Nevada Focus: Musician pros join novices in shoestring orchestra

Thursday, Feb. 25, 1999 | 2:39 a.m.

"This will be my music stand tonight," laughed the former music director at Harrah's Lake Tahoe as he positioned himself in front of a semicircle of 25 musicians ranging in age from 11 to 84.

With the same dedication and passion Farnon gave to Harrah's South Shore Room for 25 years - playing for the likes of Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis Jr. - he is ready to begin.

"It has to be a million times softer. It has to be on the beat," he tells the brass section as they make their way through Jean Sibelius' "Valse Triste."

"Everybody, please," he says patiently. "This is such a beautiful, delicate thing."

Welcome to the third rehearsal of the Carson Valley Pops Orchestra.

This is strictly a shoestring operation. Nobody gets paid and donations are cheerfully accepted.

But for young musicians who may not know the difference between Spike Jones and Spike Lee, it's a golden opportunity to learn from veterans like Farnon, violinist Danny Yale, pianist Al Sutton and other professionals who wanted to keep making music after casino house bands gave way to recorded musical arrangements.

How did this ensemble end up at the CVIC Hall in downtown Minden, population 3,000?

For one thing, the price was right.

Farnon and Yale charmed the fiscally conservative Minden Town Board into waiving the $25 an hour rental fee. A deal was struck, however, that the pops orchestra would donate a performance or two for the town.

But the real reason the Carson Valley Pops Orchestra exists is that self-described "old pros" like Farnon and Yale and their colleagues aren't ready to retire.

"I have been performing since I was 19. I was Nat King Cole's musical director. I have to tell you, I must have conducted for every big name performer," Farnon said.

He played, sang and conducted at clubs in Chicago, Hollywood, Los Angeles and Las Vegas. Eventually, he made his way to Tahoe for what he thought would be temporary work, and he's still there more than 30 years later.

Farnon worked at Harveys for three years before he was hired as Harrah's music director in 1969 where he stayed for 25 years.

He is well-known to Northern Nevada audiences as the creator and star of Harrah's annual Christmas production of "Scrooge," a musical adaptation of Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol."

Retirement was not in Farnon's vocabulary, however, so he conducted the Tahoe Community Orchestra for three years.

"Danny Yale worked with me two or three times when I was music director at Harrah's. Then he moved to Minden, and we got talking together," he recalled.

The Carson Valley Pops Orchestra has 30 performers coming from Minden, Gardnerville, Yerington, Zephyr Cove, Reno, Carson City and Truckee for the Monday night practices.

Yale, who began violin studies at age 7 and played at the Metropolitan Opera and for Broadway musicals, now lives in Minden.

He's a former orchestra leader as well, and plays every Sunday morning at Sterling's restaurant in the Silver Legacy Casino in Reno.

He's in charge of recruiting more musicians for the string section.

"We're soliciting by word of mouth," Yale said. "Any capable high school students who would like to learn from some old pros are more than welcome."

For keyboardist Al Sutton, who turns 85 in May, the weekly rehearsals are a chance to play.

"There is so little actual work playing anymore, I am happy to play anywhere," he said. "One other thing I am doing is playing rehearsals for a ballet class right here in Gardnerville."

Sutton got his first musicians' union card in 1935 and has been playing ever since. He joined the service in World War II and played with the Navy band.

After the war, Sutton returned to his home in Chicago, then decided it was time to head West. Eventually, he met up with Farnon at Lake Tahoe where he lived and performed for 27 years before moving to Gardnerville four years ago.

"We had a nice home up at the Lake. We loved it very much," he said. "But we're old now. Shoveling snow and taking care of the place got to be too much. We got to the point where we decided we didn't like the winters anymore, so we moved down here."

Sutton still tries to practice every day.

"At my age, the technique goes away if you don't use it," he said. "Listen, I wouldn't want it any other way. I'm glad to be able to do what I am doing."

Along side the musical veterans are several students.

The youngest performer is 11-year-old Joshua Mindrum, a Carson City flute player. He sits between his father, Greg, who plays the oboe and his flute teacher, Carol Grenier of Carson City.

The orchestra includes Douglas County Controller Claudette Springmeyer, who plays stand-up bass.

"It's a great way to relax from work, although some people might not call it relaxing," she said. "When I play, I can't think about anything else - not work, not anything - just the music," Springmeyer said.

"There are so many professionals in this group. We are so honored for them to allow us novices to play with them and that they put up with us," she said.

"No musician I know of ever made a mistake on purpose," Farnon said when the rehearsal was over.

"I do love all of you and hope to see you next week."