JIM'S LITTLE BLOG

.

This is most of the Conroe Symphony Orchestra. Missing is the piano at the right and the flags in from of the stage. Our guest conductor for this night was Dr. Don Hutson. You may have seen him conducting the Oklahoma Symphony or at the Aspen Music Festival.

When the 80 voice choir came out, he was replaced by Tom Tillman, Choir Director for the First Baptist Church of Conroe, Texas. Every other Sunday he also directs the orchestra when the choir is singing. When the orchestra is playing their production pieces, they have a regular orchestra director.

Below is the program. Click on it to enlarge it a bit, it is rather small to read.

.

.

Since the program is hard to read here, this is the rundown:

• American Salute, Mourton Gould
• Light Cavalry Oveture, Franz von Suppe
• Olympic Fanfare and Theme, John Williams

The following were performed with the choir:

• God Bless America, arr. Richard Kingsmore
• America, The Beautiful, Katharine Lee Bates, arr. Carmen Dragon
• Salute to the Armed Forces, arr. Camp Kirkland
• Battle Hymn Of The Republic, Julia Ward Howe, arr. Wilhousky

Now, without the choir:

• Stars and Stripes Forever March, John Philip Sousa
• God Bless The USA, sung by Tom Tillman
  .
  

.

Here are Phil and Lisa standing when the orchestra is playing the Air Force song during the Salute to the Armed Forces. Lisa was in the Air Force when they were married. She has seven years of service, also as a medic. [Guys, please don't be too upset with me, I know there is a technical term. For me, they have always been medics.]

I stood with my fellow Army guys. Most of us were pretty old, the majority older than me.

Phil is in uniform because all service personnel in uniform and their families got in free. That was a savings of $75, when we include Mema, who came in with them.

Mrs. Jim and I also got in 'free.' This night we were ushering, but we have season tickets that really weren't free. We are members of the Conroe Symphony League which supports the Orchestra through fundraising, service, and educational projects. This orchestra has been consistently ranked as the best volunteer orchestra in Texas.

Our visitors left Wednesday morning to spend time with Phil's mother, Mrs. Jim's sister. We are missing them, I know they will all have a nice time visiting Mom. Mrs. Jim's other nieces and nephews and greats will all be there too for a nice reunion.

WISH WE WERE THERE! Family Friends Life Music Life

# posted by Jim : 6/29/2006 12:21:00 AM