“The triangle is perhaps the most sneered-at instrument in the orchestral family,” writes Emily Burnham in Tuesday’s (12/12) Bangor Daily News (Maine). “Bangor Symphony Orchestra percussionist Billy Miller begs to differ. He loves the triangle, and its singing, bell-like tones…. Miller, who for 55 years ran Miller Drug on State Street in Bangor with his wife, Gloria, until they both retired in 2012, loves music, period. That’s why he’s played with the BSO for the past 60 years, even though he’s not a trained musician…. Miller, 83 … shares the BSO percussion section with Cindy Bastide, Mark Fredericks and John Mehrmann, as well as timpanist Nancy Rowe…. He loves ‘The Nutcracker,’ Tchaikovsky’s ballet, which the BSO and the Robinson Ballet will perform together for the 34th consecutive year this weekend.… The triangle is featured prominently in the beloved holiday chestnut… For Miller, this weekend marks his 100th performance of ‘The Nutcracker’ with the BSO…. He’s happily banged a bass drum, shaken a rattle and, yes, tinkled a triangle for every ‘Nutcracker’ the ballet and the orchestra have ever performed, and has yet to lose an ounce of enthusiasm.”
Posted December 14, 2017
