Classic Brass

Braces, Trumpet and Trombone

2005-10-08T15:45:00.000-05:00

I have a student that has been taking with me for awhile and he's finally starting to really get a lot of the concepts that we've been talking about. He got braces last year and has been struggling some, but has improved his tone and range since getting them.

His band directors are constantly giving him grief about little embouchure problems. Which is fine in my book, except that this is a guy who is a perfectionist to begin with and is now dealing with whatever stigma is attached to having the braces.

Earlier in the year I had him blow on an old trombone mouthpiece because I wanted him to get a feel for getting the "buzz" going in the chops without overtaxing his trumpet chops. It worked and really helped focus in on getting a good "buzz."

School is back in session and he's now realizing that the pieces that he had been playing were short. He doesn't quite have the endurance that he needs to achieve the kind of results that he is used to.

His solution: switch to trombone.

My concerns with this plan is that I don't think he's going to have the appropriate air support to play a low brass intrument. Sure, he could develop that over time, but air support was one of the things we had been working on a lot over the last year or so on trumpet. While he had made significant progress, I don't think he's going to be happy with the results of making the switch.

I have set up a session with this student with Doug to determine the feasibility of him making the switch and am interested to hear what others might have to say on the subject.

Another Month... Music still lives

2005-01-29T21:07:00.000-05:00

Another month has gone by and so it is time for me to post once again on this site. Not a whole lot to report. Life continues on. I still work too hard, still don't play my trombone as often as I would like, still doing the same things that I did yesterday and the day before that, and the day before that. Otherwise, not much happening.

One of the items that is new is the store where I teach lessons is closing its doors as of the beginning of March. Caught me by surprise. Certainly didn't know what I was going to do about teaching anymore. Gave me pause for several long nights of doing some heavy thinking considering my options.

One of the options was to teach out of my apartment. However, since I am not the neatest of individuals, that would mean some serious cleaning and keeping the apartment clean. Didn't forsee that happening very well.

Another option was to go to another store and try and teach there. This nice thing about the place I was teaching at was that it was literally 2 minutes away from my apartment. I was going to have a hard time driving other distances just to make a go of it, especially with the shape that my car is in.

Another one of the options was to stop teaching when they closed their doors. I will have to admit that I gave this one some serious thought. It would be nice to have my Saturday afternoons and Monday nights back to myself. It would be nice instead of having to go to teach lessons to be able to sleep in and kick back and do whatever I wanted for the weekend. The thought of this was very tempting to me. However, the more that I thought about this, it just wasn't me. I enjoy teaching. I enjoy playing.

Luckily for us, one of the guitar teachers there has partnered with somebody who is willing to put up the cash to open up a lessons studio just a few doors down from the current teaching location. They will be opening up just as the other store is closing. This is great news for me and my students. It will mean that I will have to continue to give up my Saturdays and Monday nights, but after the next story, how could I not give up those days to teach music.

I have a 69 year old gentleman who started taking lessons from me a year ago. He had never played an instrument before in his life, but he always enjoyed music and always wanted to learn. He was so distraught when I broke the news to him that the store was closing that he went home and talked to his wife to see if it would be okay for me to come and give him lessons at his home. For someone who loves music that much and feels that he his learning something each time we have a lesson, how can I not continue to teach?

Christmas Music and the Holidays

2004-12-22T21:21:00.000-05:00

Well my how time flies. It has been a while since I have posted here. As I am sitting here waiting for work to call and confirm what I already know, that the 8 inches of snow on the ground and still falling is enough to cancel work tomorrow, I am listening to the sounds of the season presented by a trombone player that I found on the web the other week (Keith Bilinsky at www.bebop.ca/index.html excellent trombone Christmas music!). As I am sitting here listening to these sounds, I am just thinking about what the music means to me especially at this time of year. My tastes tend to run towards more traditional Christmas carols (Silent Night, O Holy Night, etc). However, no matter what a person's musical tastes are, this season allows everyone to experience their tastes.

Like I said, my tastes tend to favor the more lyrical, melodic lines. O Holy Night if done right will bring chills to my spine. Even if done poorly, it still is nice to listen to. Silent Night is always a favorite. Coventry Carol tops my list too. I am fond of Bing Crosby singing "I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas" or Nat King Cole's rendition of "The Christmas Song". Working with my students over the last month and a half, I have found that they have their favorites. My fourth grade trumpet student wanted "The Twelve Days of Christmas" to be able to play for her holiday concert. That one took some time to arrange for her ability and even still we started on the 12th day. I guess that my point to all of this is that music is an integral part of our lives during this time of year.

