Category: Fun

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Weekly Round-up 5/31/16

Performances: A wedding on June 4th, but otherwise things are looking slim in the performance category until July. Lots of other things going on, though!

Rehearsals: Rehearsal for “Brass Lassie”, a pick-up group I am performing with at the Scottish Faire in July, on Friday. Looking forward to this!

Practicing: Music for the above (Brass Lassie rehearsal and Saturday’s wedding). Additionally, still adding tunes to my Tune Library!

Listening: My partner was in town this weekend and we went all in on the classical section of the used records at Electric Fetus. Scored a great recording of Elsa’s Procession by the Eastman Wind Ensemble, a Bernstein recording of Brahms 3, and many other greats.

Teaching: Good practice habits, as always, combined with utilizing learning styles and methods for good focus.

Studying: Grant preparation, doctoral recital repertoire, UMN entrance exams.

Relaxing: As I mentioned, my partner Jarel was in town this weekend. We saw a Lynx game, went to the Orchestra, visited Eloise Butler and the Quaking Bog, listened to records on a rainy day, and ate at some of my favorite Minneapolis restaurants. A great weekend that went too quickly.

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Weekly Round-up 5/23/16

Performances: A wedding on June 4th, but otherwise things are looking slim in the performance category until July. Lots of other things going on, though!

Rehearsals: No rehearsals this week (nice to have a break).

Practicing: Working out my technique with straws/darts, and resonance. Making a list of music for my DMA study.

Listening: Mingo Fishtrap’s latest album, On Time. This is one of my favorites:

Teaching: Resonance. Let the air vibrate the embouchure. Let the horn react to the resulting resonance. Understand why it works the way it does (physics and design), but trust the process.

Studying: Grant preparation, doctoral recital repertoire, UMN entrance exams.

Relaxing: Art-A-Whirl was an exhausting blast this year. Apart from my gig with The Satellites at 612Brew, I walked several galleries with a friend and saw great art and music. It’s the best weekend to kick off a summer of all the things.

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Weekly Round-up 5/16/16

Performances: May 21, 7-8p 612BREW, FREE.

Hamline Brass Choir, Baccalaureate Service: May 21, 8a Hamline United Methodist

Rehearsals: Hamline Brass Choir Friday morning in preparation for our Saturday morning performance.

Practicing: Resonance. Tunes.

Listening: Tunes for the third Satellites chart. Can’t get this one out of my head:

Teaching: Resonance. Let the air vibrate the embouchure. Let the horn react to the resulting resonance.

Studying: New things to start looking at: grant preparation, doctoral recital repertoire, UMN entrance exams.

Relaxing: Naps were necessary after last week.

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Weekly Round-up 5/9/16

Performances: Mill City Five May 9th- Como Dockside 7-830p! We are excited to play at Como Pavillon, and we hope you can join us!

Upcoming Satellites gigs: May 14th, 11p-1a Dakota Jazz Club, $6 cover; May 21, 7-8p 612BREW, FREE.

I’m conducting the Hamline Winds Brass Ensemble this Wednesday May 11th, 4pm, Sundin Hall! Live Broadcast.

Rehearsals: The Satellites! Tuesday night. So excited to get back together with these musicians.

Practicing: Singing, singing, singing.

Listening: Brand new Radiohead in the world.

Teaching: “Darts” and “Straws”. Darts for air and tone. Straws for higher register and airflow. “Blocks”- consistent air across longer notes- moving the air toward your goal.

Refining this concept, and thinking about how air activates the embouchure, and how little we have to do.

Studying: New things to start looking at: grant preparation, doctoral recital repertoire, UMN entrance exams.

Relaxing: Bikes, wildflowers, game nights, more wildflowers, playing Kubb in the park, sunshine.

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Weekly Round-up 5/2/16

Performances: Mill City Five May 9th- Como Dockside 7-830p! We are excited to play at Como Pavillon, and we hope you can join us!

Upcoming Satellites gigs: May 14th, 11p-1a Dakota Jazz Club, $6 cover; May 21, 7-8p 612BREW, FREE.

I had an AMAZING time performing with Metro Brass last night at the Capri. We were on fire. I think it’s the best the group has played. Special shout-out to Genevieve and Henry, my two students from Field, for attending!

Rehearsals: Mill City Five rehearses this week. 😀

Practicing: Looking into new repertoire (in particular, DMA recital rep- eep!). In the meantime, smoothing out my understanding of the concept of natural playing.

Listening: I’m back on a Hamilton binge.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ReTP6x_sDiM

Teaching: “Darts” and “Straws”. Darts for air and tone. Straws for higher register and airflow. “Blocks”- consistent air across longer notes- moving the air toward your goal.

Refining this concept, and thinking about how air activates the embouchure, and how little we have to do.

Studying: New things to start looking at: grant preparation, doctoral recital repertoire, UMN entrance exams.

Relaxing: Bike rides, waffle parties, comic book club discussions, yoga.

