Feb. 7, 1978: A Date Which Will Live...

... in infamy? No, not quite. That was the date of my one-and-only solo recital, a faculty recital at University of St. Thomas - Houston, jointly sponsored by the Houston Harpsichord Society. In those days, I held the title "Lecturer in Recorder" at UST. How in the world does one lecture in recorder? I don't know, but I suppose I'm the right person to ask.

The recital went splendidly, thanks in large part to my accompanists, Bill Welch and Wayne Moss. The small hall, brand-new in those days, was jam-packed, probably more with people who wanted to see the new hall than with those who wanted to hear me play. But I was proud of the result; it was quite possibly the best I've ever played.

I no longer play recorder for public consumption. My peripheral neuropathy has deprived me of the ability to sense the exact position of my fingers relative to a musical instrument; attempts to play a woodwind instrument like recorder result in the awful sounds of incompletely covered holes. But it was a grand experience while it lasted!