opera, Opera on the Sound, and many other groups.
I was a substitute music teacher for various public schools on Long Island, and was classical music critic for the student newspaper at Queens college, where I reviewed concerts at the Colden Center for the Arts, and reviewed classical recordings for Artitude magazine of Queens.
I auditioned unsuccessfully for orchestras such as the New York Philhamonic, Washington National and New Jersey symphonies and others.
Unfortuntaely, I was forced to give up performing because of a neurological disorder which gradually left me unable to walk. I now use a wheel chair but can walk with a walker, which I use for excercize.
I have started programs playing classical music for elderly and infirm people at nursing homes in Westchester county, and previously did a similar program at United Cerebral Palsy on Long Island. This is very rewarding, and my classes love the music.
I am hoping to expand my classical programs
to other locations, public schools, libraries etc, and reach as many people as possible, and hope to found an organization which will attempt
to introduce more and more people of whatever age to classical music, and encourage them to make it a part of their lives. I have discussed this with a number of people, and it's in the planning stage.
I love to read on a wide variety of subjects,
and am very interested in history and geography. You can't accuse me of being ignorant of these things ! I am very interested in languages and linguistics, and have some familiariity with languages you probably haven't heard of ! Sorry for the long post.

[THEHORN]

I forgot to mention that I have a blog on classical music called just "the horn" at blogiversity.org, which has blogs and forums on a wide variety of topics.
I cover just about anything about classical music, and my posts are often aimed at people who are new to classical music. I try to demystify the subject and debunk myths about it, such as the ridiculous notion that classical music is stuffy, boring and "elitist".
I cover different composers, lists of recommended works to try, current events in the field, music history, orchestral music, opera, chamber music, conducting, elementary music theory,
famous musicians past and present, information about the horn as an instrument, humor, etc.
To access my posts, click on the upper right corner of the home page where it says "Recent Blog Posts".
You can also access my blog directly from the bass blog
mahlerowesmetenbucks.blogspot.com. I hope you'll find it interesting.

[Mark Harwood]

Thanks for the info, Horn; that blog stuff looks interesting.
OK, some personal stuff.

It would be nice to know if you:

• are male or female Male
• sign-on name AND what do your friends call you? Mark
• what country you reside in Scotland - Isle of Arran
• study music - if so what instrument No longer study, & never did so seriously
• are a performing/practicing musician Yes: six-string banjo, vocals & T-bar kazoo with the jug band element in a weekly session; previously played with jug bands in England
• collect records [CDs or LPs] Yes: CDs, mostly Baroque chamber music, Boccherini, lute, Classical guitar, early jazz, and Ken Colyer
• are a composer or teacher Compose at will in my head only; used to teach Science in high school
• said anything else you might like us to know about you Enjoy books, but not travel; my wife Carol is a proper musician, son Scott has an acute musical ear

[Teresa B]

OK, here's another of us RARE female people.

It would be nice to know if you:

• are male or female [it's hard to tell by sign-on names!] Female
• sign-on name AND what do your friends call you? Teresa B. (Friends call me Teresa, unless they call me "TB", which sorta makes me feel like a plague, but there it is...)
• what country you reside in United States
• study music - if so what instrument Piano
• are a performing/practicing musician Yeah, but I pay them to listen.
• collect records [CDs or LPs] No, just the ones that strike my fancy.
• are a composer or teacher Teacher of piano in college, and teacher of dermatology now.
• said anything else you might like us to know about you Hmm, Doctor of Medicine/ Musician Wannabe/ Would-be Writer/ Relentless Pursuer of Dilettante-ism? Married, with one 22-year-old son in continual mourning for age 14, and one toy poodle who, given a choice, inexplicably favors Debussy.

Now, is this a good idea? Maybe you better tell me!

Teresa

[piston]

Ma chere, you poodle must be French! It is inexplicable only for those who are not...

[mickey]

• are male or female: Male, 26 years old
• sign-on name AND what do your friends call you? People call me either Ryan (my given name) or Mickey
• what country you reside in: USA
• study music - if so what instrument: I was a hip-hop DJ back in college
• are a performing/practicing musician: not any more
• collect records [CDs or LPs]: yes, mostly collecting digitally at this point, over 50 days worth of music on iTunes at the moment
• are a composer or teacher: nope
• said anything else you might like us to know about you: nope!

[Lance]

Well, "TB" (in the sweetest and finest sense of the term!) - you have quite a career ... music and medicine. Maybe we should call you "MM!" A son and a POODLE. How I love poodles! They are among the smartest dogs, at least I have found that true. Well, you have a lovely nature about you and you sound very happy! Thank you for responding to this post and for being such a great CMGer!

