MUSICIANS IN THE MOUNTAINS

“There are a trumpet player and a trombone player just checking in,” he said placing an internal phone call to a colleague in the second-floor hotel executive offices during what is called “the shoulder season.”

The periods between ski seasons and summer seasons are called the “mud” or “shoulder seasons.”  Usually, local vendors close their enterprises and use these periods to rest, recuperate and renew for the following busy seasons leaving little to do for tourists who aren’t interested in golf, hiking or fly-fishing.

John Roberts, guru of the resort city’s concierges, always asks probing questions discovering the interests of Owners and guests as they prepare for a vacation at the resort.  Depending upon their desires, he had a list of contacts he could call for entertainment advice. 

The first person many owners and guests meet at the resort is John.  The winner of the most awards in the entire resort network, John grew up in the city and knows almost everything there is to know about the area.  Owners and guests are used to calling him in advance for reservations and other assistance reducing what could be a logistical nightmare.    

John had placed his phone call to a professional musician working in the resort’s administration office.  Often taking calls from Roberts, she had helped several Owners in the recent past including one mother who was searching for a piano for her daughter to practice on during their two-week vacation. Another time she served as rehearsal accompanist for a professional singer from Boston. Coming to the resort from life as an extra flute and piccolo player with a Big Five orchestra, this associate recently started work at after a two-year management position with the local 52-week symphony orchestra. 

“Well, send them up.  I’d love to talk with them,” she said enthusiastically.  Any discussion bringing her back to that life was welcomed.  In fact, any number of times when she received calls from angry Owners or guests, she was able to turn her interest in the fine arts towards calming discussions, often discovering in the process people they both knew.

A strong proponent of the enterprise-wide strategy, Vacation Architecture, she also tried to make vacations memorable for Owners and guests whom she met during the course of the day.  This was just another opportunity to make a lasting impression on behalf of the resort.

The visitors turned out to be the recently retired trombonist from the Cincinnati Symphony and his brother, a trumpet player from Detroit.  After a delightful conversation, our resident musician offered tickets to the brothers and their wives for the upcoming weekend symphony concerts with the local 52-week professional symphony orchestra.

“Being brass players, you’ll love this concert.  Lots of brass in these works with the best brass section in the world!!”

Sending a quick email to the principal trombonist of the symphony, she discovered in the response that he and his wife knew this gentleman from Ohio.  Showing tremendous energy, he had played full time with the Cincinnati Symphony (including its grueling pops season).  This musician also taught full time at the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music placing many professional trombonists in symphonies across the country.  He is now 83 years old, and, looking all of 60, played principal trombone for 46 years.

His trumpet-playing brother was 90 years old and looked all of 65!!  Interestingly enough, he played under the same conductor that our resident musician had also performed under at Blossom Music Center in Cleveland, Ohio.  Sitting alongside full-time Cleveland Orchestra musicians, she played in everything from orchestras backing up the Moody Blues and Yanni, to Bach’s Christmas Oratorio, to band music celebrating every Fourth of July at Blossom.  They exchanged tales about the conductor of the Blossom Band, also a trumpet player whom both had played under.

In preparation for the weekend’s concerts, the resident musician sent little notes daily to the four-week Owners preparing them for the concert.  On the evening of the concert, our resident musician spotted the retired musicians in the lobby of the hall.  Welcoming them, she immediately got into a conversation about past musical experiences they all shared.  Sitting together, all five talked knowledgeably about the performances, the conductor and the symphony musicians themselves.  An excellent concert, the applause continued for several minutes following the cut-off.    

“Would you like to meet the principal trombonist?” she asked.  So all five went backstage to talk with the principal trombone player and another trombonist whom the Owner knew. After discussions, it was also discovered that a violist in the US&O had studied with the principal violist of the Cincinnati Symphony.

America’s professional symphonic music world is very small especially when narrowed to the top ten or fifteen orchestras in the country.  The brass world is even smaller and closer-knit.  Yet, vacationing at the resort, two retired classical musicians could visit a life they love and find friendly faces ready to help make their yearly four-week vacations memorable.

At the suggestion of our resident musician, the trombonist gave the retired trombonist one of his recently recorded CDs.  Upon returning the resort and walking through the lobby, he heard the CD playing in the lobby … a collaboration of the resort musician and a front desk associate who promised to have it playing at about the same time the Owner would have returned from the concert!

A wonderful evening … just another opportunity to provide owners and guests with a memorable vacation!!         

Until Next Friday,