In light of that revelation, I would like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas with your families, friends and loved ones. Happy New Year to all of you as well. May you enjoy this holiday season and enjoy the music that goes along with it. Until next year, may the music lift your heart and take you to new places to sail.

God bless.

Doug

For A Good Time...

2004-11-19T15:40:00.000-05:00

This sounds like a really good time. I just love this kind of thing and wish we'd see stuff like this in America more often than we do...

Trombonology

2004-11-02T18:50:00.000-05:00

Wow. I have just stumbled across a wonderful piece of music here recently. "Trombonology" by Tommy Dorsey is a fun piece that would challege the most advanced player. I stumbled across this piece while looking at websites for different trombone players. This particular site had a MIDI file in which this particular player was showcasing his own solo trombone with piano arrangment. I have to admit I listened to this file and was blown away. I have since been back several times just to listen to this piece of music and have become enthralled. Where was this piece of music when I was in college? Shame on you Mr. F L. Shame on you Mr. K S (you still have not earned your "doctor" title in my opionion). You at WSU school of music did not let me know. You did not alert me that this piece of music was out there. Had I known about this piece, I would have wanted to attempt to play it. It is definitely a challenging piece, but as I have been listening to it over and over again, I am finding it a fun piece of music that I wish that I had know about much earlier.

I now have a copy of the music. I am going to work on it on my own. However, I am not playing as much as I was back in college because I just don't have the time. It would have been fun to try this piece when I was playing every day and at my best.

Update
When I started reading the comments, I realized that I did not include the link where I found all of this information. Hat tip to the commentors. Here is the link where I first discovered the information on Trombonology. This link includes trombone part, trombone and piano part, and a midi file of the performance of Trombonology. Site owner is Benjamin Coy and this is his arrangement of the trombone and piano part. The website link is http://www.tenorposaune.com/music/Trombonology.php
Hope that you enjoy.

Braces and Brass Players

2004-10-03T16:15:00.000-05:00

It used to be when beginning students would get braces, it would effect their playing considerably. I don't feel that this is the case so much anymore. Braces of today are not quite as bulky as they used to be when I was growing up. They seem to do as effective a job as those of years past.

You do need to be careful with students with braces and make sure that they are still playing in a good position so as to not let them get away with poor embrouchure. You also want to make sure that they are playing in a good position as to not comprimise tone quality.

I have a student who has some dental problems that really affect his ability to play the horn. We were just getting him to the point where he was starting to take off. He has recently gotten braces. Luckily for him and for me, it has not affected his ability to play. While the braces are something that he will have to deal with, the fact that they are not a hinderance to his playing ability is a good thing. This student has a strong drive and desire to want to play the instrument well. As a beginner, he is already exceeding the abilities of the rest of his class. While I want to encourage him, I do not want to have him get too far ahead of his class, or he will become easily bored. This is the type of challenge that I am blessed to have. Now I just need to figure out what steps to take from here.

Beginner or Easy Play Books, Should They be Used?

2004-09-26T12:39:00.000-05:00

When I head over to the local music store to find music, I am often torn as to whether or not I should brouse through the Easy Play Books. Ultimately, I usually do look through these selections and find something that I will pick up and use with my students.

My quandry for wanting to choose these books is the fact that they are easy. Most of the time these types of books do not present any kind of challenge except for beginners. The arrangements are usually simplified versions of the songs. Sometimes, the editors and writers in an effort to make the songs easy for students actually make poor editing choices and the essence of the song is comprimised. Most of the time the range for these songs is well within the students abilities and is actually limiting for Intermediate to Advanced students.

So if they are easy and so full of problems why choose them? They do offer some benefits. Oftentimes they can be used to help teach different musical concepts or styles in a simplified manner. They can also be used to teach musical phrasing. When introducing another style of music, such as latin and jazz, they can helpful to help teach the style without too much difficulty.

When you use these books, you use them knowing that you will have to be careful and choose wisely. They should be used to help reinforce musical concepts and ideals rather than as true music.

Burn Out

2004-08-30T10:55:00.000-05:00

Recently I had to participate in an intervention.

Let me give you the background. I've had this student for about a month. He's not yet in high school, but has amazing skills and tons of raw talent. Fantastic tone quality, excellent range, and a fine sense of musicianship. The problem: it wasn't much "fun" playing anymore.

I asked him what his practice/rehearsal schedule was like and was told that he was playing between 45 minutes to an hour every day. Without exception.

If you ask highschoolers that question, you're lucky to get 15 minutes a day.