OK, here's another of us RARE female people.

It would be nice to know if you:

• are male or female [it's hard to tell by sign-on names!] Female
• sign-on name AND what do your friends call you? Teresa B. (Friends call me Teresa, unless they call me "TB", which sorta makes me feel like a plague, but there it is...)
• what country you reside in United States
• study music - if so what instrument Piano
• are a performing/practicing musician Yeah, but I pay them to listen.
• collect records [CDs or LPs] No, just the ones that strike my fancy.
• are a composer or teacher Teacher of piano in college, and teacher of dermatology now.
• said anything else you might like us to know about you Hmm, Doctor of Medicine/ Musician Wannabe/ Would-be Writer/ Relentless Pursuer of Dilettante-ism? Married, with one 22-year-old son in continual mourning for age 14, and one toy poodle who, given a choice, inexplicably favors Debussy.

Now, is this a good idea? Maybe you better tell me!

Teresa

[karlhenning]

• are you male or female? Male, 48 years old
• sign-on name AND what do your friends call you? Karl Henning (surprised?); friends call me Karl
• what country you reside in: USA
• study music - if so what instrument: clarinet; also studied composition
• are a performing/practicing musician: yes
• are a composer or teacher: composer, yes; teacher, no
• said anything else you might like us to know about you:

Just finished writing a mad, mad 12-minute piece for unaccompanied trumpet.

My wife (Maria Bablyak) and mom-in-law (Irina Pisarenko) are both wonderfully talented artists.

Just turned 48 yesterday.

Cheers,
~Karl

[Seán]

• are you male or female? Male, 48 years old

Just turned 48 yesterday.

Cheers,
~Karl[/color]

Belated Birthday greetings Karl.
Seán

[Chalkperson]

I am a 54 year old male...
I am Married to my Wife and we have two Cats...
I live in New York, she lives mostly in Naples, Florida...
I am an Obsessive, Compulsive, Perfectionist...
I am only able to write in a Stream of Consciousness manner...
I think Audiophilia is one of the greatest Diseases one can suffer from...
I absorb Music like a Sponge and I am in love the the Human Voice...
People call me Chalkie, Chalks, Chalk and Chalkman...
Chalkperson is my screen name...

[barney]

• use chopsticks like a native

I didn't know the American Indians used chopsticks. Truly, one always learns when taking part in this forum.

[Teresa B]

Well, "TB" (in the sweetest and finest sense of the term!) - you have quite a career ... music and medicine. Maybe we should call you "MM!" A son and a POODLE. How I love poodles! They are among the smartest dogs, at least I have found that true. Well, you have a lovely nature about you and you sound very happy! Thank you for responding to this post and for being such a great CMGer!

Hey thanks, Lance! What a nice compliment. And no question you would adore Chili, my little red poodle. (And oui, she must be French!) She runs the household.

And if I may return the compliment, you are a reviewer and collector par excellence, and I enjoy reading your posts even when I don't post a reply (many times it's because of my relative ignorance of the topic ).

All the best,
TB

[absinthe]

Ah well...

• are male or female [it's hard to tell by sign-on names!]: yes
• sign-on name AND what do your friends call you?: Dee or Vee (for Vermillion). Absinthe is made of woodworm or wormwood or something.
• what country you reside in: mainly UK.
• study music - if so what instrument: instruments: piano violin oboe in decreasing order of competence; composition.
• are a performing/practicing musician: amateur.
• collect records [CDs or LPs]: a few but not a collector.
• are a composer or teacher: semi-pro; taught privately for a few years. Students and I formed an ensemble to forward our music…no further comment except to say we had experience of audiences not entirely attuned to contemporary music…and some hilarious moments. did a couple of festivals though.
• said anything else you might like us to know about you: Leo, moon in Scorpio. impecunious.

c'est moi de temps en temps....

[piston]

• are male or female [it's hard to tell by sign-on names!]: yes
• sign-on name AND what do your friends call you?: Dee or Vee (for Vermillion). Absinthe is made of woodworm or wormwood or something.

absinthe, o, absinthe, I believe we've been there before. If you are not the French "lady" I portrayed in a sexy dress with a glass of absinthe in her hand, I'll be greatly disappointed. So, Vee, don't come out of the closet! My imagination may experience a meltdown....

[Lance]

Per favore, I'd like to keep this going. If you haven't responded yet, please do!

