Conducting the classics

Young Chang

Conductor Alan Remington suddenly remembers that he hasn’t brewed the

coffee.

Between fielding questions from musicians and warming up the orchestra

before rehearsal this week, he steps off the conductor’s podium and

shuffles toward the snack table in the left wing of Orange Coast

College’s Robert B. Moore Theatre.

His hair’s a mess. His light gray corduroy pullover looks hastily

thrown on and his brown slacks hang baggy. Conductor’s wand in hand, the

73-year-old Remington arrives at the table and plugs the coffee thermos

in.

The table, it turns out, offers more than just coffee. There is green

tea, oolong tea, chamomile tea, decaffeinated coffee and an assembly line

of plastic baskets holding everything from artificial sweetener to cocoa

packets and creamer.

The musicians in his Symphony Orchestra will even get cookies during

their rehearsal for Sunday’s performance of works by Antonin Dvorak,

Giacomo Puccini and Paul Dukas.

Remington buys these bakery cookies every week. He also pays for the

coffee, tea, condiments, the stamps that get smacked onto the orchestra’s

newsletters, the envelopes and the stationary.

The orchestra, officially titled Music 133 at OCC, isn’t supported by

the college financially. Still, the members keep playing and the audience

keeps listening. And it’s why Remington sets up his table of goodies and

mails out those announcements.

“These people from the community come right after work,” said

Remington, also an OCC professor of music. “They donate three hours a

week. It’s the least I could do.”

The musical gestures have extended both ways for 41 years. Every week,

students, professional musicians and career folks ranging from doctors to

salesmen rush to a 7 p.m. rehearsal as preparation for their quarterly

concerts.

Some of the musicians have been with the orchestra, which is funded by

ticket sales, OCC groups and individual donors, for more than 30 years.

They’ve been auditing the class because the state regulates that members

must either be students or auditors. Remington has never required

auditions to make it into the class. He just has guests visit for a

rehearsal.

“And by the end of the rehearsal, they and I will know whether they

can do it,” he said.

More than 60 musicians lugged in their instruments Tuesday for a final

practice before Sunday’s concert, which will include excerpts from

Puccini’s “La Boheme,” Dvorak’s “From the New World” and Dukas’ “The

Sorcerer’s Apprentice.” Some came from home, some came from law offices,

others from hospitals and yet others from schools.

“They’re from every place,” Remington said. “We have all different

ages. All different backgrounds.”

Tom Henderson, a 67-year-old lawyer by day and oboist by night, said

he harbors an affection and loyalty for the group similar to Remington’s.

“I think it’s one of the cultural foundations in our local community,”

the estate planning lawyer said. “There are not many orchestras around

where people like us who’ve been out of school for a long time still

participate.”

Remington, who plays the saxophone, clarinet and bassoon, took over as

conductor of the orchestra 13 years ago. He had moved to Hollywood from

Houston to work on orchestrations at Paramount Pictures in 1957. The

stint lasted two days, as his boss passed away, and soon Remington found

himself playing whatever musical genre he was asked to play at whatever

dive he was booked.

He arrived at OCC as a professor in the late 70s.

“It’s what I do,” he said. “My preference is for classical music.”

In the last 13 years, the orchestra hasn’t changed much in style or

number. It’s still in need of funds, as usual, and it’s a group of 60

plus musicians like most orchestras are.

The mission -- to play music while juggling careers, family and other

parts of life -- hasn’t changed either.

“I find they compliment each other pretty well,” said Henderson of law

and music. “It can get pretty intense at times when you’re dealing with

people and their problems. It’s nice to have music as an outlet.”

FYI

WHAT: Orange Coast College Symphony Orchestra performs

WHEN: 7:30 p.m. Sunday

WHERE: Robert B. Moore Theatre, 2701 Fairview Road, Costa Mesa

COST: $6 or $10

CALL: (949) 722-6191