Category: Fun

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Weekly Round-up 2/15/16

Happy birthday, George Washington!

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Performances: As always I keep a calendar updated on this site.

Nothing happening for the rest of February- phew- but first weekend of March I’ll be performing with Exultate Choir and Orchestra on their series “Emmanuel”- a performance of the best of the best oratorios we know and love. Check out their website or my calendar for dates and locations.

Rehearsals: nothing on the books for a bit.

Practicing: Sight-reading and some basics, not over-extending myself too much for a week or two.

Listening: I pulled out my favorite Billy Joel album yesterday, Stormfront, in case you were wondering how cool I am.

Teaching: Hamline update: Spring semester has started and I have two students there this semester, which is double last! I’m also excited to get to work with the wind ensemble as a player-coach and meet some more of the school’s fantastic students.

Studying: Still waiting on a copy of Flow to come from the library. So not much.

Relaxing: I had a really low key weekend of comic books, video games, and chats with friends. I have a guest this weekend and I’m excited to do a little MSP sight-seeing!

 

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Weekly Round-up 2/8/16

Performances: As always I keep a calendar updated on this site.

Monday, 2/8 12pm- Hamline University Lunch Recital. More info to come! These are short, informal half-hour recitals and I am happy to be the featured artist for February. I’ll be playing the David Concertino, selections from Bach Cello Suite No 2, and the first movement of Red Dragonfly by Amy Mills. TODAY! Tune in here to watch: http://portal.stretchinternet.com/hamlineadmin/

Rehearsals: Mill City Five meets this week!

Practicing: Auditions are done, after this afternoon my feature recital at Hamline will be done, and I’m looking at a long stretch in February with nothing very concrete to prepare. I think it may be time to dive back into some etudes, like the Slama or the Arban, perhaps.

Listening: Hit up some tunes reminiscent of things I loved in college yesterday, Ani Difranco’s Evolve being at the top of the list.

And, I watched Minnesota Youth Symphonies give a tremendous concert yesterday afternoon in Orchestra Hall. My student Bjorn performed 1st trombone on Hindemith’s Symphonic Metamorphoses with the top orchestra. It was phenomenal. That piece brings back some amazing memories from high school and makes me a little weepy.

Teaching: Not sure what will come up this week! Focused practice has been my main tool for taking students’ attention off technique and intonation- and solving those problems in the process.

Studying: Time to start researching grants for my studio scholarship expansion plans. And it’s MMEA weekend, which means I’ll get to learn how to be a contest judge!

Relaxing: I’m not sure what that is.

 

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Weekly Round-up 2/1/16

Performances: As always I keep a calendar updated on this site.

Monday, 2/8 12pm- Hamline University Lunch Recital. More info to come! These are short, informal half-hour recitals and I am happy to be the featured artist for February. I’ll be playing the David Concertino, selections from Bach Cello Suite No 2, and the first movement of Red Dragonfly by Amy Mills.

Rehearsals: Metro met last night for a solid rehearsal. I’m really excited to be playing a piece called Tientos y Danzas, by Gareth Wood. Here’s the first movement as performed by Superbness:

Practicing: It’s audition week! I’m focusing on small details, ‘nailing the changes’ as it were, and trying to iron out a few inconsistencies. On Wednesday I’ll do my last real day of prep- and Thursday and Friday I’ll run my pieces a few times throughout the day but in general taper my practice to make sure I feel fresh for Saturday.

Listening: Not much. Trying to keep my head clear.

Teaching: Air articulations and bopping- steadying the tone and hearing the heart of the note.

Studying: Scores for the David and Red Dragonfly.

Relaxing: Comic books!

 

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Weekly Round-up 1/25/16

Performances: Lots upcoming in January. As always I keep a calendar updated on this site.

