Tag: brass chix

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2016: A Round-up Review!

Well, 2016 is coming to a close, as all years do, and it’s been one of the most professionally exciting and challenging years yet! It was one of the most diverse years for types of gigs, music learned, and students taught. Here’s a little recap of what 2016 looked like for me:

Performance Highlights:

January: BrassChix presentation to 12 delightful young women trombonists plus a performance of the first movement of Red Dragonfly; performing Stravinsky’s Octet with Winona Chamber Winds

February: “Lunch With…” in Sundin Hall at Hamline, a 30 minute recital for the community; auditioning for the doctoral program at the U of Mn

March: Exultate Choir and Orchestra’s performance of their signature pasticchio mass; Easter services at Bethlehem Lutheran Church in S Mpls,

April: Sitting in with the Hamline Wind Ensemble on bass trombone

May: Conducting and performing with the Hamline Brass Choir; The Satellites played the Dakota and 612Brew; Metro Brass presented “Hold On Tight” at the Capri Theatre in N Mpls

June: Something like a month off? Ha!

July: Brass Lassie at the Minnesota Scottish Fair; The Satellites at the Icehouse; Mill City Five at Como Pavillon

August:  Mill City Five at Minnehaha Falls and Bistro La Roux in Circle Pines; The Satellites back at Icehouse

September: My first performance with the UMN Wind Ensemble!

October: UMN Collage Concert, playing with both Trombone Choir and U Symphony Orchestra

November: Brass Lassie at Celtic Junction; UMN Trombone Choir feature recital; USO performance of concerto competition winners; Minnehaha Repertory Orchestra’s yearly concert

December: Holiday concerts with the UMN Trombone Choir, bass bone in the Hamline Wind Ensemble again; Holiday Polka with Brass Barn Polka Band at Bauhaus Brew Labs; Christmas services at St John the Baptist in New Brighton; and of course, my first doctoral recital!

Teaching Highlights: 

I taught over 800 individual lessons this year to 30 different individuals, helping them win spots in All-State bands, local honor groups like GTCYS and Minnesota Junior Winds, preparing them for solo and ensemble performances, and overall enjoying their company and growth as astonishing young musicians and people. I’m incredibly proud to have raised of $3000 in scholarship funds to allow low-income students to take lessons for a year. I continued my work at Hamline University and took on a new collegiate job at Century College in White Bear Lake.

Personal Highlights: 

I traveled to NYC, San Diego, Lutsen MN, St Louis, Iowa, and Chicago. I saw good friends and met amazing new folks. I hiked, kayaked, camped, and stewarded my gorgeous state’s natural resources. I biked all over Minneapolis and St Paul. I started my doctorate while balancing a full freelancing and educational career.

What’s in store for 2017?

The plan is to keep rocking it out. Brass Lassie, The Satellites, and Mill City Five all have more to come. My second doctoral recital is currently on the schedule for April 17th. I’ll present at BrassChix again in January and will also perform portions of my recital for the kids of St Louis Park. I have big ideas and big plans for both my teaching and my art, so stay tuned. 🙂

 

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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 Round-up 1/18/16

Happy Martin Luther King Day!

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

Sunday, 1/24, 11-4 – BrassChix Annual Forum for women and girls who play brass instruments! I’m so excited to be a part of this again. I’ll be giving a trombone seminar in the morning and performing a movement of Red Dragonfly by Amy Mills in the afternoon.

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.

Rehearsals: Working with my pianist, Rebecca, on the Mills for Sunday.

Practicing: So there’s a lot on my plate this month. On top of the above performances I am also preparing for my audition to enter doctoral study at the U in the fall. That audition is February 6th. Luckily, I can recycle much of the material from other gigs.

Listening: John Luther Adams, like, all of it.

Teaching: Short, quick notes to find the heart of your sound. Making the motion of the horn coming to your face, the inhalation, and the sound all a part of one unit, effortless.

Studying: Balance.

Relaxing: Visits to Como Conservatory, walks, good long talks with friends.

 

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Weekly Round-up 1/11/16

Hello all and welcome to 2016! This is the first weekly post of the year and I’m excited to share some new performances, information, and materials with you. Here goes!

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

Next Sunday, 1/17, 2pm- Winona Chamber Winds. One of my bucket list pieces, the Stravinsky Octet for Winds, is on this concert. If you can make the drive or will be in the area, I would love to see you!

Sunday, 1/24, 11-4 – BrassChix Annual Forum for women and girls who play brass instruments! I’m so excited to be a part of this again. I’ll be giving a trombone seminar in the morning and performing a movement of Red Dragonfly by Amy Mills in the afternoon.

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.

Rehearsals: Prepping for WCW next weekend. Metro meets on Sunday the 17th.

Practicing: So there’s a lot on my plate this month. On top of the above performances I am also preparing for my audition to enter doctoral study at the U in the fall. That audition is February 6th. Luckily, I can recycle much of the material from other gigs.

Listening: Recently I’ve been sharing favorite recordings and performances of classical and art music with a friend. It’s taken me down a rabbit hole of orchestral music that has been refreshing.

But, also, David Bowie, thank you, Starman, for blowing our minds.

Teaching: Air is all you need. Let your line do the work.

Studying: Aspects of zen and Buddhist meditation.

Relaxing: Not going to be a lot of that this month, but I made a few New Year’s Resolutions, many of them focusing on getting out into the world more, and experiencing. Less screen time, more art, dance, music, friends, and life.