Meet the Musician Monday: Clarinetist Ashley Booher!

Meet the Musician Monday continues with clarinetist Ashley Booher!

What is your role in the orchestra and when did you join?

I am the bass clarinetist and “third” clarinetist of the orchestra. I won my audition on 11/11/11 (I’ll never forget that date!) and started in January of 2012. My first week was Mariinsky Ballet and we played Stravinsky’s Firebird. It was intense!

The bass clarinet is one of the more distinctively shaped instruments in the orchestra. What have you heard some people erroneously call it?

Oh, I’ve heard quite a bit of funny names for my it! Nutcracker week is always the most entertaining with all the children and families in attendance. I’ve heard saxophone, black saxophone, and black trombone. Black trombone was my favorite. I guess bass clarinet doesn’t come up in music class!

What are you most looking forward to playing this season?

I’m really looking forward to the season’s opener: Verdi’s Aida. There is a gigantic 2 minute and 30 second bass clarinet solo in Act 4. I’ve played it on auditions but never in real life. I’m really looking forward to playing it with the singers. It’s a mournful aria with a bass clarinet obligato line that accompanies the singers/characters Amneris and Radames. Amneris is pleading with Radames to not waste/sacrifice his life for Aida, whom he saved and his actions have landed him on death row. It should be quite moving. It’s the only time I play in the entire opera, which will be a weird experience. It’ll be lots of waiting around then playing an exposed solo. Outside of opera, I’m also looking forward to NYC Ballet’s mixed rep programs and ABT’s new ballet, “Whipped Cream.”

Do you teach clarinet privately?

I do! I have a few students who I teach at my home and I am also on faculty at Howard University. This semester I have about 5 students enrolled in clarinet lessons. I am coming up on my 3^rd year of teaching at Howard and it’s been a really rewarding experience teaching at the college level. I only left college about 6 years ago, so sometimes it feels bizarre being the “professor.” I really enjoy imparting my knowledge and experiences to the students. Last year I got mistaken as a student by a faculty member and a student though. Hopefully as I age, that goes away! Ha!

What are some of your interests outside of the pit?

When I was in college, it was all consuming and it was really the only thing I did. When I started my job, I was left with tons of free time—the schedule is so much lighter than a DM student at Indiana University! I felt kind of lost at first, but over time I started trying to find ways to fill out my days in meaningful ways. I realized early on that the better I felt physically, the better I played musically. So outside of the pit I try to stay as active as possible. I run, do yoga, hike with my dogs and ride horses! Yup, you read that right: I’m a clarinetist who rides horses regularly.

         

What do you like about riding horses?

I first got into horse back riding as a potential new summer activity. I’ve always admired horses and enjoyed watching people ride. I’ve also always somehow been around at least one horse person my entire life and always admired what they do. My mother in law got her own horse (named Page Turner) about 5 years ago and let me ride him. It was my first time on a horse and I just fell in love. I just love the beauty of the animal and how they interact with each other and with humans. I’ve been riding regularly for about two years now. Recently I’ve been learning the dressage seat and have competed in school horse shows. I won a blue ribbon in a horse show with Toby this spring!

There are many aspects of riding that mirror that of music. When you are on the horse, there is a certain amount of mental and physical discipline that is required. Horses live in the moment and aren’t worrying about some random future thing. The rider needs to be in the “zone” mentally and physically to communicate successfully with the horse. I feel it’s the same kind of thing I experience with music. If I’m thinking of dinner while playing a solo, I’m going to mess up. If I’m thinking of dinner while riding a horse, my horse is going to be all over the place. I went to a horse clinic this spring and the clinician explained that horseback riding is an “active meditation.” While you are riding, you are actively in tune with your horse and body. You are living in the moment. I always feel so relaxed after I ride-it can be very Zen. I often call it my “horse high.” There’s no other activity that I’ve experienced that gives me that feeling. I just love being around these beautiful animals and I feel lucky I get to be around them and learn from them.

Our Assistant Principal, Lora Ferguson, retired from the orchestra in July. How will that affect you and David [our Principal Clarinet] this season?

Both David & I will definitely miss Lora tremendously. She is like family and is one of the nicest people I know. For the upcoming season, I think David and I will be working a little harder than normal. For me it’ll mean a lot more 2^nd clarinet playing and for David it means he gets no breaks from playing principal. In the past the three of us would rotate the programs, so each person wouldn’t feel overworked. This season it will be on David and me to play every production. If there are three clarinets required on a production, we’ll have to hire a sub to play that part. It’ll be fun to play with new people this season, but there’s a special musical bond that happens when you play with the same colleagues every week. You know each other’s tendencies and can just “gel” your parts together.

Meet the Musician Monday: Christian Gray, our new Bassist!

We'd like to welcome the newest member of the Kennedy Center Opera House Orchestra, bassist Christian Gray!

This is also the first installment of our new weekly series "Meet the Musician Monday."