This student's father is very "jazzed" about his son's talent and the pressure was there for him to keep at it. Which is good to a point, but my fear was that this student was facing burn-out. And that would have been a tragic waste of talent, so I made sure to let everybody know that it is okay to have a life too.

Practicing is important, but so is enjoying it. When it becomes a chore, it's time to stop looking at the clock. How long the practice session is isn't near as important as the quality of that seesion. I'm a believer that 90% of brass playing is mental, and you have to be in the proper mindset in order to achieve success. With maturity and experience, the trumpet player can perform at peak conditions for a longer duration of time; and developing that skill is what practicing is all about.

The problem with clock watching is that it isn't results oriented. And that is the key characteristic of a successful practice session.

It All Starts With the Wind

2004-08-29T13:10:00.000-05:00

As a studio teacher, I can't tell you how many students that I have had over the years that have had problems playing their instrument. In the majority of these cases, I would say 97% or better, the problems boil down to a lack of air support. Chopped off musical phrases, poor tone quality, inability to reach higher notes, cutting short of long notes, all of these problems stem from poor air support. So how do we go about and fix these problems?

When I have a new student, especially if they are brand new to the instrument or to playing, the first thing that I do is to encourage them to play out. Whether or not the student realizes it, by playing out, the student is using more air then they would normally. Inherently by playing out, they are using the proper breathing techniques required for playing an instrument. The reinforcement of these proper breathing techniques early on can assist in avoiding a lot of problems later on in their playing career.

So how do we go about increasing breath support, or fixing breathing problems for a student that has been playing for awhile? One of the techniques that I use in my studio is using long tone exercises. I have the student play a comfortable range note, go down a half step, and then back up. These notes should be at least a whole note in length and should focus on good tone throughout the entire exercise. You can then repeat the process going down a half step each time. You should start at a softer volume (probably at a mp level) and then gradually crescendo and then decrescendo during the exercise.

Another exercise that I use to help develop air support is the whole note exercise. You pick a medium range note for the instrument and play it at a nice comfortable volume. You have the student play a whole note and then rest for four counts, then you have them play for two whole notes combined (8 counts) and then rest for four counts and continue to increase the length of playing time by another whole note until the student has reached their maximum. When they have reached their maximum, you have them try increase the length by another quarter note and then another.

The students that I have used these techniques with have shown immediate improvement in tone quality and sound production. When I transfer these ideas to music, I notice improvement in musical phrasing and shaping of the line. I find that I will have to reinforce these ideas with students who have been playing awhile before they started taking lessons with me, but over time they will start to remember on their own. Besides these are always good exercises to come back to or to start out with to concentrate on creating a good tone.

Others might have other techniques that they use, and I encourgage you to use those ideas if they work for you. These ideas work for me and I am sharing them as a tool for you to use with your students. If you have differing ideas or other techniques that you use, I would love to hear from you.

Some new students

2004-08-24T18:12:00.000-05:00

I have just recently picked up some new students over the past couple of weeks. Two new trombone students and a new trumpet student. Helps fill out the schedule a little bit for Saturday morning.

Musical Benefits of Marching Band Part II

2004-08-24T17:54:00.000-05:00

Looks like I haven't posted here in almost a month. My apologies to the loyal readers. Then again, I don't think that the guy who got me into this blogging thing has posted here in awhile either. Anyway back to the topics at hand.

Aside from the musical benefits mentioned in the other post, there are more benefits to marching band. The biggest one of these is the health benefit for the students.

In today's society where it is too easy for kids to plop themselves in front of the computer, tv, DVD, or gaming console, where it is also too easy to run down the street and pick up fast food for a meal, it is nice to have students to be able to get some form of exercise. Marching band does that in a big way. During a performance, whether it is a marching band competition or during a football game's halftime, the students will use up enough oxygen and will have their heart rate increased to the point where they are comparable to a marathon runner. Granted, the marathon runner is running for several hours, where as the marching band kids are going for just about 15 minutes or so. Even still, there is exercise that is being gained. Doctors will always tell you that is a good thing.

During a two hour marching practice, the students are probably really exercising 45 minutes to an hour and 15 minutes. Figure that two times a week, plus a Friday football game and a Saturday marching band competition, you are looking at a good healthy exercise of four days a week. At the end of the marching band season, even the most out of shape band member will be able to do more and accomplish more than they would be able to during the rest of the year.

