Posted by Sean Chisham on August 30, 2001 at 07:51:48:
In Reply to: Who was your mentor? posted by Steve Dedman on August 29, 2001 at 22:35:25:
Hard to pin down one. The one individual who first opened me up to the ideas possible in music was a band director name Eric Pointer from Richmond, MO. Before that point I had no idea what was possible.
Most of my ideals come from the year I spent in Chicago studying with Rex Martin. Mr. Perantoni kicked by butt into a job and Scott Watson started me off when I was 16.
Others have played a part. Listening to Mr. P's students in the tuba basement at IU practice gave me lots of ideas and intimidated the hell out of me when I was not practicing enough. Hearing Kelly O'Bryant just finishing up a practice session while I was still half awake and stumbling into my 8:00am class at KU. Seeing the relentlessness of Jarrod Williams pay off when I was spinning my wheels. Hearing Michael Sanders in a lesson in the morning and a concert in the evening gave me the "right" way to sound in an ensemble. First time I heard Pat Sheridan and thought to myself, "Oh my God, what the hell was that?" Playing in unison with Max Bonecutter in a lesson and finally understanding what blend and correct intonation can do. Hearing Summit Brass live with a richness in overtones which I had never dreamed of until that point. Having David Fedderly play through Pottags in my lesson which later that day and week made me want to just throw my tuba in the river out of desperation for not even coming close in private practice. Hearing my wife practicing at home just a few days before she won her job and having to stop everything I was doing in the other room to listen. The unusual sound that Jerome Stover produced at IU Summer Band and finding out he had gotten the Civic position just a few weeks later. Hearing Chris Hall practicing at Northwestern's music building. The first recording I ever heard of Arnold Jacobs by himself and understanding why people said he played the tuba like a fiddle.
There were too many influences to widdle it down to one. I got as much from private pursuits and listening to colleages as I got from formal lessons.
sean