Monday, 2/8 12pm- Hamline University Lunch Recital. More info to come! These are short, informal half-hour recitals and I am happy to be the featured artist for February. I’ll be playing the David Concertino, selections from Bach Cello Suite No 2, and the first movement of Red Dragonfly by Amy Mills.

Rehearsals: Mill City Five is getting back together on Wed night to kick off a new year, our fourth year together! We hope to fill it with gigs and music. Stay tuned .

Metro meets Sunday night. Looks like I’ll be playing a solo feature on “Stardust”. Put March 17th in your brain; we may have a concert date to announce soon.

Practicing: Less than two weeks to perfect my UMN audition materials- but I’m feeling strong! I had a really inspiring lesson with Professor Ashworth last Friday and am feeling the motivation to go into the audition swinging.

Listening: Charlie Parr’s album Stumpjumper has been making me dance lately.

Teaching: My seminar at Brass Chix was all about getting to the heart of your sound- feeling the air move, imagining the shape of your tone. We made some really nice music yesterday.

Studying: Doing what pleases me.

Relaxing: Crosswords and tea.

 

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Weekly Roundup 12/14/15

Reading: n/a

Arranging: n/a at the moment!

Practicing: My lesson with Mr Sundstrom was this afternoon. It was phenomenal. He had great wisdom and advice to share, but honestly, the best part was hearing him play (and playing Tannhauser with him). Now: barreling toward my doctoral audition full force: some woodshedding to do but it’s time to enjoy the music.

Rehearsing: Metro Brass on Sunday night.

Performing: Last week’s performances were so much fun! I’ll have video to share of my trio recital very soon. And Gabe put on such a good recital. It was beyond exciting to listen to her perform again.

Listening: The new Punch Brothers album Phosphorescent Blues, so gorgeous and ethereal.

Teaching: What do you want the horn to do? Are you telling it or following its lead?

Relaxing:  My trip to STL was really nice- lots of good conversation and warm dinners. I’d like to carry that back into my social life at home.

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Weekly Roundup 12/7/15

Reading: n/a (Well, for fun I’m reading Ron Chernow’s biography of Alexander Hamilton, so…)

Arranging: n/a at the moment!

Practicing: I have a lesson with Kari Sundstrom, trombonist with the Minnesota Orchestra, in two weeks, to go over my doctoral audition materials and anything else we have time for! I’m also hard at work on the Trombone a Trois recital pieces and the two pieces I’ll be performing with my friend Gabe on her recital in St Louis this weekend.

Which reminds me: TOMORROW:

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Rehearsing: TaT dress tonight. Metro Brass last night tried out some new members- it was awesome! It’s always sad to see folks go- but it’s also great to meet new players? The music world is bittersweet.

Thursday I’m out to St Louis to rehearse and perform with Gabe.

Performing: Trombone a Trois. See above. Gabe’s recital, see link above,

Listening: HAMILTON (yes, still)

Teaching: Following the phrase- what instructions are you giving yourself/the horn? They should be simple: “sound like this”. Relinquish control and it’ll be easier.

Relaxing: I went for a walk around Lake Harriet yesterday and saw a FOX! In the city! Amazing.

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Weekly Roundup 11/30/15

Reading: n/a (Well, for fun I’m reading Ron Chernow’s biography of Alexander Hamilton, so…)

Arranging: n/a at the moment!

Practicing: I have a lesson with Kari Sundstrom, trombonist with the Minnesota Orchestra, in two weeks, to go over my doctoral audition materials and anything else we have time for! I’m also hard at work on the Trombone a Trois recital pieces and the two pieces I’ll be performing with my friend Gabe on her recital in St Louis next weekend.

Rehearsing: Trombone a Trois is hard at work preparing for our December 8th show at Hamline! Hope you can make it- check out the Facebook page for more details.

AND! A new 7-piece jazz ‘big band’ style group is in the works! Some marvelous players, and an all lady horn section, which, while not our schtick, is almost unheard of, so I’m happy to get that representation out there!

