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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.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vMYM75JFrIY

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:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vHqtJH2f1Yk

(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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Summer in the Studio

Students and Student Families! Summer is nearly here, and it’s time to consider your schedule for summer lessons in my studio. Remember that musical learning is something that can carry on all year- and will better prepare you for a successful fall in your band program. Over the summer we can look at new music that interests you, prepare auditions for college or high school wind ensemble, look at new techniques and styles, and just generally have fun making music on our instruments!

My studio schedule is posted here, as always.

Additionally, I have a few extra opportunities for summer study through West Bank School of Music:

Beginner Brass Camp

Is your child starting a brass instrument at school in the fall and want a head start? Get them ready for fall band through sessions that will introduce them to their instruments, show them how to make a good sound and read music, foster proper technique, and get them going with playing songs!

Prerequisites: Elementary

Age requirements: None

Instruments: Elementary trumpet, horn, trombone, baritone/euphonium, and tuba

Dates: Trumpets/Horns: Tuesdays & Thursdays, 8/9 – 8/25, 3:15pm – 4:00pm; Low Brass: Tuesdays & Thursdays, 8/9 – 8/25, 4:15pm – 5:00pm

Sessions: 6 sessions, 2x/week

Balanced Brass Performance

Learn a natural approach to playing a brass instrument through healthy, holistic methods. Session 1 – “Sound”: How air makes all the difference. Session 2 – “Music”: Brass playing is as easy as singing. Session 3 – “Focus”: Practice techniques that create solid foundations for learning.

Prerequisites: Intermediate to Advanced

Age requirements: None

Instruments: Intermediate to Advanced trumpet, horn, trombone, baritone/euphonium, and tuba

Dates: Saturdays, 7/30 – 8/13, 10:30am – 12:00pm

Sessions: 3 sessions

Girls Rock! 

Get ready to rock this summer in an all-girls environment! Come with your own axe or learn the rock band instrument you’ve always wanted to play. Our band will learn to cover and rehearse songs, write our own originals, create stage presence, and talk about the music business and what it means to be a rockstar. We’ll finish the session with a real life gig!

Prerequisites: No experience necessary

Age requirements: 6th – 12th grade

Instruments: Vocals, guitar, bass, drums, and keyboards

Dates: M – F, 6/20-6/24 and 8/29 – 9/2, 4:00pm – 6:30pm

Sessions: 1 week + performance TBD

 

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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.