Tag: satellites

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Weekly Roundup 9/1/15

Reading: Re-reading a few special chapters of Musicophilia in honor of the legendary Oliver Sacks, who passed away on Sunday. Minds and spirits like his occur only a few times a generation.

Arranging: A few edits (and one major revision) for Satellites charts.

Practicing: I’ve created a practice grid to help me remember to cover all the basics!

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Rehearsing: Satellites had full band rehearsal on Sunday night. I’m so excited to put this band on a stage and see what we can do.

Performing: TONIGHT at Jazz Central Studios, playing 3rd bone with the Bill Simenson Orchestra. AND Saturday: The Satellites Sept 5 at 11pm, Icehouse. Our premiere gig!

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(look at that sweet branding!)

Listening: Sometimes the overloaded music brain needs a break. I’ve been mostly listening to news and podcasts.

Teaching: End of summer preparation for lots of students- getting those chops back for band camp and rehearsals and auditions. For some marching band folks, I’m offering ‘crash courses’ on how to effectively memorize music.

Relaxing: Labor Day weekend is upon us already! I’m taking it easy- staying in town- and enjoying the daylight while it lasts.

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Weekly Roundup 8/25/15

Reading: nothing on the shelf.

Arranging: A few edits (and one major revision) for Satellites charts.

Practicing: Time to start really digging into Annie Laurie, which I’ll perform with Metro Brass as accompaniment sometime in our next performance season. This means hoping my work revitalizing my multiple tonguing skills and quick slide work has paid off!

Rehearsing: Satellites core group got together on Sunday to revise and finalize our charts. We’ll have full band rehearsal this coming Sunday for our gig on the 5th!

Performing: Midnight in Moscow Aug 26th at Driftwood Char Bar, 7pm. The Satellites Sept 5 at 11pm, Icehouse.

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(look at that sweet branding!)

Listening: I’m painting another room in my house, and it feels like an 80s pop playlist kind of activity.

Teaching: End of summer preparation for lots of students- getting those chops back for band camp and rehearsals and auditions. For some marching band folks, I’m offering ‘crash courses’ on how to effectively memorize music.

Relaxing: HOLY COW the State Fair starts this week. I’ll be there on Saturday. Then a beach day, then some kayaking- gotta make that summer last.

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Weekly Roundup 8/18/15

Reading: nothing on the shelf.

Arranging: A few edits for Satellites charts.

Practicing: Time to start really digging into Annie Laurie, which I’ll perform with Metro Brass as accompaniment sometime in our next performance season. This means hoping my work revitalizing my multiple tonguing skills and quick slide work has paid off!

Rehearsing: Nothing this week.

Performing: Midnight in Moscow Aug 26th at Driftwood Char Bar, 7pm. The Satellites Sept 5 at 11pm, Icehouse.

Listening: Nothing super new on the list.

Teaching: End of summer preparation for lots of students- getting those chops back for band camp and rehearsals and auditions.

Relaxing: A weekend at the cabin + comic books.

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Weekly Roundup 8/11/15

I was on a road trip through Big Sky Country last week- got to see moose, bison, pronghorns, elk, and lots and lots of beautiful mountains and flora. Now it’s back to work and gearing up for fall lessons!

Reading: nothing on the shelf.

Arranging: A few edits for Satellites charts.

Practicing: Rebuild time after a week off. This means a few days of long tones and lip slurs, and lots of tunes in 12 keys with the Intonation Helper before I’m ready to jump back into my technical work. Buzz buzz buzz, sing sing sing.

Rehearsing: Satellites on Sunday- gearing up for next month’s gigs!

Performing: Midnight in Moscow Aug 26th at Driftwood Char Bar, 7pm.

Listening: Doing research for Midnight’s new gig book. We’re streamlining and looking for new tunes to add to our repertoire. This means listening to lots of Louis Armstrong’s Hot Five and Preservation Hall! Not bad.

Teaching: End of summer preparation for lots of students- getting those chops back for band camp and rehearsals.

