Tag: satellites

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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.

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Weekly Roundup 10/26/15

Weekly Roundup is moving to Mondays! My Tuesdays have filled up and it makes more sense to do this at the beginning of the week, anyway. 🙂

Reading: Work Hard, Be Nice put aside a for a little bit, about halfway done, while I get control of some other tasks.

Arranging: New Satellites charts! Today’s:

Practicing: Taking things down a volume level or two to focus on a steady, consistent tone- bricks of sound- in Tannhauser. My fortes have suffered from a lack of attention lately and are a little wobbly. Also working up La Gazza Ladra, to speed.

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

Rehearsing: Mill City Five meets this week to make up new gig books and create a setlist for our gig November 25th at the Nicollet.

Trombone a Trois, my long-defunct trio, is regrouping for a potential recital in December. Stay tuned!

Performing: Nothing on the books until late November.

Listening: THIS (redux)

Teaching: How to be crispy. Keep your shorts short!

Relaxing: What. Is. That.

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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

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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.

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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.

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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

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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.

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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.

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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!

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

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.