Okay so maybe this part of it isn't so much a musical benefit as a health benefit. However, if the students are feeling healthier, they will have better emotional image as a result. The healthier emotional image will allow them to be able to express themselves more and thus be more expressive with the music. Okay, that might be a far stretch. But I know from my own experience, that through the course of the exercise that I got during marching band, I was better able to put more effort into the music when it came time for the concert band season.

Just something to think about.

Musical Benefits of Marching Band Part 1

2004-07-31T12:58:00.000-05:00

This is part one of a two part series designed to try and answer the question of whether or not marching band serves any musical purpose.

As some of my students get ready to go off to band camp, I find myself pondering over something that one of my teachers said to me in college. What this teacher said didn't set right with me back then, and it still doesn't now after 10 years. This teacher simply said this, "There is no benefit to marching bands."

At the time, I just sort of looked at him funny. I didn't think to try and challenge him on this point, after all he was a college professor. He was also my trombone teacher, so there was a little fear of retribution if I challenged him too much. But ever since he stated that, I have found myself wondering what universe he resided in to be able to make such a statement and to also be able to believe it.

In my opinion, there is a great deal of musical benefit that students can learn from being in marching band. There is no way that you will be able to play a ff power chord at the end of a song unless you are using proper breathing techniques. Indeed if you are not using the proper breathing techniques, you will probably be passing out on the marching field halfway through the first song. Being on a marching field, you also learn quite a bit about balance between instruments. You also learn a great deal about listening to other parts, but being able to play your own part independently. On a marching field, if you listen too intently, you will end up hearing the delay due to reverb and echo. So in that respect, you need to know your part and be able to play it independently, regardless of what is going on around you. Because of the wide openness of a marching field, you end up having to over emphasize dynamics in order to make the song come to life on the field. Being on a marching field also teaches the students to blow the air through the instrument. I cannot tell you how many students I have had that when they first started taking private lessons sounded like the air was dribbling out the end of the horn. All of these are beneficial tools and can be used when teaching students in a studio situation, provided that your student has been exposed to marching bands at some point in their playing career.

One of the common complaints that I hear from teachers when the marching season is done and they start up with the concert season is that the band is still playing like they are outside, in other words too loud. Obviously you need to be able to have some control and be able to reign the band in, but I think that if you use marching band as a foundation, you should be able to build upon those blocks of balance and control and make your concert band better in the long run. The lessons learned in marching band; proper breathing, dynamic control, balance within the ensemble, listening to other parts, and blowing through the instrument, are all blocks that are necessary for being able to play well as an ensemble or individual player. Ususally in a studio setting, you are concentrating on one or two of those blocks at a time. Players in a marching band will ultimately be working on all of those blocks at the same time and will be better players for it.

Each individual player is going to be different and require different needs in order to get them to be a better player. I feel personally that marching band allows the player to work on most of the common elements to becoming better players. From there it is easier for me as a teacher to be able to build on those elements and help the students to become better musicians.

Soaring Sounds - Centerville, OH DCI Show

2004-07-21T10:55:00.000-05:00

We couldn't have asked for a better night for a drum corps show. The weather was fantastic. Thunderstorms were predicted, but they were a no-show.

First up was the Division III Marion Glory Cadets from Marion, OH. The Glory Cadets' program featured the music of Gustav Holst's The Planets. Critically speaking, the color guard was the worst I have ever seen. [Full disclosure: I marched soprano (trumpet) in the 1989 Limited Edition Drum and Bugle Corps and did winterguard (rifle and flag) in high school.] The good news is that the pit (or front ensemble) was quite good and the drum line shows promise of being a foundation upon which to rebuild the corps.

Next up were the Bandettes, the all-girl corps from Sault Ste Marie, Ontario, Canada. They are small, but an adequate horn line is up to the task. Occassional brass/percussion balance problems, but you have that in a corps of this size.

The Troopers ARE Coming! From Casper, Wyoming, the Troopers are a traditional corps that doesn't disappoint. They won't wow you, but their performance will impress you with good balance and blend and a solid horn line.

Playing the music of Jerry Goldsmith, Southwind from Lexington, Kentucky has a visual style that reminds me of my favorite corps, the Phantom Regiment. They are semi-finals worthy this year!

From Toldeo, Ohio is the Glassmen present a show in tribute of Martha Graham [whom I had to Google in order to figure out who she was.] I have never been a big fan of the Big G and I still find them annoying after all these years. That multiple costume changes for the guard is quite unneccessary and most distracting. If I notice the guard it is for one of two reasons: either I have found a cute girl or the guard is distracting. As much as I wish it were the former, it was the latter in this case.

