End of Season Loose Ends

You didn’t see clarinetist Mark Tucker or flutist Cynthia D’Andrea playing the May Masterworks concert because their children’s graduation ceremonies fell on the night of one of the concerts. Mark, who wears the most hats of any of us in the orchestra (he is our second clarinetist, librarian and personnel manager as well as being a local saxophone institution) and his wife, violist Carol Tucker have just graduated their daughter Katherine from Karnes High School. Cynthia’s daughter Allison Smith graduated from Knox Catholic High, where she was a standout with the volleyball team. Congrats to Allison and Katherine!!

You did see principal clarinetist Gary Sperl at these shows, but just barely. Fresh off his trip to China during spring break with the UT clarinet choir, he is now in Tanzania, on a “reconnaissance mission” which is a prelude to his year of teaching there during the 2011-2012 season. With time out for dodging cobras and monkeys he will be teaching at Makumira University College in Arusha. Gary is truly the KSO’s “international man of mystery” and we all wish him the best.

Congratulations are in order for principal bassoonist Ellen Connors, who recently won the principal bassoon position with Pro Musica Chamber Orchestra in Columbus, OH. She will be able to play the majority of concerts for both groups; this is what Jackson Browne would call “chasing songs from town to town.”

We said also have unfortunately said goodbye to core violinist Lee Sheehan who will be spending the foreseeable future at Indiana University. She will be studying with Alex Kerr, the former concertmaster of Amsterdam's Concertgebouw Orchestra. Lee's smile was a welcome sight every day and we will miss her much.

Here is a pic from Kirk Trevor's recent visit to town.

left to right, Gary Sperl, Mary Ann Fennell, Jay Oberfeitinger, yours truly, Nadine Hur, Cathy Leach, Cynthia D'Andrea, Maestro Trevor, Phyllis Secrist, Andy Adzima, and Mark Tucker.