Recent posts from the Mailbag.

Randall:
This will no doubt be a random out-of-the blue shout out. If I had a snail mail I assure you it would be long hand. Anyway, I found myself struck by some modern musical sounds on Wyoming Public Radio (of all places) and thought of you. An adventurous playlist of 20th Cen. Irish Compositions:

• Gerald Berry's String Quartet #4 "First Sorrow" - oddly affecting and courageously without expression;
• Jonathan Nangle's "Where distant city lights flicker on half frozen ponds" - somehow reminded me of Mpls
• and ​a third - only in retrospect - not on this program, but still somehow bound together with the others as a unique string work that I'm embarrassed to say that I only learned about this year (especially since it was on a centennial celebration album of Alberto Ginastera by Gil Shaham) Pampeana no. 1, Op.16 - transcendent, unadorned modernism (as if Heinrich Biber was born in the 20s).

Anyway - I can't account for the whims of the spirit - but, somehow these musical threads lead me to recall you fondly as a gifted and generous colleague even if I may have been too immature and disconnected to realize it at the time. I am working at a refreshingly vital 2-year college in Powell, WY (1.5 hours from Yellowstone's East Gate) mainly teaching music technology with a wonderfully well appointed recording studio at my disposal and great colleagues. I will wish you well and sign off - with apologies for the random note.
I just decided to articulate a passing thought instead of my usual proclivity to bury it. If you ever see (composer) Homer Lambrecht please pass along my greetings.
Best, R. R. 

---