My first recollections are mostly of dance bands and pop songs in the
40's from my parents 78 records and my grandparents console radio.  I do
remember Carmen on a multi-record 78 set and the "Bell Telephone Hour" and
"The Voice of Firestone".

When I began grade school in Washington, DC, Washington's National Symphony
Orchestra, directed by Howard Mitchell, had begun an agressive musical
education program in the schools.  I have vivid memories of sitting on the
floor in front of the Orchestra and of being completely transfixed by Dr.
Mitchell's explanation and the Orchestra's rendition of Anitra's Dance and
The Hall of the Mountain King.  I was hooked from then on!  I was
devistated the time in the sixth grade when I distracted my classmates
during "music appreciation " and was not allowed to go on the next NSO
performance field trip.

In Junior High School I had an exceptional Music Teacher who introduced me
to the voices of the Metopolitan Opera with recordings of Steber, Traubel,
Ponselle, Pearce, Pinza and others.  My development continued in my later
teens with an interest in jazz but a growing passion for classical music.
With the proliferation of LP records and the advent of Stereo, I discovered
the Record Stores.  I bought the first ones before dogs were "Shaded" and
stereos "Living".  I still have them.  I spent one summer building my first
Stereo receiver from a kit so I could play them.

At University in Washington, DC, I subscribed to the weekly NSO season.
I credit this with surviving six years of Architecture School.  The student
subscription for a weekly season series was $15.00!  An extraordinary
bargain considering I saw the likes of Stravinsky, Monteux, Copeland and
Szell conduct and heard the top instrumentalists of the 60's.

Living in London for a year gave me the opportunity to expand my musical
experience even more.  I absorbed all I could of the vast opportunities
available.

Speaking of Howard Mitchell, he was a cellist and Music Director of
Washington's National Symphony Orchestra between Hans Kindler and Antal
Dorati, from the late '40's to the '70's.  The survival of the NSO during
this time is owed to him.  Born in Nebraska and trained at the Peabody
Conservatory and Curtis institute, he was one of the first native born
conductors of a major US city Symphony Orchestra and one of the first
ever to rise from the ranks of a principal chair to the conductorship
of a US orchestra.  A champion of modern music, he introduced Washington
audiences to twentieth century composers.  He made music accessible to
school children and to all with an exceptional program of free concerts
in schools and in the community, thereby influencing several generations
of future music lovers and concert goers.  A number of records for RCA
and Westminster labels with the NSO received critical acclaim, including
recordings of Shostakovitch and Creston.  A series of Musical Appreciation
records by RCA was made available to schools nationwide.  It would be
wonderful if these recordings were to be re-issued on CD for new
generations of children and prospective music lovers.

Darrell Acree
Washington, DC
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