How long have you been playing bass and where did you go to school?

Although I started playing the double bass in 4th grade, I grew up playing mostly electric bass guitar. I didn't take the double bass seriously until I began studying with a teacher when I was in high school at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. That is where I fell in love with the instrument and classical music in general. After high school, I earned a Bachelor's as well as a Performance Diploma at Boston University's College of Fine Arts. I also just completed a really wonderful year at Rice University's Shepherd School of Music in pursuit of a Master's.

Have you had much opera experience in the past?

Besides a handful of school productions, opera is still fairly new to me! It is a fun challenge understanding and exploring the subtle differences between opera and symphonic playing.

You joined the orchestra in the middle of our run of Puccini’s Madame Butterfly. What did it feel like to be dropped in the middle of an orchestra without rehearsing with the group?

To be honest, it was initially terrifying! There wasn't much technically to worry about in the bass part, but I did have to spend a lot of time studying the score and finding as many different recordings as I could, just to be ready for anything that could possibly happen when I showed up. Fortunately, the bass section and whole orchestra were so welcoming and easy to play with that the performances felt second nature by the end of the week.

What are you looking forward to playing the most during the 2017-18 season?

Candide was the first opera I ever saw live, so I'm very excited to actually play it. Handel's Alcina will be a lot of fun as well. I think Baroque operas can be really magical.

What do you enjoy doing when your bass is in its case?

I really love vegetarian cooking. I get a lot of joy out of making food for friends. I try to spend a lot of time outdoors as well.

Where did you play this summer?

I was a fellow this summer at the Tanglewood Music Center in Lenox, MA. Some repertoire highlights for me were Fred Lerdal's Waltzes for Low String Quartet and Strauss's Alpine Symphony. After that, I'm looking forward to settling in DC and officially joining the opera!

Meet The Musician: Fred Irby, III

Meet the Musician: Fred Irby, III

Where did you grow up? When did you start playing the trumpet?

I was born in Mobile, Alabama and started playing the trumpet in the 4^th grade. My first trumpet teacher was Mr. Ulysses Miller, an excellent trumpeter and a great role model. Other teachers that influenced me were William Scarlata of the Shreveport Symphony and Susan Slaughter, former principal of the St. Louis Symphony. The latter two teachers were my undergraduate and graduate university trumpet professors, respectively.

What made you want to become a professional musician?

I have always enjoyed collaborating with other musicians and always felt that music chose me. I feel lucky and honored to be an active performing musician. I have traveled around the world, met and performed with some of my musical idols.

Fred with Arturo Sandoval & Quincy Jones, 1997 at VP Al Gore's residence

When did you join the musical theater orchestra at the Kennedy Center? Describe for us what it was like in the beginning playing with that orchestra and how it is now.

My first job at the Kennedy Center was in 1975. I was hired by Joseph Willens, the Kennedy Center contractor, to perform in a concert with Pearl Bailey in the Opera House. It was an exciting time for me because I had been in town for only 6 months and I was honored to be performing at the Kennedy Center. The musicians were very friendly and helpful especially George Recker, Orrin Olson, Jimmy Badolato, Donald Charnock, Norman Katz and Dave Summers.

The KCOHO today is an excellent group of musicians that are very versatile in many musical styles. In the beginning there was no technology, computers or cell phones: unable to contact musicians or family quickly, could not leave messages, could not receive traffic alerts, could not receive music in advance and most importantly, could not monitor payroll or pension accounts. The musicals today are very challenging in that rehearsal time has been reduced, lots of preparation is required prior to rehearsals, some productions require the musicians to be in separate locations and to perform with a live streamed video of the conductor & click track, you have your own sound monitor that you can control, multiple trumpets (flugelhorn, cornet, piccolo, etc.) and mutes are required and some productions are eliminating brass, winds, strings and percussion from the orchestration. The orchestrations are very demanding (technically and stylistically) and with the reduced instrumentation, every note is a solo. 

Have you always worked in the DC area, or have you worked in other cities around the country too?

2015 Oscars Trumpets: Rob Shear, Dan Fornero,
Wayne Bergeron & Fred Irby, III

I was a member of the St. Louis Municipal Opera Orchestra (MUNY) from 1972-73 during my stay in St. Louis after college. I have performed TV specials, award shows and movies in NYC and Los Angeles. I have performed in the orchestra for the Academy Awards aka OSCARS in Los Angeles since 2015.

What has been your most memorable performing experience at the Kennedy Center? 

There are too many to cite just one. Performing for every Kennedy Center Honors Gala (1976 to present), The Sondheim Celebration in 2002, conducting the Howard University Jazz Ensemble (HUJE) in the 1992, 1996 & 2005 KC Honors Gala, conducting HUJE in a KC produced concert with pianist McCoy Tyner in 2010, performing the premiere performances of the musicals ANNIE and 42^nd STREET and just recently performing with Wayne Shorter in the Eisenhower Theater for a Kennedy Center commissioned composition, “The Unfolding." I have performed and conducted in all seven theaters in the Kennedy Center!

