My name is John Batson and I am the principal bassoon in the Temple Symphony.

I believe this is my 22nd year with the TSO (I'm not good at keeping track).

I love that we have such an amazing orchestra here in our home town! Performing with friends and colleagues is a joy, and getting that share that experience with our community never gets old.

My parents are both musicians. So they told me I "had" to learn a musical instrument when I got to 6th grade. I didn't really want to. But, I picked the bassoon because I had heard Peter and the Wolf at a young person's concert of the Roswell (NM) Symphony, and loved the Grandpapa! Thankfully I stuck with it, and ended up choosing music as my career.

There are probably too many to name! Dale Stelzer was my first bassoon private teacher, and set me down the right path. We still keep in contact. I studied with Duane Bowen, Kent Moore in HS and College, and I still am learning things from other bassoon teachers. I was fortunate to have John Paynter and H. Robert Reynolds as All State clinicians, and that opened my eyes to what music could really be. I also have to mention my directors at Baylor, Jerry Luckhardt, Jeff Grogan and Michael Haithcock. I still refer to lessons from them in my teaching and performing. I am also extremely thankful to Tom and Mary Fairlie and Brent Colwell for letting me perform in TSO and other groups at Temple College. TC is a bright spot for music and music education in Central Texas!

I am a band director at Lamar Middle School in Temple. I also teach adjunct music classes at TC. I like to barbecue and follow sports...all of them...even the odd ones #curling.

My friends all know this, but my hometown is Roswell, NM...so I can give you lots of info about The Roswell Incident.

This is so difficult, because there are so many, and for different reasons. Right this minute I've been teaching my students about Dvorak's Symphony #9, From the New World. I think there's something for everyone in that symphony. It's a piece I could listen to, or perform over and over, and never get tired of it.

There are so many different ways to be involved in the arts, and not just as a performer. If you are a lover of music and the arts, there is a place for you.

There is nothing like attending a live music performance. We all learned during covid, that we crave shared experiences. Experiencing music live is something to be shared with the community around you. And every performance is different, even if it's the same music, so you are witnessing a "once in a lifetime" event every concert you attend.

I hope they felt completely immersed in the "moment" during the concert experience. Even for the performers, a concert is a chance to get away from the outside world and enjoy this collective event.

Same as before, if you have a love for the arts, there is a way for you to be involved. Just ask...we'll put you to work!

Thankfully we get the music ahead of time. Lots of practice and sometimes making my bassoon reeds. If it's a piece I don't already know, I like to listen to multiple recordings of the piece for better understanding. I also try to make sure I'm in physical shape to complete the performance. I've never been so exhausted at the end of a performance, as when we performed Beethoven's 9th Symphony recently.

I like movie soundtracks. I'm a huge John Williams fan. I also listen to a fair amount of jazz.

I love that the Temple Symphony is truly a community orchestra. Most of the musicians are from here in Central Texas, and it is so rewarding to see friends and family at our concerts.

I feel like there is always something new to learn. And even music that is well known has new meanings as you keep listening or performing it. As a teacher, I can honestly say that music changes lives. I've watched so many of my students stay on a solid path in their life because of their involvement in music in some way.

Exciting. Beautiful. Family!