[Corlyss_D]

• are male or female: Male
• sign-on name AND what do your friends call you?: Ken in Ottawa; friends call me Ken
• what country you reside in: Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada

Um, this is probably punctilious and picayune of me, but if you live in Nova Scotia, why are you Keninottaw? Not that there's anything wrong with that . . . ! I'm just curious.

[SaulChanukah]

SaulChanukah - My screename and it means two different things. One is the first King of Israel which I'm named after and the second is the Jewish Holiday of Chanukah which I was born on.

Age - 31 years old - Speaks Hebrew English, Georgian and some Russian and seriously considering learning French. Was born in Tbilisi - Capital of Georgia - Eastern Europe, raised in Israel (Ashdod) and New York City, now I live in NYC.

Composed over eighty Orchestral Chamber and Piano works - I think that makes me a composer , though not in the same caliber as the self proclaimed 'greats' of nowadays.

Studied art as a young boy in Israel but didn’t reconnect to it, just until recently - a few years ago to be more precise. I'm sensitive to oil and acrylic paints that's why I concentrate more on Digital Work.

I'm 6F tall, average build , been told I'm handsome and personable. Still didn't find the right girl for me, or the girl has not found me yet, which ever way, it makes no difference, I'm still single.

I am an Orthodox Jew with a strong Jewish Identity.

I adore anything of beauty. I love beautiful things. I can appreciate beauty in music, art, wisdom and on people. I also love beautiful and elegant behavior and attitude - inward beauty is also important for me.

[Holden Fourth]

are male or female
• sign-on name AND what do your friends call you? Holden Fourth and my friends call me many things including Ric, Money man (wish it was true) Casho, Rico, Ricardo, you get the drift
• what country you reside in Australia - best place to live anywhere in the world. I'm a Queenslander and this is one of the most magnificent places in OZ so I'm doubly blessed.
• study music - if so what instrument. I'm too busy to seriously study music at the moment. I might have to wait until I retire which is still a long way off
• are a performing/practicing musician in order of decreasing competence - piano, flute, recorder, 6 string guitar, bass guitar, human voice (though I love to sing!)
• collect records [CDs or LPs] Yep and DVDs as well though I'm very selective about what I get
• are a composer or teacher. I've been a teacher for many years and at the moment specialise in Physical Education. At a primary school level I've done the lot including choirs, musical ensembles, directing musicals. I've also been a principal and deputy principal. Hated the admin!

[Ken]

• are male or female: Male
• sign-on name AND what do your friends call you?: Ken in Ottawa; friends call me Ken
• what country you reside in: Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada

Um, this is probably punctilious and picayune of me, but if you live in Nova Scotia, why are you Keninottaw? Not that there's anything wrong with that . . . ! I'm just curious.

Corlyss,

When I registered on these forums I was living in Ottawa, and I'd used that screen name elsewhere. I'd have changed it, but I'm not certain there is a way to do so without erasing that precious post count!

[maestrob]

It would be nice to know if you:

• are male or female [it's hard to tell by sign-on names!]: Male
• what country you reside in: NY/USA
• study music - if so what instrument: Studied conducting at Juilliard & privately
• are a performing/practicing musician: 1970's: sang 100+ choral concerts in Carnegie & Avery Fisher Hall/1980's studied voice (baritone)/conducting at Juilliard & privately/1990's Artistic Director of vocal competition, producing/conducting nearly 100 concerts (mostly in Carnegie's Weill Hall)/currently retired/disabled due to rare sleep disorder
• collect records [CDs or LPs]: Collect CDs(about 3500), have about 1500 vinyl records
• are a composer or teacher: retired from career
• said anything else you might like us to know about you: When I wasn't working as a musician, I earned my way in the menswear business by running stores: Wilson's House of Suede & Leather on 57th Street, Diamond's Men's Shops in Queens, and Arthur's Court in the New York Athletic Club (58th & 7th), with clients such as Peter O'Toole, Lauren Bacall, Mrs. Henry Mancini, Ed Asner, Donald Trump, Mario Sereni, Nello Santi, Nicolai Ghiaurov, Steve Lawrence, Leonard Pennario, Jorge Bolet, Jerry Orbach, William Warfield, etc. I also had my own clothing store at one time near the Empire State Building.

[Cyril Ignatius]

Piston's post about biographies of our musical lives, so to speak, prompts me to hesitatingly place this new thread.

Many of us wonder about people on our boards, and not wanting to be too inquisitive, I would, as would many others, like to hear what you have to say about yourself. New member Friedrich Kuhlau did a great job as a newbie!

