First, think back to last Thursday when streets were starting to look like obstacle courses for dog sled teams.

Now, let’s get on with what was transpiring behind the scenes at the DSO.

As the afternoon proved challenging for everyone, Doug started getting calls from various DSO musicians who were trapped at homes or having major no-go relationships with their cars. The tipping point was the call from principal trumpter Ryan Anthony, whose car was definitely having issues but was trying his best to make it to the Meyerson.

It was then that Doug had to discuss the likelihood of whether the show would go on with maestro Jaap van Zweeden with musicians like Ryan taking risky chances to come through.

Why then was Ryan’s presence so pressing? Well, if you’ll check your Rachmaninoff Symphony #2, you know that the trumpet is essential. Think Camelot without Lancelot or discussing Michaelangelo without mentioning the Sistine Chapel.

After being presented with the situation, the ever charming and savvy Jaap told Doug that he appreciated his involving him on the decision but unless Doug could play the trumpet, the decision was a fait accompli.

Doug spent the rest of the evening at the door apologizing to very understanding patrons. Perhaps he should sign up for some trumpet lessons over at Booker T.

But never fear. British-born conductor James Judd will step in to handle the New Year’s concert for the DSO.

Jaap is scheduled to return to normal DSO duties in February.

PS – Welcome aboard, Peter. It’s nice to have you in D‘s blogosphere.

Making up the stable of celluloid composers are

• James Newton Howard (Pretty Woman, The Sixth Sense, King Kong, I am Legend, The Village, Michael Clayton, The Fugitive, The Dark Knight with Hans Zimmer, My Best Friend’s Wedding, etc.)
• George Fenton (Gandhi, with Ravi Shankar, The Fisher King, Dangerous Liaisons, Hitch, The Madness of King George, Memphis Bell, Planet Earth, Blue Planet, etc.)
• Theodore Shapiro (Marley and Me, The Devil Wears Prada, Old School, Tropic Thunder,  Blades of Glory, Dodgeball, Starsky & Hutch, You, Me & Dupree, etc.)
• Michael Giacchino (UP, Mission Impossible III, Star Trek, The Incredibles, Ratatouille, Lost, etc.)
• Harry Gregson-Williams (Shrek 1, 2, and 3, The Chronicles of Narnia Series, X Men Origins: Wolverine, The Prince of Persia, etc.
• Sir Anthony Hopkins (Slipstream, August, Stella Aria, The Mask of Time and Fanfare, etc.) Yup, you read that last one right!

Three of the composers (Harry, Teddy, and George) joined DSO conductor Jaap van Zweeden (pictured, left, with Harry, Teddy, and George) on the stage at the Meyerson for this morning’s announcement to discuss the plans. They looked to all the world as if they’d rather be working on their scores immediately. Evidently last night they’d had dinner in Jaap’s residence at the Ritz to discuss their upcoming assignments withJaap and DSO President Doug Adams.

One of the points of conversation was the Lay Family Organ. It seems she can be a bit intimidating, so Harry believes that that the other composers are going to let him take up the challenge and incorporate the organ in his work. Admitting that his earliest musical recollections were in church, he looked up at the mammoth pipes with admiration — a little like most men look at a Ferrari. But this isn’t his first time with music requiring some muscle and strength. In working on Heaven and Kingdom, he learned powerful music without being overwhelming can be a challenge for composers.

Speaking of the dinner at Jaap’s, George and Harry were commenting on the excellent food. Harry asked if the chef, who prepared the meal and seemed like a regular fellow, was well known. Doug smiled saying, “Yes, Dean has quite a reputation.”

Will keep you posted.

According to DSO President Doug Adams, “We are moving our Pops programming in a slightly different direction and feel it is time to change the way we look at the principal pops conductor position. We deeply value our long-standing and extremely successful relationship with Richard, and we are thrilled that he has agreed to continue this relationship with the permanent title of pops conductor laureate. We look forward to welcoming Richard back for future pops performances.”

Definite job security for all involved.

Bravo!

