During high school, I played violin in the New Orleans All-City Orchestra, a strings group comprising young musicians from throughout the metro area. Under the direction of Tim Mooney, we entertained crowds at festivals & events and repeatedly won Superior ratings at Louisiana Music Educators Association assessments.
In 1986 we performed on the Mississippi River aboard the Riverboat President, along with a youth orchestra from Las Vegas; it was the completion of a "home-and-home" series following our group's visit to Nevada. The concert wasn't a competition, per se, but we kicked their butt. The evening concluded with a $1,000 raffle, which I won. It was a very good day.