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Weekly Round-up 4/25/16

Performances: Metro Brass 5/1/2016 Live at the Capri Theatre. Tickets are on sale now!

I’ve got upcoming masterclasses and performances with Mill City Five and The Satellites in May coming up quick!

Rehearsals: Satellites horns met on Saturday- it was killer! Thanks to the guys for helping me make edits on charts so they are tip-top for our May gigs. Metro has our dress for Sunday’s concert this upcoming Friday night.

Practicing: Minnesota Orchestra audition repertoire. This was today! I felt I presented myself well, but I was not asked to play all of the excerpts. Mozart Tuba Mirum, Mahler 5, and Ride of the Valkyries went really well! But I botched the opening of Bolero, an excerpt I generally feel very confident on. Oh well. That’s auditions for you!

Listening: Prince all day every day. This was a sad and magical weekend in Minneapolis.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qrQ-vgdNq0I

Teaching: “Darts” and “Straws”. Darts for air and tone. Straws for higher register and airflow. “Blocks”- consistent air across longer notes- moving the air toward your goal.

Studying: New things to start looking at: grant preparation, doctoral recital repertoire, UMN entrance exams.

Relaxing: Enjoyed Saturday’s weather. Yesterday it rained and rained, so I sat and read and pet kitties.

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Weekly Round-up 4/18/16

Performances: Metro Brass 5/1/2016 Live at the Capri Theatre. Tickets are on sale now!

I’ve got upcoming masterclasses and performances with Mill City Five and The Satellites in May coming up quick!

Rehearsals: Metro this past Sunday had a killer rehearsal. Really nice work accomplished. Looking forward to this concert! Hoping to get Satellites horn section together before our May gigs.

Practicing: Minnesota Orchestra audition repertoire. Rinse, repeat. I had a lesson on Friday with Doug Wright and it was so helpful. My lesson with Prof Ashworth today at the U was equally helpful. Lots of different ears on what you are working on is really key.

Listening: Podcasts: 2 Dope Queens, Mortified, This American Life.

Teaching: “Darts” and “Straws”. Darts for air and tone. Straws for higher register and airflow.

Studying: On hiatus from study while I prepare my MnOrch audition.

Relaxing: A 15 mile bike ride yesterday with good bike companions. All the sunshine I can take in. Yoga.

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Weekly Round-up 4/11/16

Performances: Metro Brass 5/1/2016 Live at the Capri Theatre. Tickets are on sale now!

I’ve got upcoming masterclasses and performances with Mill City Five and The Satellites in May coming up quick!

Rehearsals: Metro on Sunday.

Practicing: Minnesota Orchestra audition repertoire. A lesson with Doug Wright on Friday. Yipe!

Listening: Anat Cohen. Omg.

Teaching: I had a re-epiphany this morning in a lesson about the importance of hearing the whole phrase, not just individual notes. How much easier it is to hear a tricky set of intervals when they have meaning and direction. You’ll be hearing lots of that from me this week.

Studying: “SuperTeaching” by Eric Jensen. Feeling like I need to up my game for my lovely students. Trying to get my hands on a copy of Attention and Motor Skill Learning by Gabriele Wulf.

Relaxing: Spent the weekend in St Louis with good people. Ate well, heard amazing music, saw a live show, hiked the Missouri woods.

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Weekly Round-up 4/4/16

Performances: Metro Brass 5/1/2016 Live at the Capri Theatre. Tickets are on sale now!

I’ve got upcoming masterclasses and performances with Mill City Five and The Satellites in May coming up quick!

Rehearsals: No rehearsals this week.

Practicing: Minnesota Orchestra opened up a substitute low brass audition! It’s April 25th and I’m hard at work preparing Valkyries, William Tell, Mahler 5, Bolero, Mozart, all the old chestnuts.

Listening: Phosphorescent Blues by The Punch Brothers came back up in my rotation this week. Such a gorgeous album.

Teaching: It’s been a light week for teaching as many of my students were on spring break. I’m hoping to take that rest into this week’s lessons and give some new energy to my talented students.

Studying: “SuperTeaching” by Eric Jensen. Feeling like I need to up my game for my lovely students. Trying to get my hands on a copy of Attention and Motor Skill Learning by Gabriele Wulf.

Relaxing: Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden, my favorite place in Minneapolis, opened on Friday! I rode my bike over today and enjoyed the sunshine.

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Metro Brass at The Capri: Tickets now available!

A special announcement today: Tickets are now on sale for the feature Metro Brass performance at the Capri Theatre in N Minneapolis!

Details:

Hold on Tight! An Evening with Metro Brass

Sunday, May 1, 2016 at 7pm

Capri Theatre, 2027 W Broadway Ave, Minneapolis 55411

Facebook event page

Tickets $12 adv/$15 door 

We’re playing an exhilarating program of swing classics, Latin and Spanish melodies, and yes, even Bill Chase. Hope to see you there!