harmonica goes to college

[Roger A Gonzales <gonz1@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hello everyone,

I had to relay this story just to show that there is a positive side to every situation.
As some of you know, I am a Music Education major at CSU Fresno in Calif.  However, my emphasis is in vocal music since there is no harmonica major at the university.  I have been on vocal rest for about a little over a semester due to a nodule on my vocal chord.  The nodule is slowly going down but I am not able to sing until I am cleared by the doctor.  My advisor Dr. March suggested that I might be able to play harmonica in the Jazz B band if the professor OK's it.  Well today he did.  It happens that Dr. Michael Caldwell came from Chicago where he had a harmonica in a band he was in and also had a harmonica player in one of his ensembles at the college he taught in Chicago.  
I am very excited and honored that I will be able to play harmonica in the jazz band.  Both chromatic and diatonic.  You never know what will happen.  Up until this point all I was able to do was play a few selected pieces along with the choir.  But I will working 3 days a week on Jazz tunes.  I guess I decided to tell you all about this because it will be a great learning experience.  
I hope that those of you who are contemplating going back to school, go back!!  Play your harmonica in the school, play it well and don`t let anything change your mind.  Remember, if you are able to play well enough to go back to school and take a class  that will allow you to play in some type of ensemble, don`t forget that you are probably the only one at that school with that skill and knowledge of the harmonica.  So play it loud and play it sweet!!!

wish me luck!!!!

regards,
Roger Gonzales