Comments

Ha! What great quotes! "Violas, burn up your fingerboard there."

I wonder if that had anything to do with actually BURNING the violas :)

I love people like him who can play with words, can be poingnant and yet' it's fun! This is some sad news indeed. I played for Bud Emile as an undergraduate in Lincoln and I can attest that his wit was often frighteningly funny and sometimes just plain frightening to an 18 year old violist.

I still often tell the story of how during a rehearsal when the principal trumpet player, a graduate student, was having trouble with a particularly difficult part.
Maestro Emile invited him to stand up and, noting the trumpeter's Red Sox cap, said, "I see you are a baseball fan, who is playing center field for Boston these days?" After the trumpeter had answered correctly, professor Emile continued to quiz him about the entire Red Sox roster. Once the trumpeter had answered correctly he was asked, "Now, remind me who plays principal trumpet for the Boston Symphony."
He let the trumpeter stew in silence for a moment before saying, "I see, so the problem seems to be not with your part, but with your priorities, you may sit down now."

You can bet that after that I never came to a rehearsal unprepared.

He sounds like fun, but in the Beecham mold. I'm so glad to read this tribute to Dr. Emile. He was a great positive influence on me and in my life as a musician. I was at UNL 1977-81 studying violin and continued playing in the Lincoln and Omaha Symphonies for another four years after that. Emile was brilliant and tough and really kept us on our toes but he was also warm and sharply humorous as evidenced by this great list of quotes! It was eye opening for me at the time to be around a musician so intense and disciplined, with perfect pitch to boot! In my first year there I was scared to death of him! Playing under his baton was great preparation for the long list of conductors I've played under since.