What has been your most memorable performance outside the Kennedy Center?

Brass Section for the 2015 Oscars in Los Angeles, CA

My performances in Los Angeles for the Oscars, Daytime Emmys, Dancing with the Stars, America’s Got Talent, in NYC for the re-dedication of the Statue of Liberty, some local TV specials such as Christmas in Washington, The Gershwin Prize, the BET Walk of Fame, and performing at the National, Ford’s and Arena Stage theaters. I served as Music Director for the Washington Ballet in 2004 for a Jazz/Blues Project in the Eisenhower Theater  and for the 17^th International Dance Festival in Havana, Cuba.

BTW: During my freshman year at Grambling State University, I performed in the halftime show with our Marching Band for the very FIRST SUPER BOWL in Los Angeles, CA.

1996 Daytime Emmy's trumpets: Rick Baptist, Harold Wheeler,
Fred Irby, III & Warren Luenin

You teach at Howard University. Tell us about your experience as a professor at a major University in addition to being a professional performing musician.

I have been member of the Department of Music at Howard University since 1974 and it has been a very rewarding experience to serve as a professor and mentor. As Director of the Howard University Jazz Ensemble, we have given concerts in China, Japan (4 times), Romania, Senegal, West Africa, Venezuela, Haiti, Trinidad, Jamaica, Guatemala, Martinique and the U.S. Virgin Islands. We have 43 recordings to our credit in an annual series that began in 1976. The HUJE performed for the KC Honors in 1992 (Lionel Hampton), 1996 (Benny Carter) and 2005 (Tony Bennett). That was very exciting because I was required to attend all KC Honors production meetings and I got a chance to observe the decision making process of these major television producers. Over the years several of my students at Howard University have performed at KC for musicals and other concerts upon my recommendation. In 1996, I created the “Benny Golson Jazz Master Award” to honor the legacy of 1995 NEA Jazz Master Benny Golson, an alumnus of Howard University. You can see the list of these distinguished recipients by going to www.huje.org.

The HUJE in Beijing, China, 1986

Side Note: In 1986 the Howard University Jazz Ensemble became the first jazz band to perform in the People’s Republic of China. One of our concerts in Beijing, China was held at the prestigious Central Conservatory of Music. One of the students at that time, violinist Xi Chen, that attended that concert is now a colleague of mine in the KCOHO. When she joined the KCOHO she introduced herself and related in detail about the concert. I was honored to have her as a colleague.  

What are some of your former students doing today?

The majority of my students have become educators and productive citizens around the  country.  Others have performed with Michael Jackson, Prince, Whitney Houston, Madonna, Lady Ga Ga,  Miles Davis, Wynton Marsalis, Dizzy Gillespie, Ornette Coleman, Count Basie Orchestra, Earth Wind and Fire, Kool and the Gang, Dr. Dre, Jessye Norman and the KCOHO.

One of my former students, Michael Bearden, served as Music Director for Michael Jackson, Madonna, Jennifer Lopez and Lady Ga Ga. He has also performed in the orchestra for the Oscars with me, served as Music Director for the 2016 Super Bowl, and was also Music Director for the 2016 Kennedy Center Spring Gala in a “Tribute to Marvin Gaye”.

Are there any compositions or recordings that you are proud of?

I am very proud of all the recordings (43!) of the Howard University Jazz Ensemble. We recorded COME SUNDAY “Tribute to Duke Ellington,” during his centennial in 1999. We also recorded a “Tribute to the Victims and Survivors of September 11” with commissioned compositions by Frederick Tillis and Yusef Lateef in 2002.

With the Baltimore Choral Arts Society, I recorded Dave Brubeck’s cantata “The Gates of Justice” (with the composer as the piano soloist) and “Christmas at America’s First Cathedral" (2010) recorded at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Baltimore, Maryland.

I also commissioned and premiered a composition by Ulysses S. Kay, TROMBA: Suite for B-flat Trumpet and Piano in 1984. Mr. Kay, an eminent African American composer, is the nephew of the great New Orleans jazz cornetist Joe ”King” Oliver. Mr. Oliver was the main mentor of the legendary Louis Armstrong. 

Finally, How many touring or locally produced musical productions have you performed with during your tenure at KC?

That is a hard question to answer, however, KCOHO Assistant Principal Trombone Doug Rosenthal gave me a list of all the musicals that have played at the Kennedy Center. Some did not use trumpets and I was not available for others. At the Kennedy Center I have performed in 106 musical productions and 18 at other theaters in the D.C. area for a total of 124. There could also be additional musicals that I just don’t remember playing!

Just for fun: Fred with Samuel L. Jackson at the 2016 PBS special for the
Library of Congress "Gershwin Prize," honoring Smokey Robinson