Then we stopped by Subway and picked up a ton of sandwiches to bring to our new friends at Dobson High School (another DHS!). They were very gracious hosts, allowing us to interrupt their schedule to play for them and listen to their band and orchestra. Their director, Mr. Goglia, was actually subbing in during that period, as the other directors were at a convention. He introduced us, and away we went, performing our march, chorale prelude, and overture. I was so pleased with how well the band played. Our soloists were really on top of their game!
Then the Dobson band played for us, performing a rhythmic piece by James Swearingen as well as a piece that our juniors did as freshmen, Symphonic Variations on Dona Nobis Pacem. Even though they were missing a number of key players, they sounded very good. They had a nice, refined sound and seemed to very much enjoy performing. Afterwards, we all gathered together outside for a group picture. Before we left, we gave them some choice "swag" from our DHS--awesome t-shirts and pens with the Warriors logo.
From DHS West, we traveled to the Musical Instrument Museum (MIM). This is a world-renowned institution, and it is what first sparked my interest in planning a trip to Phoenix a few years ago. We had two hours to explore, but we could have used four or more. The MIM is organized geographically by continent. Within each room, there is a display for the many different countries. For example, the India exhibit has sitars, vinas, tablas, mrdingams, and more. Everyone gets headphones that pick up the sounds playing at each country. You can watch a video of Ravi Shankar and hear him play. Some of my favorites were a full-sized Indonesian gamelan ensemble, a double-belled euphonium, and all the great African percussion.
Our last stop for the night was the Rawhide Western Town, where we performed at a very nice outdoor stage in front of the sunset. The band led off the concert, followed by the symphony orchestra. They played the finale from Brahms' Symphony No. 1, "On the Trail" from The Grand Canyon Suite, and music from Lord of the Rings. It was great getting to listen to each other (a built-in audience), and our crowd was supplemented by several DHS family members and friends.
Then we had a barbecue dinner, followed by country line dancing. I was very impressed by how many students joined in! We had a great time doing the Electric Slide. Afterwards, Mr. Velleuer and I found ourselves arrested and put into the paddywagon by the local sheriff, as arranged by our kids. Mr. V was charged with freeloading, and I was busted for being "too dern bossy." Somehow, we beat the rap and were released.
All in all, a full and memorable day. Tomorrow we have a lot of sightseeing to do before the chamber orchestra plays at the Mesa Art Center in the evening as a prelude to a concert by the BBC Concert Orchestra. More to come...
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