NCB COVID Chronicles, Part 7: Member Reflections — Heather McCowen
For our seventh installment of NCB COVID Chronicles, we chat with bassoonist Heather McCowen about her experience rehearsing at The Grove National Historic Landmark earlier this season.
Heather joined the band in 2017 and quickly integrated herself into our volunteer culture, sewing items to sell at the silent auction and serving on the Board of Directors. She is currently the Head of Engagement and Alumni Relations at The Chicago High School for the Arts (ChiArts) and helped arrange an NCB outreach concert there in 2019.
Tell us a little bit about yourself!
This is my fourth season in the band. I've known about the band for over 30 years, as Mr. Paynter recruited me to Northwestern University. He had come out to Washington State when I was in high school to conduct an honor band and we did Malcolm Arnold’s Four Scottish Dances. There's a famous "tipsy" bassoon solo in that piece. Mr. Paynter liked how I played it and said I should think about Northwestern. I'd like to think my journey to the Northshore Concert Band started as me playing a drunk bassoonist. (There's a typecasting joke in there somewhere).
Prior to coming to the NCB, I was playing first bassoon in a good community orchestra, and had been a symphony musician for many, many years. I was a full-time musician way back in the late 90's playing with the Dallas and Fort Worth Symphonies. This means that while I know the orchestral literature really well, all the standard wind literature is new to me which is wonderful! I love digging in and learning new music. And it's such a gift to work with Mallory and the whole ensemble. Years of sitting in rehearsals and watching conductors, one has thoughts and feelings about conducting. And now, to rehearse with Mallory Thompson, a certified rock star conductor, and see how she rehearses us, and teaches the Northwestern grad students is just a gift. I have no plans to go back to school and get a degree in conducting, but it is so fun and interesting learning how it's done from Mallory. My colleagues in the band are so talented, too.
How did your musical routine change when the pandemic hit? Did you continue to practice regularly, or did your bassoon fall to the wayside?
I practiced a little more, but with bassoon there's a mute and my 8-year-old son and my husband were all sheltering in place with me. I had to be strategic when I did practice. I made some reeds, but for me the joy in playing has always come from the connections made playing with other people.
Have you tested out any bassoon personal protective equipment (PPE)? If so, tell us about what you tried out and how it went.
There's not really much out there. The air I put into the bassoon goes into the instrument and disburses throughout all the tone holes. Any aerosols pretty much just hover around the instrument. Only the lowest note on the instrument, the low B-flat, comes out of the top of the instrument, and we don't really play that note often. I just make sure I wear my homemade masks in bright colors to every rehearsal.
Were you nervous to resume rehearsals, given the current world climate?
I wasn't nervous. I was excited. I have complete faith in Mallory Thompson and Peter Gotsch (NCB Board Chair). If they felt it was safe to rehearse, I believed them. And with Lauren Whisnant (NCB Business Manager) enforcing the timed entrances and social distancing, I never felt like I was unsafe.
What was the most exciting part rehearsing at The Grove? Any notable moments?
I love that our new space means I sit next to different people. I mean, I knew Kendra Gohr was talented, but to sit next to her. especially during marches when the bassoon and euphonium are doubled, was a joy. I felt like I could actually hear so much better. That, and Kendra is so easy to play with. Her tone and intonation are spot on.
Is it liberating to be able to play much louder outdoors, or do you miss the more restrained playing we typically do indoors?
I LOVE IT SO MUCH. I'm much more used to playing one on a part and having to sing over the entire orchestra when necessary. That's totally different from making sure you're blending into a section, with all the interesting ways the bassoon can be out of tune. I can really sing out. It's been a terrific experience.
How do you feel being back making music in-person?
A few years ago, I was seriously considering giving up playing completely. I have been playing the bassoon since I was 13 and I'm 48 now. I had wanted to try something new and challenging with my playing, but wasn't sure what to do. I wanted to be in an ensemble that was focused on playing music at the highest level, where everyone was there because they wanted to be. When my friend and ChiArts colleague Betsy Ko (flute) told me about her experience in NCB, it came along at the perfect time.
The months we sheltered in place were weird and timeless. Having weekly rehearsals has restored a bit of order and ritual to my weeks. Being a part of something bigger than me, and to do my part to the best of my ability to help the greater whole, was something I missed the most.
McCowen demonstrating her standing bassoon prowess during a recent rehearsal at The Grove National Historic Landmark, Glenview, Illinois.
Tell us about standing while playing the bassoon. Is it something you have to practice? Is it super unnatural?
Not gonna lie, I'm not a fan. One big reason is that the bassoon sits in a slightly different place and I've had a couple of moments where my shirt or dress got caught in a key and a very unexpected note came out. That said, I'm getting better at it, and my breath support is 1000% times better as I can really expand my lungs to breathe. That just comes easier when you're standing up. I might bring a folding chair to the indoor rehearsals for the next cycle, but I haven't decided yet. It's mostly a habit thing. Two months versus 35 years - it takes a while to get used to.
What are you most excited about for our rehearsal cycle at The Grove?
Seeing my friends and the joy that focusing on rehearsing completely brings. I only bring my phone out for my tuner app at the beginning of rehearsal. I put it away and just focus on playing the best I can. And how can you not love the Grove? I mean, fairy lights and the pavilion with that Hansel and Gretel fireplace? Driving there every Wednesday you just feel like you are in a different world.
Which piece of music from your assigned group(s) are you looking forward to rehearsing the most? Why?
Procession of the Nobles. I have a long history with the music and I've never played it before! My dad introduced me to orchestral music when I was very young and used to blast Rimsky-Korsakov and Saint-Saens through our house on the weekends. He loves this piece. Later, I used it for the wedding march (a brass quintet arrangement) at my first wedding, and when we were designing the graduation ceremony for the first graduation at ChiArts back in 2013, I insisted we use Procession of the Nobles and not the traditional Elgar. We now have a tradition that the opening brass fanfare plays in its entirety before the faculty begin the graduation processional. But until this cycle, I had never played it, either in an orchestra or in a band. So much fun!
Join us on 3:00pm on Sunday, November 15, for A Socially Distanced Celebration: Part Two! This streaming event is free and open to the public, and can be accessed on NCB’s Facebook page at any time following the initial stream. Check our social media channels for more information.
Next Week: Part 8, Member Reflections — Annie Grapentine
Next Wednesday, we check in with one of the youngest members of the band - trumpet Annie Grapentine. Annie’s first performance with NCB was as a participant in our Lifetime of Music concert many years ago. Hear about her experiences rehearsing at The Grove and Park Center next week!