Posts

Posted on

Weekly Roundup 10/20/15

Reading: Work Hard, Be Nice found, continued reading. Add “Improve your teaching: beginners” by Paul Harris, a short little guidebook to creative teaching techniques for new students.

Arranging: New Satellites charts! Today’s:

Practicing: I’m recording myself this week. It’s as painful as ever, but I can’t say that it’s not revealing and useful. Yesterday I spent an hour on one phrase of the Hungarian March excerpt, trying to fix my lagging eighth notes. It sounds fine when you play it, but when you listen back! Ugh! Lots of slow practice, creative articulation strategies, and determination needed.

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

Rehearsing: Metro last night to play through music for our upcoming service at Grace Lutheran (see below).

Performing: Metro Brass at the morning service- Grace Lutheran in St Paul, 9:30a.

MC5 @ The Nicollet on Nov 25th, and more soon!

Listening: THIS

Teaching: So. Much. Singing. Sing all the things!

Relaxing: I did nothing on Saturday! Well, I did some things- I vacuumed, worked up a Satellites tune, went shopping for a Halloween costume- but mostly I read my recent stack of science fiction books from the library and drank tea. #winning

Posted on

Weekly Roundup 10/13/15

Reading: Work Hard, Be Nice found, continued reading. Add “Improve your teaching: beginners” by Paul Harris, a short little guidebook to creative teaching techniques for new students.

Arranging: New Satellites charts! Here’s my favorite so far:

Practicing: Doctoral audition is slowly becoming a reality. I’m preparing the first movement of the Gordon Jacob Concerto, the David Concertino, and several orchestral excerpts.

Rehearsing: Nothing on the books.

Performing: Some things in the works. MC5 @ The Nicollet on Nov 25th, and more soon!

Listening: Satellites songs for arranging. News, jazz (lots of Mingus this week).

Teaching: Theory and sight-singing using what we know about the major scale.

Also, breaking news: I’ve accepted a position as a music teacher for the Extended Day program with St Paul Public Schools! I’ll be teaching beginning instrumental instruction to the 4th grades at EXPO Elementary in Highland Park. I start today- excited and nervous!

Relaxing: Lots of social activities lately- which is great, but I need a little break! I’ve had tasty beverages at the new Bad Weather Brewing location in StP, lunch at The Mill NE (best. veggie burger. ever), wine and musical bonding with some fellow teachers.

Posted on

Scholarship update- meet my new students

Dearest supporters and friends of my recent scholarship campaign:

I’m pleased to announce that I have selected and begun lessons with my two scholarship students!

Alex B. is a senior at Fridley High school, a student of Mike Pearson. He’s been playing trombone for almost 8 years and also plays bass trombone and tuba. He hasn’t had lessons since he began band in middle school and is excited to learn more about technique and theory. He hopes to start classes at Anoka-Ramsey Community College next fall.

Paul B is Alex’s classmate at Fridley, in his junior year. He’s been playing for 6 years and has never had regular lessons. He also plays bass trombone in the school’s jazz band. He wants to know more about his instrument and the types of music he can use it for, as his musical palate is extremely varied. After high school he has plans to join the Air Force.

I’m really excited to see what these two do this year and what their progress will be! Thank you again for all your help in making this a reality.

Posted on

Weekly Roundup 10/6/15

Reading: Work Hard, Be Nice stalled- where did I put it?

Arranging: New charts for Satellites coming (as soon as we pick new songs)

Practicing: Annie Laurie, and looking into things I might prepare for a doctoral audition (EEP).

Rehearsing: Metro rehearsed Sunday night with our third candidate for the second trombone/jazz chair, John Olson. He did a fabulous job as well and now we all get to make the hard decision of who to choose.

Midnight in Moscow, my traditional New Orleans jazz band, has finally decided on our (always impending) name change debacle. Welcome to the scene the new, improved, Mill City Five!

Performing: Some things in the works. MC5 @ The Nicollet on Nov 25th, The Satellites maybe have a Halloween gig. More soon!

Listening: Brandi Carlile. MPR News. White noise in my head.

Teaching: Air “ha” attacks- getting the root of the sound without relying on the tongue to start the tone. Surprisingly easy to adjust to, once you hear how clear you can sound without using your articulation as a crutch!

Relaxing: What’s that?

Haha- I’ve been trying to get some fun things in but it’s been a busy few weeks! Here’s one highlight: I’ve been to my first four acupuncture appointments EVER the past two weeks, primarily to address chronic tension in my neck and shoulders. That pain is old- and it’s moving away slowly, but what acu has really done for me is relieve the localized tightness in my wrists and hands (from immobility while practicing), and give me a safe space to control my anxiety. Anxiety is a new issue for me- I started developing panic attacks last summer as a result of stress and financial worry- and they seem to be more prevalent in the summer months. As the school year gets rolling I feel less and less worried, but the imprint remains. Acu, much like yoga and meditation, has provided me with a quiet place for my brain. It’s like letting your consciousness roll around in a big white luxurious blanket, like a little marble, for an hour. Afterward it’s all good.

If you feel like anxiety might be a part of your life in a less-than-controllable way, I would highly recommend considering acupuncture as a treatment. I currently am going to NE Community Acupuncture, which offers a sliding scale system for its diverse clientele.

Posted on

Weekly Roundup 9/29/15

Reading: Work Hard, Be Nice started- good and quick read and very inspiring for educators and parents alike.

Arranging: New charts for Satellites coming (as soon as we pick new songs)

Practicing: Annie Laurie, and looking into things I might prepare for a doctoral audition (EEP).

