Our last day in Arizona began in Flagstaff, and it was cold! We headed south, dropping in elevation, and the cactus started appearing again as we descended into the Phoenix area. Our one stop for the day was Arizona State University, where we visited the Grady Gammage Memorial Auditorium, the last major architectural design by Frank Lloyd Wright. This stunning building also houses the music department, so we trundled up to the third floor for our clinic with Eric Melley, one of the ASU band directors and a doctoral student. His dissertation is on ragtime music for band, so it was great to have him work with us on our music, especially Scott Joplin's "The Entertainer." We did a lot of effective things with phrasing and interpretation. At the same time, the orchestra was across the hall working with Dr. Timothy Russell on their music. As always, our college visit was a highlight.
After a fast food lunch at the student union, we basked in the Arizona sun for a few final minutes and left for the airport. Once we got our last two students off of standby and onto the plane, we took off for Milwaukee. We landed in rain and sleet--not very welcoming after all the great weather in Phoenix! Tired and sorry to have the trip in the past, everyone agreed that it was a grand success. The juniors are already pushing to take a small, Midwestern, bus trip next year. That's a distinct possibility!
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