One of the things that helps to break up my parade of professional composition projects is this glorious annual celebration of Mahler’s works. Professional musicians come from all over the country for the opportunity to play in this unique festival, and the results speak for themselves.

I’ve been a percussionist for decades now, but these days I am so busy with composition and arranging that this ends up being really my only steady time to be on stage anymore. And every time, it’s both a joy and quite terrifying. It really forces you to play up when you’re around all these pros. But man, the feeling you get when you’re performing the climax of the second or eighth or even fifth is nothing short of exhilirating. This year is no exception, though it is punctuated by the addition of Strauss’ Alpine Symphony!

Soon I will return to my (thankfully) plentiful composition projects, but I just wanted to give a shout-out to this magnificent orchestra and the opportunity it offers me every year to be so enriched by its presence. If you are in the Denver or Boulder area or really anywhere in Colorado, I highly encourage you to check it out. Details are below.