Texas University of Arts and Industries (1961 – 1963) Now Texas A & M University.
During the year I was pursuing a master’s degree at Indiana University School of Music in Bloomington, I began applying for university teaching positions. When I received an invitation to interview in the spring of 1961, I immediately dropped everything and traveled to Kingsville, TX . To get there from Bloomington, Missy drove me to the Indianapolis airport where I boarded a flight to St. Louis and then a bus to Union Station for the overnight train ride south to Kingsville. Given that I had crisscrossed Texas during my year on tour with Fred Waring, seeing the flat plains of eastern Texas wasn’t a surprise but thinking about living there was on my mind. That quickly dissipated when I thought of the possibility of a university teaching position. Upon arrival in Kingsville, I checked into a motel and suited-up for my meeting with Preston Stedman, Chairman of the Music Department. After lunch with Preston, and meetings with several faculty, he offered me the position to teach clarinet and music theory. When I accepted, he had me meet with the Dean of Fine Arts who confirmed my appointment, a one-year contract for the 1961-1962 academic year.
While I called Missy about the good news, she told me that I had missed a rehearsal the previous evening for a recital I was to participate in the following afternoon. In the excitement I had forgotten completely about both. She also said that Henry Gulick, professor of clarinet, had substituted during the rehearsal and would be available by for the performance should I not get back in time for the following day’s three o’clock performance. I quickly checked schedules and soon was back on the train to St. Louis for another overnighter, etc. After Missy picked me up at the airport and during our drive to Bloomington, I warmed up (on the clarinet) and tried to settle down. Upon arrival, we head to the School of Music recital hall, arriving about 15 minutes before the start of the program. Mr. Gulick was standing by with the other performers in the green room (Mansky’s studio) and asked if I wanted to play or would I like him to sub. Knowing that I had made the effort and had arrived in time mattered but then I thought it’d be best if he joined the performers. Given my hyper state at the time made the decision an easy one. While everyone was happy that I had secured a teaching position, it took me a while to get over the fact that I had forgotten the rehearsal and performance. Nevertheless, I was happy that the performance went well.
Many years later it’s easy to recall the sickening feeling of being over a thousand miles away when I should have been elsewhere.