Rehearsing: Metro rehearsed Sunday night with killer trombonist/repair technician John Maddox auditioning for second trombone. He sounded great! So did Nick last week! It’s going to be a tough decision. We’ll meet again this weekend to try out a different candidate.

Midnight in Moscow meets tomorrow to go over some new songs as well.

Performing: No current performances.

Listening: Lots of news and podcasts, actually, and sometimes a little classical. Not feeling too adventurous.

Teaching: Big into theory and concepts this week and driving home those essential ear training skills.

Relaxing: X-Files. Dana Scully is my queen.

i-dont-care

Posted on

Weekly Roundup 9/22/15

Reading: Work Hard, Be Nice almost got cracked open yesterday but I took a nap instead.

Arranging: Nothing on the docket.

Practicing: Annie Laurie in high gear. Hoping to read through it with Metro Brass at our Oct 4th rehearsal. My big tenor went off to the shop for service today, so I’ll try it on small horn this afternoon and see if I like that feeling.

Rehearsing: Metro rehearsed Sunday night with friend of Trombone a Trois (my old trombone trio) Nick Syman auditioning for the second tenor/jazz spot. We’ll meet again this weekend to try out a different candidate.

Performing: The Satellites at 612Brew! Saturday! 8pm! FREE!

Listening: Lots of news and podcasts, actually, and sometimes a little classical. Not feeling too adventurous.

Teaching: I love giving the ‘long tone’ lesson and that’s what I’ve been doing with a few new students this week.

Relaxing: Lots of social activities this week. That’s a nice thing sometimes.

Posted on

Weekly Roundup 9/15/15

Reading: Work Hard, Be Nice is now waiting for me on my bookshelf!

Arranging: All arrangements are now edited for the Satellites to be bigger and easier to read! Next step, buy more printer ink.

Practicing: Annie Laurie in high gear. Hoping to read through it with Metro Brass at our Oct 4th rehearsal.

Rehearsing: Midnight in Moscow tomorrow to read new tunes and organize our books. Metro on Sunday night- our first meeting after little break- and we’re hoping to audition a new trombonist!

Performing: No performances this week.

Listening: Lots of news and podcasts, actually, and sometimes a little classical. Not feeling too adventurous.

Teaching: It might be a good time to do a ‘volume workshop’ with some students- work on projection and accuracy at double f and air flow and consistency at double p.

Relaxing: Reliving all the drama of the X-Files. Going camping at Wild River SP this weekend. Enjoying the last days of summer, and they have been beautiful.

Posted on

Weekly Roundup 9/9/15

Reading: Work Hard, Be Nice is waiting for me at the library.

Arranging: I learned a few things from our first Satellites gig. The foremost: make the music bigger so you can actually read it on a dim stage. That’s this week’s task.

Practicing: My practice grid is working out great! I ran through trill exercises today and practiced chromatic and major scale patterns. Feeling fleet on the slide!

20150901_130859

Rehearsing: Minnehaha Repertory Orchestra begins meeting again this Saturday! We’re playing Brahms 2. ❤

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-qMtWVf0NA

Performing: No performances this week.

Listening: See above.

Teaching: Back to school! Met with my Chanhassen students yesterday, and am starting the year strong by encouraging good practice habits and routine-building.

Relaxing: Gong to ASI on Friday night for Cocktails at the Castle, a wedding reception on Saturday, and starting Buffy season 6 with my friend M on Sunday.

Posted on

I’m going to be a Piper!

It’s official: I am taking over for one year as interim instructor of low brass for the Music Department at Hamline University in St Paul! Their regular instructor, Ralph Hepola, is taking a leave of absence to pursue full time band teaching, and I am happy to step in and help.

I’ll be teaching low brass lessons to registered students, as well as doing the occasional coaching session for their ensemble sections. There is potential to collaborate with other instructors and I have every intention of putting on a solo recital in Sundin Hall in the spring.

What does this mean for my current studio? Almost nothing changes! I’ll be dedicating one day a week to teaching on campus and it will hardly affect my current studio schedule at all.

Many of you may know that I have been hoping for a long time to get a college position and begin my career in academia. I am really thrilled that I can start at Hamline- the first university founded in Minnesota- and work with the positive, civically-minded folks there. It is a gorgeous campus and has excellent facilities for its music students. There’s a possibility the position may extend beyond a year, but at the very least I am excited to begin here.

(A special shout-out goes to Sarah Schmalenberger, friend, fierce horn playing boss, and colleague, for her work in recommending me for the position and paving the way for my interview to go so smoothly and successfully. You should have friends like this, folks!)

Posted on

Goal Accomplished!

We did it! We funded my Husting Studio Scholarship Fund in less than 2 weeks! I am so honored, humbled, thrilled, overwhelmed, and frankly, amazed by all the generosity and support my community has shown in helping me provide music lessons to underprivileged youth. Because we funded it within my goal time of 11 days, I’ll offer two students the opportunity to take lessons!

The campaign will remain live until the end of the month. Any additional donations will go toward additional materials for the students, or possibly toward organizing a studio recital.

My next step is to find candidates for the scholarship and then go through the hard process of choosing the best one! I’ll be emailing band directors at schools with a large population of children receiving the free or reduced lunch program and asking them to nominate students they feel would benefit from the experience. From there, the student will fill out my Scholarship Application and tell me a little bit about why they want lessons.

If you are a band director and you think you have a student who’d be a good fit for my studio, please contact me at lahusting AT gmail DOT com, or fill out the contact form.

Thanks again to all who participated. You have no idea how grateful I am that this was so well-received. I look forward to meeting my new student and getting started!