Description

We're joined in this episode by the Artistic Director of the Dayton Philharmonic, Neal Gittleman.

Neal is the son of a former baseball who played catcher on his Navy base while serving. Born in Brooklyn in 1955, Neal recalls accompanying his father to a trio of New York Mets' games in their 1962 debut season in the Polo Grounds. And, miracle of miracles, Neal saw three of the team's 40 victories that season. He was a Mets fan until 1977 when the team made, in Neal's mind, a questionable personnel move. At that point he switched allegiance to the crosstown New York Yankees just in time for their success.

Well traveled, Neal shares tales of his time in Connecticut, Wisconsin, Oregon, France, and points in between.

We also chat about his recent iteration of a pops concert with the Dayton Philharmoic, "Huddle Up: Music of Sports." We learn of his inspiration for the performance and some of the shoulders he stood upon to conduct it.

• Composer John Williams' "Olympic Fanfare and Theme (1984)"
• Composer Leroy Anderson's "Home Stretch"
• Composer Peter Schickele's PDQ Bach - Beethoven Symphony No. 5
• Composer Frank Proto's "Casey at the Bat"

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