Fwd: other instruments

[Ri58066217@xxxxxxx]

My Mother was a professional musician and played the Hammond organ in supper 
clubs I inherited music from her. Before I was at the age of 9, I tried to 
play the piano by ear, and later the electric Hammond organ. 

Later, in 1944 (age 9), I took up the 4 octave chromatic harmonica, and never 
started playing on the diatonic, or blues harmonica. I learn to play the 
chromatic by ear from some harmonica records, that my mother had.

I played harmonica in many musical shows in high school. Later, I took piano 
lessons in college for a few courses, but I realized that the piano or 
electric organ were not the instruments for me. Later, when my son took up trumpet 
lessons, I tried that for a while, and even was able to play the scale on the 
trumpet. Then, my son tried the tuba, and I found that this instrument is very 
hard to play.

While in the Air Force, and stationed in Italy in the 1960s, I took lessons 
for both the classical guitar and the chromatic harmonica. I learned to read 
music for both instruments. Later, in the states, I was a part-time classical 
guitar student and musical education major in college, and reached the sophomore 
level of classical guitar proficiency, but later I returned to the chromatic 
harmonica. In 1976, I learned how to play the E-E bass harmonica from an Eb 
tuba method. Later, I played the extended bass harmonica in a number of 
harmonica ensemble, and 1st and 2nd chromatic harmonica in a number of harmonica 
groups. I even played as a sideman in musicals and stage plays at community centers 
and with little theater group stage presentations in the states.

While working with Civil Service, I played the chromatic harmonica 
professionally with "The Hyland Ensemble" an ensemble made up of chromatic harmonica, 
classical guitar and cello. We played a lot of Bach and other early composers 
music, plus some Scott Joplin ragtime music. Also, we played some popular music 
pieces. We were active for about 5 years. We are no longer an active 
performing ensemble. Later, I was active playing chromatic harmonica with piano and 
organ in churches around the Dayton/ Springfield Ohio area.

Now, I am living in the Springfield, Ohio area, and I am retired from the Air 
Force and Civil service. I spend my full-time time specializing in the 
chromatic harmonica, and as a full-time Harmonica Educator. Also, I have done a lot 
of private chromatic harmonica teaching. I advance harmonica education as 
Editor of The Harmonica Educator. Also, I do a lot of transcribing of music (on 
computer) for harmonica ensembles for The Harmonica Educator publication. The 
chromatic harmonica is my choice of musical instruments now, and as a harmonica 
soloist and ensemble player. 

Richard Martin