Mid-Week Musician in the Spotlight: Carl Mason

It’s time for our mid-week Musician in the Spotlight! Each week we will highlight a musician with a few fun facts our patrons wouldn't have otherwise known.

This week our Musician in the Spotlight is Carl Mason. Carl currently serves as 3rd Trumpet for the ASO. Here are a few things to know about Carl:

Where is your hometown?

I was born in California; my father had been stationed there during WWII,  We moved back to his hometown, Clarksville,  AR as I was going into the 6th grade.

What instrument(s) can you play?

I began accordion lessons in California in the 2nd grade; the beginning of the 4th grade I broke my left arm and had a cast for about 6 weeks, so no accordion practice for that time. It was then in my elementary school that band classes began and I chose to begin trumpet playing.  I had one short stint at playing the tuba in the 5th grade, but I kept coming home in the afternoons with splitting headaches.  I guess my face was much too small for such a big mouthpiece at the time, so back to the trumpet to stay. My music education degree and band directing taught me to be able to play most any instrument; some better than others of course.

Who is your favorite composer and why?

My favorite composer;  I am especially fond of Antonin Dvorak's music, I guess because his New World Symphony was one of the first pieces I really listened to and studied intently.

What sparked your initial interest in music?

My father had purchased classical music records and I always remember listening and being enthralled with the wonderful sounds.  Also, there was so much use of classical music on early television programming and movies; cartoons,  Disney's Fantasia. etc. I also remember being enthralled by Leroy Anderson's Bugler's Holiday and of course Raphael Mendez was very famous and well known in California as I was growing up.

What other hidden talents do you have?

I love flowers and gardening and this takes up a lot of my spare time.

Thank you for reading this week's "Musician in the Spotlight." You can watch Carl in action at our Season Opener, Go Brahms, September 30th and October 1st. Check back next week for another fun musician profile!