Klarinet Archive - Posting 000674.txt from 1996/08

From: Claudia Zornow <claudia@-----.COM>
Subj: Corporation Bands
Date: Mon, 26 Aug 1996 12:31:44 -0400

(Note the helpful, informative subject line!)

My company, Hewlett-Packard, has several musical organizations
in the San Francisco Bay Area (where about 20,000 of its 100,000+
employees work, split among a number of buildings in different
cities).

Hewlett-Packard Symphony - About 35 members ranging from very
good down to beginners; HP provides rehearsal space and, I
think, a little bit of money for music.

Hewlett-Packard Chorus - About 60 members; HP provides rehearsal
space, rehearsal piano, and money for music.

HP Brass - Brass quintet (I'm the tubist); HP provides rehearsal
space but we earn our own money for music by soliciting donations
from internal groups that we play for (e.g. department Christmas
parties).

All these groups rehearse at lunchtime (i.e. our own time). They may
be asked to perform at a company function but are considered more as
clubs than as official parts of the company.

The public radio program "Marketplace" did an essay on corporate
orchestras back in June, coinciding with the U.S. tour done by the
Toshiba Philharmonic, and the HP Symphony manager and I were quoted
on the radio talking about the group.

Back when I was a summer student at IBM in Rochester, Minnesota, I
played in their dance band, the "37th Street Gold." I learned to
play saxophone (baritone sax) for that band, so it was a rewarding
summer in several ways!

Claudia