Performing: Trombone a Trois. See above. Gabe’s recital, see link above,

Listening: HAMILTON (yes, still)

Teaching: Week two of the Jan treatment is going strong! I’m figuring out how to expand on the concept with individual folks and help them grow their sound and musicality.

I visited with the middle and high schoolers in Zimmerman, MN this morning, and it was a blast! We talked concept and made some gorgeous low brass sounds.

Relaxing: UGH I’ll rest when I’m dead

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Weekly Roundup 11/23/15

Reading: Too busy! But ordered a few things to check out over the holidays.

Arranging: Satellites charts.

Practicing: WR had a week off last week as I traveled to St Louis and Springfield, MO, to see friends from North Texas. My teacher, Jan Kagarice, gave a masterclass and clinic at Missouri State. It was incredible to see her do her work again, and that energy gave new life to my practicing and teaching this week. I’ve been utilized those things to work on my trio music as well as the numerous pieces I’m preparing for different performances in January.

Rehearsing: Trombone a Trois is hard at work preparing for our December 8th show at Hamline! Hope you can make it- check out the Facebook page for more details.

Performing: Mill City Five is at the Nicollet this Wednesday, 8pm! Free! Come relax before you get to cooking for Thanksgiving!

Listening: HAMILTON

Teaching: Everyone gets the Jan treatment this week and from here on out. Let the air do its thing and put your focus on the music. Less is more. Nothing is everything.

Relaxing: A friend in town this week, a roommate’s birthday, lots going on- looking forward to a few days off over the holiday weekend.

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Weekly Roundup 11/8/15

Reading: Nothing for work

Arranging: Satellites charts as the new lead sheets get to me.

Practicing: I had a PHENOMENAL lesson with Scott Moore, professor at Gustavus Aldophus, on Friday. We talked a lot about breath control and the art of breathing in- to end a note out- which is not something I’d thought about before. Letting that sink in this week.

Rehearsing: My trombone trio has reunited with a new tenor player joining us, John Maddox! We are preparing a recital on December 8th, our ‘one night only’ chance to say goodbye to Derek before he moves to Maryland in January. 😦

Performing: Played a concert with M’haha yesterday: Hanson Symphony No 2 and Faust Ballet Music. Super fun to perform with that orchestra. The Hanson is new to me and it may go into heavy rotation in my orchestral listening.

Listening: That is, once I stop listening to Hamilton, which will be NEVER

Teaching: Thinks I picked up from Dr Moore regarding breath control. Also high range practice using tunes.

Relaxing: Whenever I can. This weekend I travel to St Louis to see my friend Gabe, and then we are heading to Springfield, MO to see our former UNT classmate Jason Hausback. He now teaches at MSU- and is having our professor, Jan Kagarice, give a clinic to his students. It’s going to be a mini-UNT reunion with some of my favorite Eagles.

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Weekly Roundup 10/26/15

Weekly Roundup is moving to Mondays! My Tuesdays have filled up and it makes more sense to do this at the beginning of the week, anyway. 🙂

Reading: Work Hard, Be Nice put aside a for a little bit, about halfway done, while I get control of some other tasks.

Arranging: New Satellites charts! Today’s:

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

Practicing: Taking things down a volume level or two to focus on a steady, consistent tone- bricks of sound- in Tannhauser. My fortes have suffered from a lack of attention lately and are a little wobbly. Also working up La Gazza Ladra, to speed.

By the way, do you know about TromboneExcerpts.org? What a phenomenal resource. use it. Love it. Support them on Patreon. Do it.

Rehearsing: Mill City Five meets this week to make up new gig books and create a setlist for our gig November 25th at the Nicollet.

Trombone a Trois, my long-defunct trio, is regrouping for a potential recital in December. Stay tuned!

Performing: Nothing on the books until late November.

Listening: THIS (redux)

Teaching: How to be crispy. Keep your shorts short!

Relaxing: What. Is. That.