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Weekly Round-up 7/18/16

Performances: Let’s see- so many in August! Mostly Satellites. We’ve got a few church fundraisers, another night at the Icehouse, and potentially a gig at the VFW. Stay tuned for more details. Mill City Five had a BLAST at Como Dockside last Friday. We’re next up August 26th at Minnehaha Falls, with a few gigs in the works as well.

Rehearsals: No rehearsals this week- fine by me! It’s birthday week!

Practicing: The Tune Library hit 100 tunes on Friday! I added one more today, but I’m doing a little review now. Working on Bitsch Etude No 1 for my first lesson at the U, Red Dragonfly, and thinking about adding Annie Laurie back into the mix for my first doctoral recital.

Listening: The Beatles are my quintessential summer music.

Teaching: Watching out for tension, good posture, airflow, etc. Driving home the importance of efficient, honest practice.

Studying: UMN entrance exams. On repeat.

Relaxing: Comic Book Club on Sunday, Ghostbusters (!!!!) on Saturday, oh yeah, and I bought a hammock.

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Weekly Round-up 7/11/16

Performances: July has been busy! Brass Lassie at the Scottish Fair this past Saturday was an amazing event- I’d never been to a Highland Games before and it was not only fun to play for the crowd but to also be a spectator to some awesome feats of strength.

Next up:

Mill City Five: July 15th, 530-7pm @ Como Lakeside Pavilion. It’s free! Good food, beer, company, and tunes. See you there.

Rehearsals: MC5 gets together this Wednesday night to prepare for our Como gig. I’m sitting in with Sheldon Theatre Brass Band in Red Wing tonight- British Colliery band is one of my favorite styles to play in and this group is full of incredible talent and leadership.

Practicing: Absolutely must get started on repertoire for my upcoming doctoral program. Want to learn the third movement of Red Dragonfly and find some other pieces to fill out the program.

Also hoping to add some technical practice back into my routine.

Listening: Nothing new or special. I’ll start doing new arrangements for the Satellites this week so that will change.

Teaching: Summer of Tunes continues. After some in-depth talks with my good friend Jason Hausback this week, and watching him work with my students on various areas, I’m excited to apply some new techniques and observations.

Studying: UMN entrance exams. On repeat.

Relaxing: Well! What’s that! I did spend a lovely weekend in Lutsen with my partner over the 4th, hikes and campfires galore. Lots of good meals and bike rides with Jason. Buying a hammock today.

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Weekly Round-up 6/27/16

Performances: No performances scheduled in June at the moment, but…

The Satellites: July 7th 11pm @ Icehouse

Brass Lassie: July 9th, sets at 11a and 2pm, Minnesota Scottish Fair

Mill City Five: July 15th, 530-7pm @ Como Lakeside Pavilion

Rehearsals: Brass Lassie tonight and tomorrow, Satellites on Sunday night!

Practicing: Still adding tunes to my Tune Library! I’d like to get to 100 by the end of June- can you help?

Working on the 3rd movement of Red Dragonfly and searching for other tunes for my first doctoral recital.

Listening: I don’t have a good answer for this! With all the bike riding I’ve been doing instead of driving, I don’t listen as much to things. It’s a fair trade at the moment.

Teaching: Summer of Tunes continues. Let’s make really good sounds, too.

Studying: UMN entrance exams. Woof. Remembering this week how much I hate melodic dictation.

Relaxing: A nice weekend full of Pride, bike rides, Eloise Butler, friends, and the new season of Orange is the New Black.

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Weekly Round-up 6/20/16

Performances: No performances scheduled in June at the moment, but…

The Satellites: July 7th 11pm @ Icehouse

Brass Lassie: July 9th, sets at 11a and 2pm, Minnesota Scottish Fair

Mill City Five: July 15th, 530-7pm @ Como Lakeside Pavilion

Rehearsals: I have a new project in the works with fellow lady horns Elizabeth Stodolka and Lucia Sarmiento Roccatagliata. Stay tuned for more details. We record tonight. 

Practicing: Still adding tunes to my Tune Library! I’d like to get to 100 by the end of June- can you help?

Listening: Hm. Podcasts.

Teaching: Summer of Tunes continues. Let’s make really good sounds, too.

Studying: UMN entrance exams. Woof.

Relaxing: I went to NYC for 5 days…it was amazing but definitely not a chill vacation! This past weekend a friend was in town and we did a little more sitting and enjoying of the weather. I plan to find some time for outdoor activities this week and weekend as well.

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Weekly Round-up 6/6/16

Performances: No performances scheduled in June at the moment, but…

Brass Lassie: July 9th, sets at 11a and 2pm, Minnesota Scottish Fair

Rehearsals: Rehearsal for “Brass Lassie”was last Friday and it sure was fun! I would have to say this is the most unique and interesting gig of my career to date. I hope you can make the performance!

Metro Brass met on Sunday night to read some new charts. Porgy and Bess, my heart.

Practicing: Still adding tunes to my Tune Library! I’d like to get to 100 by the end of June- can you help?

Listening: I heard one of my favorite pieces on the radio the other day and it was just perfect timing. I was stuck in traffic, it was raining…well, you can enjoy it anytime:

(The old Pope’s in this one, but DUDAMEL’S HAIR THO)

Teaching: Get ready students, because it’s the summer of tunes. We’ll be learning tunes for ear training, key practice, articulation, range, transposition…everything. See above for the TL. You can pick out a tune in advance if you’d like!

Studying: UMN entrance exams. Oh god, speaking of ear training. Mild anxiety attack as I try to remember how to do melodic dictation quickly.

Relaxing: Not enough of this in the past week. But this weekend: NYC here I come.

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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.

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.