Me
I suppose I should do a little self-introduction - I joined about a year ago, but then forgot about this forum for rather too long.......
I've always been a person who struggled to get away from music, and I think I've now given up trying. I was initally attracted to music by a "pseudo-aunt" (now 90 years old), who was for many years a professional oboist (Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra) and in her early teens had played violin, piano and alto sax with the family dance band.
I didn't get the chance to study music until high school (money was tight in those days), where I played flute (because they didn't have any oboes). I did reasonably well, but was more keen than able - I certainly didn't seem destined for a career in the area, unlike my younger trumpet playing brother.
So, I headed off to university to study life sciences and similar things, which didn't ever really happen because I was too busy helping run the University Musical Society (and rockclimbing) until I gave up on that idea and worked for the Australian Bureau of Statistics for almost two years. I got bored, and headed back home to Hobart to the Tasmanian Conservatorium of Music to study - education stream. This was good and bad - I "scraped through" as far as playing the flute was concerned - I was too out of practice when I started and never really caught up - but I found positives in other areas - choral singing, where I got to sing in many major works - the ones by Bach were the John Passion, Matthew Passion (x2), Christmas Oratorio and B minor Mass, not to mention the Verdi Requiem and many more major choral works. I also developed an interest in composition, arranging and orchestration.
Having ended up with a B Mus I headed off to be a music teacher - which I still am - but amused myself in various other ways as well - scuba diving, sailing, skiing, composition (getting my string works published of all things) and choral arranging (you can find a few examples if you you do a Youtube search for "Karpiniec".
A bit over four years ago I had an urge (mid-life crisis?) to buy a tenor saxophone, and to start doing some practice again - and I haven't stopped since. I play in two very different bands, the Derwent Valley Concert Band, with which I've now toured Beijing and Europe, and also a 60s pop/Rnb band, which has made me develop a few new improvisation skills, and also earned me a little money. The downside is that I hen't been doing so much composition/arrangement - but I've had fun.
And that's enough for now, unless anyone really wants to know more.
Stefan
