The room has a computer with music software on it, but Rivers still composes most of his tunes by hand. And at 85, he still practices two hours a day. He says that in central Florida, he’s experiencing the most creative time in his life.
“I’m getting more ideas now ”” I think I’m far more mentally inspired creatively than I was when I was like 50 or maybe even 40,” Rivers insists. “I have so many more ideas. I have so much more knowledge. It’s great, it’s sort of like the universe: The more you see out there, the more there is. I don’t expect to ever reach my full achievement. I don’t expect to ever have that. Until I pass there’s gonna be, like there’s always more, you know?”
Sam Rivers is happy to spend most of his time in Florida. But he wants to squeeze in one last international tour. And Rivers is also looking for some institution to give a home to his life’s work of more than 300 compositions ”” before they overwhelm the shelves and filing cabinets that have begun to spread beyond his music room.
I’m now 72 years old. I have been playing oboe for 59 years and English horn for over a half century. In my younger days I played semi-professionally. I’m not famous or a jazz musician like Sam Rivers; my interest is in classical music.
I retired 4 years ago. I joined a band–New Horizons Band of Dallas–that does concerts for churches, retirement homes, schools and senior centers. ([url=http://www.nhbdallas.org/]New Horizons Band of Dallas[/url]) See also[url=http://www.nhbdallas.org/zacatecas.html] the associate director (me) conducting the band in Zacatecas March[/url]. The New Horizons Band is one of a number of bands, orchestras and choirs belonging to the International New Horizons International Music Association which promote music making among “seniors” 50 years old and older. I am by no means the oldest member of my band. While most of us played back in high school, there are some who never played before joining the New Horizons band. If you’re 50 or approaching 50, check it out for a group near you: [url=http://www.newhorizonsmusic.org/]New Horizons International Music Association[/url]
I also play with the Richardson Community Band and the Flower Mound Community Orchestra, where I appeared as a soloist last spring. A couple of years ago I took up the bassoon and now play that with the New Horizons Band of Denton. In my spare time I have done some arranging and composing.