Interview
About the Author

It is precisely 8:15 a.m. and my alarm clock has just sounded. I stumble out of bed feeling at least remote guilt, knowing that the day is long under way for many. This never really bothered me until I met Tom Stacy, solo English hornist with the New York Philharmonic. Stacy's day is long under way already. He has practiced an hour and recorded his morning session. He is probably
loading the tape into the cassette deck in his shiny white Mercedes and preparing to pull out of his Old Greenwich, Connecticut driveway. During the one hour commute to Lincoln Center, Stacy will critique his morning music making, or maybe even call me on his car phone to discuss plans for the 1993 Stacy Seminar.

Stacy, who many consider America's icon of the English horn, works hard and plays hard. (Yes, I meant for you to wonder what "play" meant in this context.) Suffice it to say that the man truly has a flair for living as well as music making. The two are inseparable in a persona like Stacy. Each magnifies and complements the other. At the pinnacle of his career, Stacy is a very busy man, juggling his work with the Philharmonic, his faculty position at the Juilliard School, and concerto performances and
masterclasses around the world. In addition, he has found time to show his amazing versatility through his work as a crossover artist. His two pop/jazz CD's (Amber Waves and A Nu View Christmas with Tom Stacy) have won critical acclaim. CBS Television's Sunday Morning compared him to Segovia and Rampal as a pioneer soloist.

Born in Augusta, Arkansas (population 3,000), Tom first heard an oboe on a recording of La Scala di Seta in his mother's collection. "The sound intoxicated me!" After studying piano, violin, clarinet, and oboe, he sold his motorcycle (in junior high school) and used the proceeds to buy his first English horn. Tom began his professional career as English hornist with the New
Orleans Philharmonic (John Mack was playing principal at the time). After a contract dispute, Stacy spent one season with the San Antonio Symphony (where Dan Stolper was playing principal), followed by nine seasons with the Minnesota Orchestra. He
has been with the New York Philharmonic for 21 years!!

In spite of his overwhelming agenda, Tom spends a week every summer coaching English hornists from around the world at his annual seminar. I was host for the seminar
last summer and will assume that role again this August. As last year's host, I found that the atmosphere of the seminar revolved around Stacy's attitude toward people and music. Stacy embraces the good aspects of each participant's playing, while gently guiding him or her in a positive direction. His wit and infectious smile immediately puts those around him at ease.

In anticipation of the 15th anniversary of the Stacy English Horn Seminar approaching this summer, I interviewed Tom to find out about his career, his feelings about music and the English horn, and the history of the seminar and its enduring success.

HG: What inspired you to do the first Stacy Seminar?

TS: The genesis of the seminar was a suggestion by Joe Robinson. He had been instrumental, no pun intended, in establishing the John Mack Camp, and thought that there would be interest in presenting something of the sort for Cor Anglais.

HG: Why should someone attend the seminar?

TS: Henry, the seminar provides an opportunity for each participant to play for me many times. It gets exciting as the week progresses and we hear all of the participants improving their skills and expanding their musical thinking. Also in today's market, an oboist can improve his or her marketability by learning to play the English horn.

HG: The seminar has traveled around the country over the last 15 years. Where all has it
been?

TS: Ithaca, NY, Greensboro, NC, Stockton, CA, Northridge, CA, Atlanta, GA, Towson, MD, Rome, GA, and happily, this summer's seminar will be in West Chester, PA.

HG: Do you raise a flag in each city, or get a key from the mayor?

TS: Let me answer that by saying no one has been arrested for disturbing the peace!! Not even when we all play together in English horn choir!

HG: How would you say the seminars have differed over the years?

TS: They have mellowed with age. The seminar is dear to my heart and I give it a great deal of thought throughout the year! Every year, we fine-tune the schedule, based on comments solicited from the previous year's participants. This coming summer, we will add a day to allow more time for participants to work on reeds, practice, and assimilate information between sessions.
Also, I know more every year, so I have more to give.

HG: Speaking of sessions, what do you do during the week?

TS: A great variety of things, really. We have one or two masterclasses a day. We work on orchestral excerpts, the Telemann Fantasies (among my favorite teaching pieces), solo
literature, Bach arias, and etudes. We also spend time in reed making sessions where I work with two or three people at a time, adjusting their reeds and making suggestions. We have English horn choir and trio reading sessions. Our mock audition session is a favorite among the participants. And, oh yes, we have some parties. Last year's parties were phenomenal (thanks to Atlanta English hornist Ginger Ramsay). I tried to keep everyone's mind full of information-she kept us full of gourmet eats!!

HG: Yes, alas, I'm still on a diet. Your seminar has meant a lot to many people over the last 14 years. What has it meant to you?

