Ronald Reagan was president. No one had a cell phone and local calls were placed without an area code first. Insurance premiums cost $54 a month through the musicians' union. And I wouldn't be getting my first desktop computer until 12 years later.
That was how it was back in 1986 when we first started performing Inside the Orchestra programs. My marching orders were to develop an interactive program to inspire and entertain young children with one primary directive: "never bore the kids!"
Thirty years, and hundreds of thousands of audience members later, we still remember that warning as we prepare our orchestral programs for children.
We'll keep the same directive for the adults at this year's Inside the Orchestra for Adults at Wings Over the Rockies on March 10th.
I will be sharing the podium with our Associate Conductor, Steven Aguiló-Arbues. Interestingly, Steven is now about the age I was when I first started Inside the Orchestra back in the 80's.
In addition to an aviation theme to our "grownup" event, we'll be featuring a "lighter than air" dance piece with the Kim Robards Dance, and an opera aria that is truly in the stratosphere.
But I'm personally looking forward to Steven and I literally sharing the conducting duties: at the same time, during one tune-- dueling conductors!
You will definitely want to be a part of this 34 piece orchestral spectacle-- as we will surround you with our wonderful musicians, some of whom have been kicking around with me since I arrived in Denver so many years ago!
