Today is also the day of a memorial concert/celebration in Los Angeles for my beloved teacher, Norman Herzberg, who passed away in February of this year. Mr. Herzberg was more than just my bassoon teacher. He was a mentor to me in my life and professional career in more ways than I can list here, so my thoughts today are with his wife Leah and family, as well as the many other bassoonists who will be gathering to celebrate his life and career. I am sorry that I am unable to be present at this memorial. It will be a once-in-a-lifetime gathering of distinguished bassoon players.
I view the research project I have planned for my sabbatical as carrying forward some of the things that Mr. Herzberg taught to his students throughout his career. He insisted that the bassoon be played with clarity of articulation, and he taught how to achieve that. In my research project, I hope to show what clarity of articulation looks like on paper, by computer analysis of note beginnings (which are called note transients in the acoustics world). So my research project rests on the shoulders of my teacher Norman Herzberg, and I hope it will carry forward the work he did in his life.
IN MEMORY OF NORMAN HERZBERG:
Below are two pictures of Norman Herzberg. The first is of him and the bassoon class at the Music Academy of the West in 1978, when I first studied with him. From L to R: Norman Herzberg, Stephanie Przybylska, Mona Trytten, Arlen Fast, Rona Schiffman, Terry Ewell.
The second picture is from my last visit with him in late October of 2006.
2 comments:
It's "Przybylska"...!
Hey Arlen,
I was just listening to the opening of the Saint Saens "Organ Symphony" and the double reed tonguing reminded me of you. I haven't seen or spoken to you for dozens of years, but I fondly remember you from the MHS Band in Moundridge. I knew you were with San Diego but hadn't checked up on you for a long time.
Congrats to you for making the NYSO! I didn't have anything to do with it but nevertheless hope that something I did or said helped your carrer, even if just a little.
I left band directing in '88, after having taught at North High in Wichita for five years, then two years in Moore, OK, and finally back to Kansas for a year at Leon, east of Wichita. I then went to Bible College at Ozark Christian College and then to Manhattan Christian College as an assistant professor in the music department while I worked on my Masters at Kansas State. Later, after Kathy (my oldest daughter) graduated from high school I took a music ministry job in Ormond Beach, FL. Was there five years and Jeanne worked on an Associates in Graphic Design. Then we went to another music ministry in St. Pete for a couple of years and finally to Round Rock, TX (home of Dell Computer) where we have been for 5 1/2 yrs. We're closing out this ministry and moving soon to Rose Creek Village near Selmer, TN where our middle daughter, Kristee and her husband and four kids live as well as our yongest daughter, Jennifer. Kathy and her husband live in Alma, KS, near Manhattan. They operate a foreign car repair shop in Wamego, nearby.
Drop a line if you have a minute.
Richard Gardner
Gardnerrs@yahoo.com
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