We've had a wonderful time
August 18, 2010
One of my duties at Birch Creek is to hire our faculty members. Imagine what it's like when I contact a new person and attempt to describe what we do. I tell them about our schedule, specific teaching/performing duties, and about our concerts. Everything is going fine and then I come to the topic that is the most difficult to describe when I tell them that we give all our concerts in a barn.
I do my best to paint a mental picture of what the barn is like. But as hard as I try, my words fall short of adequately communicating one of the most unique concert halls in the country.
As an example, we recently invited a new faculty member to join us. His name is Dennis Mackrel and is a very in demand drummer based in New York City. He is an alumnus of the Count Basie Orchestra and travels the globe as a professional musician playing in all sorts of concerts halls and professional music venues. When I first contacted Dennis, I did my best to describe our concert barn but as I hard as I tried, I still fell short. When the day came that Dennis arrived at Birch Creek, I took him to the barn and then he said, "Oh, now I get it."
After we had played several concerts, Dennis came up to me and said, "Hey, there's something pretty special about this barn." He proceeded to say that he's played in many concert halls all over the world and that he could think of only one other place that has a such a specific and friendly sound to it and that was the world famous jazz club in New York City called the Village Vanguard.
I can only imagine the next time Dennis plays at the Village Vanguard and does his best to describe to one of his musical colleagues about this very interesting music concert-barn located in Door County. I imagine he might have to say, "Well, you just have to see it to believe it."
I've been involved with Birch Creek for a long time and I have to agree with Dennis that there is something pretty special about what goes on here. Please don't think I'm boasting. I'm just amazed at all the great people who are involved in so many different ways ranging from board members to parents to our executive staff, our students, faculty members, and volunteers. Our students are at the center of everything we do and we're thrilled to watch them make so much progress during the time they spend with us.
It's hard to believe our 2010 season has come to a conclusion. We've had a wonderful time preparing to perform music for you. We've worked hard and are grateful for the opportunity to visit Door County with all its beauties and wonderments. I'm already planning for next year and looking for fun and interesting music we can play for you. Thanks to all you who support us in so many ways. Keep in touch.
