For several years
now I have contemplated writing an autobiography. Modestly, thought my life
might be interesting enough that it could keep a readers attention; I’ve
traveled extensively, lived in many places in the world and I believe my
musical life, especially with 35 years of full time symphony orchestra
experience, possibly might be of interest. Through the last ten years I have
actually sat down at my desk with my computer and started the biography
project. Quickly, I discovered, even though I’ve been writing for the Japanese
magazine Pipers and my personal blog
for the last 10 years, that my attempts at were not working. They were
strikingly uninteresting.
I have had offers
from professional biographers that I did not know, friends who were interested
and sometimes, even students, to write my biography. My answer was always negative
simply because I was afraid of what I might get and sometimes even that I might
not have control of the final product.
Last summer we had the first edition of what was called THE
ROGER BOBO FESTIVAL OF BRASS at the Jones County Junior College in Mississippi
and I had the pleasure of working with the organizers of the festival, Drs.
Jonathan Helmick and Travis Scott. They showed an interest in the biography
project and in a short time it was very clear they were highly qualified plus they
had the dedication to realize the project. I made a time outline, they came to
Oaxaca, Mexico and we spent six hours a day for six days making the notes,
stories and anecdotes, photographs, ETC, to start a biography.
This was not easy work; talking about yourself for 6 hours a
day for one week is exhausting. As the material accumulated I was amazed how
much material there was, the formative years, the student years, the cities,
the orchestra and teaching positions became a very thick compilation of notes.
Of course, the question remains what to include and what to leave out.
It takes a healthy ego to even assume that my biography
might be interesting enough to become good reading but now, with the notes of
the last days it’s time to step back to get a clearer prospective and to focus
on the realities of the present rather than the past.
On the list of things to do:
1.
Continue the work with the OGI (Oaxaca Brass
Ensemble)
2.
Prepare for the Roger Bobo Festival of Brass at
the University of Slippery Rock in Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania, June 12-16, also
under the organization of Drs. Jonathan Helmick and Travis Scott.
3.
Continue my very enjoyable 10 years of monthly
articles for Pipers magazine.
On a personal note, I miss very
much my life in Japan and I look forward to a possible opportunity of returning
soon.
January 11, 2016, Oaxaca, Mexico
Roger Bobo
