Hi--
We just returned from Florida, and the trip was
a happy, successful experience in many ways. Here are couple
of the headlines: A "while" ago, as a music scholarship
recipient studying piano with Bertha Foster, and playing trombone
in the U. of M. symphony orchestra under the direction of Modeste
Aloo. I also functioned as a "utility" brass player
in the band at the Hurricane football games ("Here`s to
the spi-rit of Mi-am-i U"). I was also actively working
at that time playing piano in jazz joints, for dinner music,
and dancing, at the hotels on the beach. Wearing my ruffled
shirt, and moustache (very light fuzz, that I darkened, and
kind of "filled in") I earned the respect of some
of the hottest Latin musicians in town. My "Montunas"were
cool enough so that the guys called me Jose(Hose-ay)! At that
time there were approximately 500 students enrolled at the school.
Today , 60 years later there are I`m told, many thousands who
come here from all over the world.
At the invitation of the Dean of the music school, William Hipp,
I presented master classes in film scoring to the film scoring
and composition departments. All the music students that attended
were focussed, serious, bright, gifted, and significantly committed
to making a living in music. A similar ethic to what I find
in my classes here at the Flora Thornton School of Music at
USC. Thank you all at the University of Miami for a wonderful
experience. Your music students in a word, were great!
Thinking of what it was like,what happened, and what it`s like
today the beauty, size and scope of the University itself is
overwhelming. The buildings housing the Music Department include
a number of concert halls, and many other facilities to accommodate
classes in instrumental music, composition, conducting, courses
in cutting edge electronics, spacious rehearsal and practice
rooms for symphonic, chamber and choral groups.
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