But, no, there among the crowd of board members, media types and sponsors was a very jazzily-attired Jaap (FYI: Jaap rhymes with “lap,” not “pop”) being just  as sociable as a freshman at a rush party. The only sign that he was the BMOC was his bodyguard, or rather escort, or rather handler, blonde DSO staff member Stacie Adams (pictured with Jaap, left, and a reporter). Seamlessly she maneuvered him through the crowd, allowing him to chat long enough to be charming but not long enough to keep him from his appointed duties on stage.

Unlike his image leering down from banners and signage around town, the man in the flesh is refreshingly charming. Whether he’s being prodded by a nosy journalist about his international lifestyle or admitting that he has neither a “Blackberry nor iPhone. I just have a simple cellphone with no special ringtones,” he made each person feel like he was theirs for the evening.  But then Stacie would smile and ease him along his way to the next eager guest-in-waiting. Then all too quickly the maestro disappeared to his night job.

But never fear, the sociable types managed to carry on without JvZ. For instance, fresh new DSO board member Cathy Manning admitted that retirement has become a full-time job, thanks to her involvement on various boards. Cathy’s husband/Jones Day lawyer George Manning confessed that despite being tone deaf, he found the symphony to be inspiring. . . . DSO headman Doug Adams went over his notes about a change in the evening’s program. Instead of opening with the originally-planned  Medea’s Dance of Vengeance, the symphony would perform Adagio for Strings in memory of Dallas Symphony Chorus Director David R. Davidson, who died September 5 after a two-year battle with cancer. . . . Angus Wynne advised folks that brother Shannon Wynne’s recent engagement to longtime girlfriend Kimberly Daulton didn’t mean that wedding invitations would be mailed immediately. . . . And , while Robert Miller gave an enthusiastic though abbreviated review of Anna Karenina, he admitted that not all Russian writers were to his liking: “I tried to get through Dostoevsky, but just couldn’t.”

So you need some examples?  Tincy and Vance Miller are definitely not seeing eye-to-eye when it comes to the governor’s race.  She’s working for Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison and he’s backing Gov. Rick Perry. . . . When asked about the quality of playwrights today compared to yesteryear, SMU Chair of the Theater Division Cecil O’Neal immediately championed Pulitzer Prize playwright Lynn Nottage, especially her 2003 production “Intimate Apparel.” Can’t imagine the play being better than his description of it. . . . Dallas Symphony Orchestra President Doug Adams was visibly impressed by the guest list for tomorrow night’s DSO’s 20th anniversary gala. Oh, and he and wife are still doing a commuter marriage with their former home being a victim of Denver’s brutal housing market. . . . The Mansion’s Tracy Fitz revealed that the guest rooms’ total remodeling would be complete by the end of the year. Sneak peeks of the suites are a treat. You can rest easy. Management was wise enough to keep the best of the past including The Mansion’s muted peach color scheme, while adding new oh-so fabulous wow factors.

But the highpoint of the night began when the auction got under way in The Promenade. Forget staid seated auctions with silent hand waving.  No, Christie’s auctioneer Tash Perrin had herself a lively, crowded group that was hungry for deals. Why they were almost (we said almost) rowdy! Coming down from her stage with microphone in hand, blonde Tash confronted, charmed and cajoled bidders against one another. 

At one point in the auction, knockout Ann Hobson rose from the audience and took the mike from Tash and detailed one of the eight trips on the auction block. She’d been there and she knew what she was talking about. The gal really liked the place. Evidently, Scott Kimple took Ann at her word and snapped the trip up for $10,000.

Perhaps the most interesting purchase of the night was the dinner for 10 with DSO maestro Jaap van Zweden in The Mansion Wine Cellar (aka formerly known as “the fur and silver vault” of the original Sheppard King mansion). As Tash worked the crowd, there was a couple at the side bidding, comparing notes and chuckling as the price went up. They looked like two kids just having a great time with their sights set on a real treat. Finally, the deal was done and our couple landed their dinner for a cool $8,000.  Who was the couple? None other than Diane and Hal Brierley.  

But, come on. Let’s face it. The Brierleys with all their contributions and connections could have easily placed a few calls and arranged for a dinner with the DSO phenom. When asked, Diane without missing a beat said, “We did it to support the arts. That is what we’re here for. Plus it also gives us a great opportunity for us to introduce some very good folks to Jaap.”