Relaxing: Tomorrow night the Perseid meteor shower peaks! Get out of the city and find some dark sky to enjoy the show.

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Weekly Roundup 6/9/15

Oh man! I totally spaced last week and forgot to do a roundup. Not even sure what I was doing. Not blogging. Whatever. I’m back!

Reading: This Is Your Brain on Music: The Science of a Human Obsession by Daniel J Levitin. (still reading)

Arranging: Editing old arrangements for the Satellites. Still doing this, too. Endlessly. Arranging feels like it’s never done.

Practicing: Satellites charts, lip trills, double and triple tonguing, slurs into the trigger register.

Rehearsing: Satellites have their first rehearsal Thursday so those charts better be ready, missy!

Performing: Midnight in Moscow, July 1st at Driftwood Char Bar.

Metro put on a stellar concert last week. Really well-attended and liked. Da Pacem Domine (my arrangement) was a particular hit!

Listening: Best Coast (saw them live last night at First Avenue!), Tame Impala (give me the new record asap)

Teaching: How to manage your summer practice schedule.

Relaxing: Reading outdoors in the sunshine. Drinking iced tea. I love summer.

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Weekly Roundup 5/26/15

Reading: This Is Your Brain on Music: The Science of a Human Obsession by Daniel J Levitin.

Arranging: Editing old arrangements for the Satellites.

Practicing: I’m so close to having a real lip slur I can taste it (or maybe that’s blood).

Rehearsing: Midnight in Moscow this week- we have our first gig in over year in July!

Performing: Metro Brass: June 4th Variety Concert! Can’t wait to conduct Da Pacem Domine in the round.

Listening: Surfer Blood. Brahms Piano Quintet. Vampire Weekend.

Teaching: Probably overdue for a series of lessons on good practice habits, what with summer being here and all.

Relaxing: MAD MAX WAS SO GOOD. Tonight, seeing Surfer Blood at 7th Street Entry. Tomorrow I’m getting a MASSAGE and it’s all I can think about.

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Weekly Roundup 5/19/15

Reading: n/a this week- still waiting on books from the library! Arranging: Love Letter by Clairy Browne and the soul version of 7 Nation Army by Ben L’Oncle Soul (both for the Satellites). Practicing: Double and triple tonguing needing a review this week. Rehearsing: Metro Brass on Sunday night. We put in some serious effort on Da Pacem Domine and it is going to sound fantastic! Performing: Metro Brass: June 4th. The Satellites: June 13th. Midnight in Moscow: July 12th. Metro Brass: July 23. More information under “Upcoming” on my homepage. Listening: Janelle Monae is my queen. Teaching: Feels like everyone’s stressed out about finals and AP tests and life this week. So I’ve been teaching less instrument-specific things and more about time and stress management- and how music can help! Relaxing: MAD MAX. Tonight. Art-A-Whirl, this past weekend. Feeling like my weekends are planned out with festivals and gigs for the rest of the summer.

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Weekly Roundup 5/12/15

Reading: Requested a few books on musical acoustics from the library. Thumbing through my old ear-training texts.

Arranging: In the editing stages of charts for the Satellites. We have a gig! June 27th. Details to follow. A few changes to make to Da Pacem Domine before Metro’s concert on June 4th.

Practicing: Metro Brass charts, lip trills, and a review of alto clef because I am rusty!

Rehearsing: Midnight in Moscow met last week and we had a productive rehearsal revamping some of our favorite charts. Our next gig on the books is July 12th!

Performing: Metro Brass: June 4th. The Satellites: June 27th. Midnight in Moscow: July 12th. Metro Brass: July 23. More information under “Upcoming” on my homepage.

Listening: Brandi Carlile, a little bit, but mostly silence has been nice this week.

Teaching: Two students are trying out for Minnesota Junior Winds, so I’ve been prepping them for that and helping them record. Other students are diving into learning tunes by ear, and working with the Intonation Helper.

Relaxing: Spent lots of time at Eloise Butler this weekend, volunteering. It’s so gorgeous there, you guys. Go check it out.