2003 WASBE Conference

The opinions expressed
herein are those of the
authors and not
necessarily the opinions
of WASBE.

Sunday, 29 June — “How Was Your Day?”

Today's introductory article is one of those that has nothing to do with music — directly. It would be best described as the answer to the question, "How was your day?" Here's one possible answer:

Saturday was the day before the Conference starts in earnest. Local organisers, led by Leif Jansson, were busy setting up the registration area and taking care of all those things you can only do when you actually have the facility at your disposal. The WASBE Executive and Council were holding their semi-annual meetings. Clinicians, performers and delegates alike were starting to arrive at the nearby hotels.

So there's a dry, statistical interpretation of the day before the Conference for you. But if this page is that boring all week, none of you will read it.

Most of us, when asked "how was your day?" don't read a laundry list but instead talk about whatever struck us emotionally that day, good or bad. Setting aside the jet lag issue, the most remarkable thing about the last day or two for me has been the people. I've been working on the WASBE web team for over three years now, but I have not had face-to-face contact with those in people WASBE that I work most closely with. It's a strange feeling when you are formally introduced to someone for the first time and are greeted with the warmth that a good friend would receive. I guess that's what good old-fashioned pen pals must feel like if they ever meet.

That probably wasn't as surprising as some of the chance meetings I have had in places like the hotel lobby. For example, six (eventually eight) of us who really hadn't met before chose to sit down to dinner together. We each had some sort of tie to one or two people around the table, but the only other tie that bound us was WASBE and this Conference. Conductor and Composer. School educator, University professor, and community band director. People from near and far.

As more people arrived, I saw more familiar faces. In the course of those conversations, I got some great feedback on the web site and how important it is to some people and why. I learned a bit more about people I had heard of and others that I had not. A leisurely two-hour dinner was still continuing when I left to prepare this page. I could see other meetings like this going on elsewhere in the room. And I don't doubt that this scenario will be repeated time and time again throughout the week.

Technology can be a wonderfully-enabling thing, but face-to-face human contact can't be beat. To me, it's just like the difference between recorded and live music: a recording is like a fond memory, where live music is life in progress. Hats off to everyone who decided to make the trip to Jönköping and experience the real thing. (It's not too late for some more of you to join us!)

So, how was my first full day in Jönköping? It was a pretty great day.

Anthony Reimer, WASBE Web Team