Millenia have passed since this story began being told among my people about a national symbol known to my ancestors as the Coquí. It's a beautiful tale with requisite sadness balanced by remembrance. This particular story comes from the tradition of Los Indios Taínos that once, along with the fierce Caribes and the Arawaks, inhabited …
What is it they say? Oh, right... "May you live in interesting times." Look... I did something that was fairly unusual for one of our concerts, especially a Pops-type show, so, it's not like I didn't understand there would be consequences of varying types... but, y'know... there comes a point where you can't sit and …
I'm not the tallest guy in the world. If we were to meet you might not necessarily peg me as particularly short but when you compare me to my other male colleagues in the orchestra as we sit together you'd likely say "He's not the tallest guy in the world." Generally, I have no problem …
I love Vietnamese food when it's cooked well and if I'm very hungry after a rehearsal I like to visit Pho 79, a popular place on what they call "Eat Street" in Minneapolis. Today I was famished on the heels of preparing the program for a kids show we'll play this week. You know how …
When we hear the military bugle call, we know today as Taps, we do more than hear it: we feel it. It has varied meaning for those who embrace the smooth intervals which start in the middle register and rise the cusp of a bugle's high register only to waft gently downward again. That call …
Manny Laureano 