Summer/Autumn 2000

Dear Cyberspace Friends,

L-R - Alice Harnell, Judy Drucker, Van Cliburn, John Williams, Joe Harnell

We arrived home in L.A. and wanted all of you to know what's been going on in our lives. After the two recent sold-out concerts (May 14th at the Beverly Hills Library and July 27th at the Jazz Spot). Alice and I flew to New York to celebrate and re-connect with some good friends, among them Mike and Martha (Wright) Manuche. Martha had taken over the Mary Martin role in SOUTH PACIFIC, which she performed for three years and then became a star herself. I worked and toured with her as musical director, and we made several albums together. She's a lovely lady and still sings great! We saw some shows, ate some wonderful food and enjoyed, as always the "New York experience."

We then drove up to Lenox, Massachusetts to Tanglewood where I studied composition, orchestration and conducting for four summers in the late 1940's and early '50's with Aaron Copland, Leonard Bernstein and Serge Koussevitsky. I had the chance to re-live some of the memorable moments I spent there as a young man and even saw the tree under which I would sit and study (or dream).

L-R - Joe Harnell, Van Cliburn, Alice Harnell

We went to concerts given by Van Cliburn, Daniel Barenboim, John Williams, Seiji Ozawa and more. We were invited to the rehearsals which were even more fun than the actual performances, as we could sit in the first row and listen not only to the music but the alterations (re: tempo, dynamics, and other nuances) suggested by the conductor to the orchestra.

On my birthday, August 2, I was given a small dinner party at the Blantyre Hotel, which was attended by John Williams, Van Cliburn, Daniel Barenboim, Andre Previn and a few close friends, including a woman I have admired and respected for many years, Judy Drucker, the Artistic Director of the Greater Miami Concert Association, who played a very important part in launching my career when I arrived home from Europe and my service with the Air Force was completed.

L-R - Van Cliburn, Mia Farrow. Andre Previn, James Taylor, Alice Harnell, Mrs. James Taylor, Judy Drucker, Joe Harnell

We were also invited to a small after-concert party given by Van Cliburn, where the guests were: John Williams, Andre Previn, Elaine May, Stanley Donen and Seiji Ozawa and his family, and of course, Alice and Joe. Then back to New York for a few more days of socializing, then home. The entire adventure was very "cool."

Stay in touch for future announcements on
"News and Events."

 

 

With all good wishes,

Joe and Alice