Pittsburgh AOSA 1980 / 2011

In the process of making final preparations for the trip to Pittsburgh for this years AOSA conference I got to thinking about the last time the AOSA conference was in Pittsburgh in 1980.  I remembered several of the sessions I attended and remembered many activities that have stayed with me in memory.  Late night folk dancing with Phyllis Weikart, an hour of intense movement activities with Heidi Weidlich, the closing ceremony with Konnie Saliba, and the Saturday night concert where the 5 original members of the Virginia Highlands Chapter made the plans that resulted in the formation of that chapter 3 years later in Cleveland.

I've gone to my library and have found some pics of that wonderful event.  Enjoy!

Jester Hairston leads a choral session in the main ballroom of the conference center.

Konnie Saliba, Karen Medley and Carol King perform.

David Holt

A memorable couple of sessions with a Young David Holt was a highlight of the conference.  I still remember him teaching us to play, bones, bags and spoons!

Ellen Koziel, Brent Holl and the WVU Percussion Ensemble

The West Virginia Percussion Ensemble demonstrated their authentic baliphones. An amazing performance and session!

Heidi Weidlich leads us in an arduous movement session.

Heidi Weidlich started her session with a command to imitate her.  "Do everything I do!"  We ended up on the floor, rolling, sitting, doing leg and arm movement, laughing and exploring every possible combination of movement.

Making marimbas, making music - Roanoke.com

Making marimbas, making music - Roanoke.com

This is the newspaper story of the marimba making project at Kipps Elementary just completed this past Tuesday.  Enjoy!

Beatin' Path Photo Gallery - Kipps Bass Marimba

Beatin' Path Photo Gallery - Kipps Bass Marimba

I'll be traveling soon to Kipps Elementary School in Blacksburg, Virginia to help the students build a new bass marimba!  I've spent the past week gathering materials and tools, ordering the frames, and building and tuning the pipe resonator units in preparation for my trip to Blacksburg.

 

The frame was made by a local carpenter, Pierce Pitsenbarger.  He made the frame with some very nice poplar lumber.  After delivering it, he helped me mount the PVC resonator pipes. 

 

Mr. Pitsenbarger also cut and milled 19 tone bars that will be mounted on the frame.  The tone bars are mahogany.   My job today was to mount the bars on the frame and prepare them for the tuning process.  Each bar was measured, center cut, and drilled in preparation for mounting on the frame.

Drilling the nail hole.  This is how each bar will be attached to the frame.

Each bar is marked.  The center third of the bar will be carved out in the tuning process.

Each bar is center cut.  The cut goes halfway through the thickness of each tone bar.  This will serve as a guide for the tuning of the bar.

I'll add more pics and stories as the marimba work continues.  For now, please click on the link at the beginning of this blog entry for a gallery of pics showing the steps in making Gipps Elementary School's new bass marimba.