TS: I have learned a lot. Creatively verbalizing my thoughts and theories to others has strengthened my own abilities and expanded my thinking. It has been enormously fulfilling to see improvement, both during the week and over the years, in so many players. And, as a special bonus, I've made some beautiful friendships.

HG: Let's talk about your playing some. At the recital which opened the 14th annual Stacy Seminar, I noticed, among other things, your great control of dynamics. Your tortes were loud and ringing, your pianissimos a hushed whisper. You obviously think this is very important.

TS: Thank you, yes! Dynamics are one option and an important one available to us one-note-at-a-time melody players in order to draw the listeners in. Also, one must be able to make a beautiful, projecting sound when playing softly, and, when playing fff produce a sound that is not blatant. We cover the "how-to's" of the requisite technique to accomplish this during the opening session of the seminar.

HG: Also, your endurance stands out. How do you recommend building stamina?

TS: One of my recommendations is playing for short durations of time, often. That's what I do to build up endurance after I've been on vacation.

HG: OK, I have to ask this. So many people seem obsessed with reeds. "If only I had
You are way beyond that. Any comments?

TS: I try to teach simplification of the initial reed making process, therefore allowing more time for refinement in adjusting the sonic capabilities of the reed. All of us double reed players must be aware that a good reed doesn't automatically translate into great artistry.

HG: What do you think is the salient personal trait required to become a great English hornist?

TS: Sensuousness!!!

HG: In listening to woodwind players in your world travels and in other orchestras, and in your masterclasses around the world, what is the most noticeable area where improvement is needed.

TS: Lately, one thing I've noticed, at high levels, is players who play every note down-bow, never an up-bow!! It has to do with starting and stopping notes. There again, especially because we can play only one note at a time, we must be able to start and stop the sound attractively and appropriately.

HG: How has your playing changed over the last twenty years with the NYP?

TS: I'm much freer with expression and am more into making every note have direction.

HG: Do you practice a lot?

TS: With all that I do, practice is a sought-after luxury. I truly enjoy practice, and can amuse myself for hours in my studio. I think of practice in three tiers. First, a certain amount of time must be spent to maintain your technique at its present level. Now, there's a sobering thought! Next, there's practice to improve, followed by learning new and required repertory.

HG: How much do you tell your students to practice?

TS: When I was a student of Robert Sprenkle's at Eastman, I asked him how long every day I should practice the basics. He answered, "It depends on how good you want to be." I tell my students this story.

HG: I know what you mean! Let's spend a few minutes talking about "the man behind the music."

TS: HELP!!

HG: I'll make it easy. If you had only one word to describe your personality, what would it be?

TS: Colorful-compassionate. I know that's two words, but since they both begin with "c" ...

HG: How about "Cor"ny? Just kidding. Tell me some amusing anecdotes from your long career!

TS: That's an easy one! Two stand out as most memorable. When I was with the Minnesota Orchestra, one time the manager sent me a contract which he had signed, but failed to fill in the salary, so I filled it in, quite high as you can imagine, and sent it back. When he finally discovered this, he returned the contract with the caption, "This contract valid only if said musician
weighs less than 120 pounds for duration of agreement."

At the Philharmonic I used to kid Paige Brook when he played the alto flute by telling him that it sounded like a tenor sax. When he went into the hospital for a hernia operation, I sent him a
telegram which said, "I told you that playing the tenor sax would give you a hernia." He sent me a telegram right back that said, "Quick, change to English horn before it happens to you!"

HG: What are your vices and compulsions?

TS: Henry! I have no vices. I do love the cocktail hour. (A cocktail party is a lot like music making-be anything but don't be boring.) I'm represented in the New York Philharmonic 150 Anniversary cookbook with my recipe for Negronis. I like nice things for the house, and when I want something, I just buy it. I'm an only child, you know!

HG: We seem to laugh an awful lot when we're together. Where did you get your infamous sense of humor?

TS: Bloomingdales.

HG: Basement?

TS: Touche! Actually, my mom, I guess. Frequently I laugh at myself-now that's important!

About the 1993 Seminar: The 1993 Stacy Seminar will be held from August 8-15, 1993 at West Chester University of PA. For more information write Dr. Henry Grabb, The Stacy Seminar, School of Music, West Chester University, West Chester, PA 19383 or call (215) 436-2224.

About the author: Henry Grabb is an Assistant Professor of Instrumental Music at West Chester University of Pennsylvania. Formerly a faculty member at Berry College, The University of Kansas, Humboldt State University, and Stetson University, Grabb holds a doctorate in Oboe Performance from Florida State University.

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