It would be nice to know if you:

• are male or female [it's hard to tell by sign-on names!]

Male
sign-on name AND what do your friends call you?

Single

Cyril Ignatius; Cyril

• what country you reside in
USA


• study music - if so what instrument
Private study of music, but lack solid academic foundation

• are a performing/practicing musician
I play classical harmonica

• collect records [CDs or LPs]
Yes, both

• are a composer or teacher
Composer of short pieces for harmonica

• said anything else you might like us to know about you
My goal is to leave behind a series of compositions that will stand the test of time. My hope is that some violinists, violists and cellists will play my compositions years from now.

Now, is this a good idea?

Yes.

[Corlyss_D]

I'm not certain there is a way to do so without erasing that precious post count!

I can do it for you without losing you post count. What would like your moniker to be?

[Agnes Selby]

I don't know what to say that you already don't know.

I am a mother, grandmother, I am not a musician,
I am a writer and music lover.

I live in the best country in the world - Australia.

While living in Philadelphia, I ran the concerts at Bryn
Mawr College for 5 years which were a great success in the 1980s.

I am lucky to have nice friends and most importantly, a
wonderful family life. I am grateful for everything life has
given me.

Agnes.

[Teresa B]

I am lucky to have nice friends and most importantly, a
wonderful family life. I am grateful for everything life has
given me.

Agnes.

A lovely sentiment, Agnes, and I wholeheartedly concur!
Teresa

[Lance]

This written description, Agnes, is precisely why I hope you embark on another book [Alma Mahler sounds wonderful] ... your lovely writing style! Thank you for a beautiful testament.

I don't know what to say that you already don't know.

I am a mother, grandmother, I am not a musician,
I am a writer and music lover.

I live in the best country in the world - Australia.

While living in Philadelphia, I ran the concerts at Bryn
Mawr College for 5 years which were a great success in the 1980s.

I am lucky to have nice friends and most importantly, a
wonderful family life. I am grateful for everything life has
given me.

Agnes.

[Agnes Selby]

Thank you Teresa and Lance.

I know from our long friendship, Teresa, that
those sentiments are yours as well.

As for Alma Mahler, Lance, I have been most fortunate
to live in Philadelphia. All of Alma Mahler's and Franz Werfel's
papers are at the University of Pennsylavania.
These documents, including unpublished letters, throw
a different light on Alma Mahler's life. Perhaps before
long, I will muster enough courage to put my thoughts to paper.

Kind regards,
Agnes.

[Ricordanza]

Without totally surrendering my anonymity, I'll provide some answers:
It would be nice to know if you:

• are male or female [it's hard to tell by sign-on names!] Male
• sign-on name AND what do your friends call you? My sign-on name is Ricordanza (which is the name of Liszt's 9th Transcendental Etude) and in real life, people call me Hank, or if they are more formal, Henry.
• what country you reside in: USA, specifically, southern New Jersey, across the river from Philadelphia
• study music - if so what instrument: I studied piano from ages 5 to 18.
• are a performing/practicing musician: No
• collect records [CDs or LPs] Given the number I have (about 100 LPs and 150 CDs), I'm not a collector but merely an occasional purchaser of recordings I like.
• are a composer or teacher: No
• said anything else you might like us to know about you: As noted in my profile, I'm a lawyer/administrator with a state government agency--I took my father's advice about making music my avocation, rather than my vocation. Other than that, I'll let my posts speak for me about my musical and non-musical interests and inclinations, and I'll express my gratitude to Lance and Corlyss for maintaining this terrific forum.

[Febnyc]

are male or female [it's hard to tell by sign-on names!]: Male - 68 y/o as of September
• sign-on name AND what do your friends call you?: Frank
• what country you reside in : USA, 50 miles northeast of New York City
• study music - if so what instrument: No, but play the accordian and piano
• are a performing/practicing musician: No
• collect records [CDs or LPs]: Yes - LPs all are gone, own about 2000 CDs
• are a composer or teacher: Nope
• said anything else you might like us to know about you: I disclosed more than I normally would about myself over on the Pub discussions about the economic situation. I served two years at sea in the US Navy and I worked in the financial services business for 31 years down on Wall Street, the last 20 of which was as a CEO of two different companies (not at the same time!). I retired at age 56; Have a superb wife for 44 years; two children and four grandchildren; five acres and a dog. Getting older is not for sissies, my fastball has suffered and I can no longer do a 100-meter butterfly, but life is good!

Many thanks to Corlyss and Lance for their sponsorship of this community.