Tag: Hamilton

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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.

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Weekly Round-up 2/22/16

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: As noted above, Exultate rehearsals start this week.

Practicing: I took a nice little weekend off- a bit of self-care after a busy and somewhat stressful start to the music year. It always takes a little bit to get back to fighting weight, but the perspective gained is worth it.

Listening: Nick Drake, Bruckner 4, Hamilton OCR.

Teaching: Practical theory and ear training high on my list today.

Studying: Flow is here! Can’t wait to dive into it.

Relaxing: A friend visited me this weekend, hence my opportunity to take some time off and have a mini homebound vacation. We did touristy Minneapolis things and ate good food- it was wonderful! It’s tough to go back to work but I feel refreshed and happy.

 

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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 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.