The Long and Winding Road……

So here in Syracuse, having a wonderful time and as of Yesterday, three concerts down, two to go, I read the news today oh boy…(I will explain the Beatles references), there is news to report and I’m tremendously excited as an old friend and myself have once again Come Together giving me a Ticket to Ride to Get back to where (I )once belonged……

The Fort Worth Symphony gave me my start in the US and I spent 7 thoroughly enjoyable years with them.  Since leaving I have been back with them as a guest periodically and for my Ballet company several FW Symphony musicians play in the orchestra so I have stayed in touch over the years.  This last season I conducted 2 of their Pops concerts and this led to being invited to do 4 next season and I am thrilled to announce that they have appointed me their Principal Pops Conductor! It is truly an honor to be associated with them officially again and it’s the ultimate compliment for the work I have done.  I want to thank Ann Koonsman and Miguel Harth-Bedoya for putting their trust and faith in me.

Now for those in Springfield reading this, it doesn’t affect in any way my current situation, in fact because I am doing fewer dates with the Syracuse Symphony next season, I will be out of town even less with this new appointment.

Two  nights ago in Syracuse I did a concert with an incredible Beatles tribute band called Classical Mystery Tour which was spawned from the Broadway show Beatlemania.  The group includes original cast members including the best George Harrison you will ever see or hear (unless of course you saw him for real) Tom Teely, who actually was in the movie version of the show.  He also totally channeled Eric Clapton’s Guitar work in While My Guitar Gently Weeps. 24 songs, a full house going nuts and what’s great about this show (this was my 5th time working with them) is that the orchestra doesn’t play mere arrangements as a back up to the songs, they play actual transcriptions from the albums including the talking, tuning, applauding and cheering in Sgt Peppers, the Beatles never were able to recreate their album concepts like this live in concert!  I had an awesome time singing along but the coolest part of the concert for me was when they insisted I take a bow with them in front, what a rush, for one split second I was a Beatle, well kind of sort of…not really…but it was a great moment for me to Imagine….