Last night, I came back into the pit at the Fox Theatre at the end of intermission and witnessed the tail-end of a conversation between the Principal horn and a young woman from the audience.
She was leaning over the pit rail to look at our music. E. asked her how long she's been playing the horn. She replied, "Since sixth grade, about eight years ago, but I don't play much now that I'm in college".
E. commented that playing the horn for FUN is the "best way"....not to try making a living at it! (I laughed inwardly.)
The young woman asked, "How's the music?" and E. said, "It's fairly difficult, with a lot of high notes and loud playing". She peered at his part again and noticed a high C-flat. "That's not so hard. The music looks only 'medium' to me".
E. held up his horn towards her and said, "Here, would you like to play it?"
"Oh, no", she muttered, and quickly disappeared into the crowd.
Hee hee, I had the same thing happen to me once when I was playing Carmen. This 8th grade kid told me the part looked "soo easy"...wish I had had your colleague's comeback ready. :)
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