Jay Stebley, French Horn, Cello, Cimbalon…
Please be seated—you’re in for a wild read! “I get such a charge out of just holding instruments,” Jay says, “let alone playing them!” And Jay Stebley has his hands on a LOT of instruments.
It began in Sacramento where 4th grader Jay was shown a school multipurpose room full of instruments and told to choose one. He chose a viola because he liked the case. But in a few weeks the teacher, a violinist, told him, “you have big hands, you should play cello.” She gave him one lesson and a fingering book. That was it. He taught himself. “I didn’t have any lessons. I watched what the other cellists were doing and did that too.”
After a move to Pleasant Hill, Jay continued playing cello. And viola in the Young People’s Symphony. But when he was a senior in high school, he realized all his friends were playing French horn in the marching band. “They gave me a horn and some pointers.” And off he went, marching in the band. This time though he did have lessons, with the principal French horn player in the Oakland Symphony.
At UC Berkeley, Jay received a degree in English Literature and played horn with the UC Symphony. Then, off to Hungary, purportedly to study linguistics, but really to study cimbalon, a Hungarian instrument somewhat like a dulcimer. It’s typically played by striking two sticks, often wound with cotton tips, against the strings, which are on the top of the instrument. It’s pretty darned esoteric!
Which led, on his return to the Bay Area, to Jay playing cimbalon with over 40 orchestras, including the SF Symphony. “At the time, there were only four cimbalon players in the US.” And only one in the Bay Area. But wait, that’s not all. Jay also played horn and cello with the San Jose Symphony, the California Symphony and many other orchestras. A true member of the Freeway Philharmonic! AND he also played principal string bass for a couple of performances with Prometheus! Somehow he just learned that too. And played horn for a few seasons with us back then too.
For a day job (how did he find the time?), Jay has been working as Retail Manager for the SF Opera (part of the Marketing team).
Well, why don’t you also play violin, one might ask in jest. “Oh, I do! I play violin in folk music groups, mainly Eastern and Balkan folk music.” Of course. And he plays the Bulgarian tambura, which is like a mandolin but with a very long neck (not to be confused with the Indian tambura, which, actually, he does not play).
Jay came back to Prometheus two years ago, playing cello. But he lobbied to move to French horn, and that is where you will see him this concert. “It’s (the Nielsen) a big blow, there’s hardly time to breath!”
So, Jay, you play so many instruments, which is your favorite one, really? “The bouzouki!” Aha, you did not see that coming, did you? Think Zorba the Greek.
Jay is also a poet (two published books; you can find them on Amazon sometimes) and a composer, whose works have been played by the SF Symphony! His works include “The Candles of Paradise” (ballet), “The Unsettled Canvas” (women’s chorus) and “60 Circus Waltzes” (various works). This is what he plans to do more of when he retires from the SF Opera next year. You think maybe he’ll compose something for Prometheus? Yes, please! ~Joyce Vollmer
