Just multiply by 500. (Photo by Jim Darling)On June 1, it’s going to get brassy at Nationals Park. At least 500 trombones’ worth of brassy, in fact. And that’s 424 more trombones than required for the scheduled repertoire.
Before a Friday evening game against the Atlanta Braves, the Nationals will help promote Arena Stage’s production of The Music Man, which opens May 11, with an assembly of hundreds of trombonists. The show’s musical director, Lawrence Goldberg, wil lead the band in a performance of “76 Trombones.”
Thing is, 500 trombonists is a tall order, so Arena, which is partnering with the Foundation for the Advancement of Music and Education, needs volunteers. Trombone owners are being asked to sign up here to join Goldberg’s brass extravaganza. In return, they get to be a part of an attempt to set a world record—I guess most trombones on a baseball field at one time is a thing—and see the ensuing game for free.
“There’s no other instrument as dramatic and distinctive as the trombone, with its long slide and muscular sound,” Goldberg said in a press release. “[Seventy-six] trombones all playing together would surely make an impression, but we at Arena Stage want to do far better than that. Harold Hill would definitely approve.” And Goldberg must really believe it, because for the upcoming production’s rendition of “76 Trombones,” he’s arranged the tune into an all-trombone version.
Well, Harold Hill would rather sell 500 trombones, take the cash and skip town before actually leading so many to play in unison. But no matter, if you hear a loud, brassy sound coming from Navy Yard on June 1, it’ll be that of a field full of trombones. And while they’ll likely play numbers from The Music Man, might we also suggest they try the best song Harold Hill ever inspired?
