I have written text for a proposed photo gallery to be included as soon as the photos, hopefully, are transmitted via the magic of electronic mail and Dale can find the time to put them up (this isn’t his only job you know – I doubt that it’s even his job). Anyway, if all goes well you will see a photo gallery that travels from Lambert to Josh as Elmo at LaGuardia to arriving at the hotel last night. You will see why the theme is Sufjan Stevens. And if the pics don’t make it somehow, you can imagine much better images in your own head, I’m sure.
Photo 1: Horn players Greg Roosa, Jessica Valeri and Tod Bowermaster. Tod is saying, “Sufjan Stevens is going to make a record for all the 50 states?!”
Photo 2: Keyboard player Peter Henderson and trombonist Stephen Lange. Note that Steve has a better laptop than I do.
Photo 3: Rachel and Mike Lynch on the way to a special Valentine’s Day in New York City.
Photo 4: Comrade Buckley. You have nothing to lose but your chains!
Photo 5: Laura Reycraft sometimes plays as an extra string player with the orchestra, but not on this trip. However, her presence is made known by the heart-shaped brownies she baked, stuffed with Ghirardelli chocolate, and gave to her husband, trombonist Jonathan Reycraft, to share with all.
Photo 6: Cellist Bjorn Ranheim spreads the love around with his Valentine’s Pez dispenser.
Photo 7: As we prepare to get off the plane at LaGuardia, Henchman Josh Riggs dons his Tickle-Me-Elmo coat.
Photo 8: Special ops forces stalwart Maggie Bailey hands me my room key. I tell her she looks very ghoulish in this photo. She tells me, “Post it!”
Photo 9: Eric Gaston, who put together the slides for David Robertson’s Turnagalila presentation. He is also champion page turner for pianist Nic Hodges and he does more things than one person should ever have to do for the SLSO artistic department. AND he played violin with Sufjan Stevens when the indie-fave played the Pageant in St. Louis.
