I took adult lessons on the euphonium at the Maritime Conservatory of Performing Arts in Halifax. This is my 4-valve Yamaha YEP-321. My studies were based on the Standard of Excellence Comprehensive Band Method.
One of the short excercises I was assigned in my first few lessons was entitled "Erie Canal Capers", an American Work Song. After performing this piece for my teacher, I mentioned how much I liked the melody. He told me it was a song played by many school bands and I should check it out online. I did.
I discovered that the song, known by several different names, was based on the mule-powered barges that transported goods between upstate New York boomtowns during the period 1825 to 1880. The song was recorded in 1912 and credited to composer Thomas S. Allen. Furthermore, I found a version online by Bruce Springsteen in The Seeger Sessions (2006). The title is simply "Erie Canal" and I perform this song as a guitar/voice solo.
In the early 1980s we bought this Canadian-made Mason & Risch Piano from Phinneys Music Store on Barrington Street in Halifax for my private classical piano lessons. My music teacher was pianist Lydia Aquino, piano teacher at the Convent of the Sacred Heart School in Halifax. My studies followed the Royal Conservatory of Music syllabus.
I performed in two of Mrs. Aquino's student recitals at the Dalhousie Arts Centre on the Dalhousie University campus in Halifax. The first year I played the first movement of Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata (Adagio sostenuto). This is my sheet music that we used for my lessons. The second year I played one of Bach's best-known pieces Solfeggietto.
For writing original songs, creating unique arrangements for guitar, and for the rare public performance, I use my Nord Stage 3 keyboard. This world-class instrument consists of piano, organ and synthesizer sections.
My first guitar was a used acoustic that my parents bought for my birthday in 1967. I don't remember the make, however, I have kept one of my earliest guitars, a German-made Framus with serial number 007026 (see picture). This guitar is still playable and has a deep rich sound. I played guitar through my high school years (1969-73) at beach parties, school shows, and in a teenage band of friends. Our band even got paid $25 to play at a birthday party - since the group had four members, that was $6.25 each!
My current guitar is a Taylor Custom 414ce made in California. The shape of the neck and easy action make this an ideal match for my hands which have developed osteoarthritis in the joints since 2006. This guitar has seen lots of work over the years from Freeman's Little New York in Lower Sackville to the Hants County Exhibition in Windsor. The strings I use are Elixir Lights 12-53 for a great sound and long life. Most of my songs are performed with large, flexible triangle flat pics but I use finger style for a few songs. This year I bought a capo for the first time since the late 60s. Playing without a capo for over 55 years allowed me to develop strong fingers for barre chords, and the ability to play songs in any key. My playing style includes a lot of damping with both hands, and using pick rotation for staccato with the pick's points, and legato with the edges. To facilitate rotation and to prevent dropping my pick, I make a hole in the centre of the pick with a one-hole punch. It is rare that I drop a pick while playing.
As you can see, I have been using large triangle picks for more than 50 years. I bought the one on the left from the Underground Music Centre in Petawawa, Ontario in 1974 when I was playing in a professional band. Of course, the plastic is so brittle now it would shatter the first strike on a string. The owners were my friends Marcel and the late Linda Bourque who ran the store for 21 years. We purchased a lot of band equipment from their store. I do miss them dearly!
The most important group that influenced my guitar playing and singing were the Beatles.
Cat Stevens was second to the Beatles on influencing my solo acoustic performances.
I listened to a lot of Motown artists growing up but Stevie Wonder was the most influential. I had all of his albums at one point.
