Virtuoso trombonist and brass teacher Denis Wick, Principal Trombonist of the London Symphony Orchestra for over 30 years, was in Portales, New Mexico, home of Eastern New Mexico University (ENMU) a few years ago for a low brass clinic. We got some great information about breathing (you should HEAR him take a deep breath!), slide technique, what it was like to play in the London Symphony Orchestra, and lots of other interesting stories. At one point, about a dozen of us (trombonists all), went to dinner at a Mexican food restaurant. So, I sat close to Mr. Wick, and Don Lucas, the current professor of trombone at Texas Tech University, sat across from me. At present, Don also conducts the Texas Tech Trombone Choir, as well as other, similar groups. Back then, he held a similar position at ENMU. As I put it then, with tongue firmly in cheek, we had the "Prime Minister" (Mr. Wick) and the "Secretary of Defense (Don) of Trombone-dom at the table. I was all settled in and very eager to hear some great gems of trombone wisdom, when all of a sudden this young lady several seats down changes the entire course of the evening's much anticipated conversation by delivering to Mr. Wick an animated discourse on . . . COW TIPPING! ARGHHH!!!!!!!!!! I WAS FLOORED!!!!!! We never got around to the hoped for "gems of wisdom," because Mr. Wick thought the subject of cow tipping was just too hilarious to drop! As an aside, this same young lady once had an encounter with the legendary DIZZY GILLESPIE at a record shop. She said she looked at him, tried to determine if it WAS him, and finally he asked her why she was staring. "Are you Dizzy Gillespie?" "Yes." "No, you're not." "Yes, I am. How can I prove it to you?" Putting her fingers up to her lips to seal them off, she said, "Go like this and blow." It WAS him! Earl Needham, Clovis, New Mexico Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, Pi Chi Chapter, 1975. Return to Story Archive Menu Send this SJO page to a friend! HISTORY | THE MUSICIANS | OUR MUSIC | PAST CLIENTS | MEMBERSHIP LISTS & LINKS | ANECDOTES | CONTACT US | PHOTO GALLERY SCHEDULE | BOOKING | SOUND FILES | RESOURCES | ANECDOTE ARCHIVE COPYRIGHT© 2003 SJO, INC.