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If you are working on Easter Sunday and there's something interesting or unusual about the venue or the music, the particular instrument that you will be using, or one or more of the musicians, why not tell us about it here?

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(I'm playing in the same old place, thankful for the job, and haven't read my last email to find out if there's anything interesting to tell about it, but probably not. I usually take a big tuba and a euphonium, and I guess the only weird thing about that is that retired principal euphonium of "Pershing's Own" Army Band is usually sitting right in front of me playing trombone, John Mueller, when I'm playing euphonium.)

Same gig for me with quintet. Best-paying gig of the year for me.

Will be playing 184, or 621, or both. Maybe 184 for English service and 621 for Spanish service.

Rick “Spanish service music is high” Denney

I live in an area where it's hard to get good paying Easter jobs. Plus, I've only been playing again for about 9 years after taking a decade off and moving from a different area. It seems that churches here are not embarrassed to pay you $50 each for Easter.

Before covid, I got a gig at a city about an hour away. It was a good gig, but they hired me to play bass trombone where they really needed a tuba. I'm just a reluctant bass bone player anyway, but I did the gig.

Somehow someone found out that I had a tuba at my house last year. So they offered me about 1/6th of what the out-of-town church offered to play tuba. Jeez, my tuba playing really isn't worth even that much, to be honest. But it was the first year back after covid, and I wasn't getting any better offers. So I played the rehearsal on tuba but played the gig on euphonium. Same notes, but I had a better score ratio on euph.

This year I've made a few friends. I got a better gig at a church 2 blocks down the street playing tenor trombone, my preferred ax, and back at the better rate. We've got 3 older pros/semi-pros teamed up with 2 college kids. Nothing weird this year. Totally back to normal. And what a relief.

Covid did a lot of harm to both churches and musicians. Not sure that either one has fully bounced back yet, at least not in this neck of the woods. It felt like a real life "The Day The Music Died".

I’ve got the same gig I took last year at the same church that pays a little more this year!

Brass ensemble… 1 tuba, bass trombone, 2 tenors, 2 horns, 4 trumpets, (or something like that) organ, and singers join later.

Fun gig. Great networking. Very little work involved. I’ll use the HB.

Same church, same players, same music, more $. It’s a good thing!

A couple years ago I got into an Easter brass quintet gig. Usually two services, a sunrise and a morning service. I usually use my 12J for this; it's the perfect size and I really like the punch. But the valves are off on an overhaul, so I'm going to be using the Kanstul 5/4 BBb this year.

I have an eastern gig and I’ll be using a very new to me 45slp.

LargeTuba wrote: ↑Thu Mar 30, 2023 6:39 am I have an eastern gig and I’ll be using a very new to me 45slp.

Congrats on the new tuba and gig! Pics? I hope you have a tall torso. I am a shorter guy and the 45-SLP mouthpipe hits me square in the forehead.

bloke wrote: ↑Wed Mar 29, 2023 1:52 pm If you are working on Easter Sunday and there's something interesting or unusual about the venue or the music, the particular instrument that you will be using, or one or more of the musicians, why not tell us about it here?

___________________________
(I'm playing in the same old place, thankful for the job, and haven't read my last email to find out if there's anything interesting to tell about it, but probably not. I usually take a big tuba and a euphonium, and I guess the only weird thing about that is that retired principal euphonium of "Pershing's Own" Army Band is usually sitting right in front of me playing trombone, John Mueller, when I'm playing euphonium.)

This year I'm using the 1938 "Soli Deo Gloria" York 5/4 BBb at my church.

Edit wrong thread

Be glad your Easter gig is not here...Belgium...

Playing a newly acquired Miraphone 1292 at my own church with a small ensemble (approx a brass quintet + woodwind quintet).
Hence, not a paying gig, but I'm happy to serve!

Thanks for reminding me, @bloke , I had forgotten the annual bump of this:

viewtopic.php?t=360

Yes, I'm playing too. And using a different version of the John Rutter Easter Hymn arrangement that you introduced us all to, set for brass and organ instead of orchestra and organ. Thanks again!

And, of course, the day after....

https://www.dyngusday.com/

The day after is half price candy day, correct?

bloke wrote: ↑Fri Apr 07, 2023 8:02 am The day after is half price candy day, correct?

That too...

The Band that I play in is playing in the Easter Service at a Church local to where we rehearse. We’ll charge a quite small amount for a few hymns and that fee will go into the Band’s funds. I don’t mind not being paid and the Band only getting a token fee, to me it’s just sharing what little talent I have and supporting something I believe to be important and worthwhile. YMMV and obviously there are many subtle cultural differences between North America and the UK; UK Churches tend to be relatively poor whereas those in North America have a different reputation …

A local church provides our brass band with rehearsal space. In lieu of rent we provide a quartet for Christmas and Easter services and do a shortened version of our full band summer program for their annual festival. I will be doing my bit Sunday and greeting the sunrise.

Soooooo...... did anyone have any pieces today that went over particularly well?

Went to a different church last night for Easter vigil (or as people back home in Baltimore called it, "Easter visual")...

It was way different than expected... Sorta like southern revival Catholic church, with a "best of" playlist of New Orleans favorites. Never taken communion to "A closer walk with thee" or baptism to "oh happy day" or seen the priest exit to "when the saints go marching in." Like a 5-piece band (drums, guitar, keyboard etc...) The trombone player was quite good. But all was very unusual to me.

By far the best part was the baptism of the adults who were just confirmed. The priest totally drenched their heads. One poor young lady had her hair done up so nicely before that, too... But had a bigger smile after being baptized.

It was a good time. I wouldn't go there regularly, but even for an Easter service, which is usually more jovial and kind of jokey ... This one was pretty fun.