The Madison Scouts presented another high energy performance with their signature sopranos. Both the soloists and the entire soprano line were top notch and the closer was fantastic.

Still the best horn line in the business, the Blue Devils from Concorde, California put together quite a show that just might get them another DCI championship.

Presenting what I thought was the best overall program of the night was Santa Clara Vanguard. Featuring the music of Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov's Scheherazade, SCV performs the show with style and grace. Not as much of a "general effect" kind of show (especially when compared to the raw energy of the Blue Devils), the Vanguard will end up feeling like Phantom Regiment did back in 1989...the better show losing out to style over substance.

The scores:

Corps/My Score/Official Score/Placement

Marion Glory Cadets/48.6/68.05/7th
Bandettes/45.2/59.60/8th
Troopers/56.8/72.65/6th
Southwind/65.7/75.05/5th
Glassmen/72.6/83.25/4th
Madison Scouts/80.2/86.75/3rd
Blue Devils/89.9/91.40/1st
Santa Clara Vanguard/92.4/89.90/2nd

The Centerville HS Band Boosters put on a great show! I'm looking forward to the show in Fairfield, OH next week with Phantom Regiment.

Time Waster

2004-07-14T12:26:00.000-05:00

Classic Brass Highway

Confusion Lane	3
Wealthville	14
Bankruptcity	33
Mt. Happiness	112
Lake Love	230
Please Drive Carefully

Where are you on the highway of life?

From Go-Quiz.com

Big Bad Voodoo Daddy is Back

2004-07-12T20:16:00.000-05:00

...with a brand new CD:

Longtime fans of the neo-swing band Big Bad Voodoo Daddy were surely surprised when they first dropped the group's latest release, "Save My Soul" into the CD changer.

The lead-off track, "Zig Zaggety Woop Woop, Part One" erupts out of the speakers with a delirious, syncopated fervor that is straight out of the Dirty Dozen Brass Band - from the wild trombones to the stop-and-start grooves to the growling bleats of the tuba. And from there, the band segues into "You Know You Wrong," which rides a rhumba-boogie piano figure that practically channels Professor Longhair. And so on, until, by the disc's end, the band has led the listener on a circuitous survey of vintage New Orleans music styles.

Check it out!

From Omaha Beach to Czechoslovakia

2004-07-12T20:09:00.000-05:00

Very interesting story in the Zanesville (OH) Times-Recorder about trumpet player and war hero (although he denies it) Ned Watts.

Thank you for your service, Mr. Watts.

Review of "The Fabulous Dorseys" DVD

2004-07-11T20:52:00.000-05:00

This is the story of the Big Band era favorites, Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey. The brothers Tommy and Jimmy were born in the coal-mining town of Shennandoah, PA. Their father taught them music and encouraged them to become professional musicians as a means to give them a better life and not have to work at the mines. Their father was able to get them their first break having them perform in a dance hall orchestra that their father was the leader of when they were still young. They went on to play in many different orchestras, most notably with the Paul Whiteman orchestra. In 1933 they formed their own orchestra and enjoyed a great deal of success until 1935 when the two brothers had a rift that spilt them apart. Both went on to lead their own orchestras and enjoyed a great deal of success through the rest of the 30's and 40's during the Big Band era. In 1947, they reunited briefly to star in the movie about their lives, but they did not formally settle their differences until 1953 when they joined the orchestras together again. From 1954 to 1955, they enjoyed some success co-hosting the television show "Stage Show". Incidentally, "Stage Show" was the first time that Elvis Presley appeared on television. He sang "Heartbreak Hotel". Tommy Dorsey died in 1956. Jimmy ran the orchestra until his death in 1957.

I am not sure how accurate this movie is compared to their lives. My guess is that it is a Hollywood adaptation at best. If you are to watch this movie, you are not going to do it to see any great acting or any great plots. What this movie offers is a glimpse into the music and some of the people who influenced the musical era of that time period. It also gives us a glimpse as to how musicians interacted with each other. Indeed it was not uncommon for musicians to finish a gig and then go to a club where another musician was playing and just join that musician on stage.

This movie featured the Dorsey brothers playing themselves in the movie. It also featured other musicians and leaders of that day, including Paul Whiteman (conductor), Art Tatum (Pianist), Bob Eberly (Pianist), Helen O'Connell (Singer)and several more. The DVD also has a bonus feature with an episode of "Stage Show".

If you are interested in music and musicians of that era, then I would recommend this film to help give you a glimse of that era. I would also recommend "The Glenn Miller Story" starring Jimmy Stewart (1953) and "The Benny Goodman Story" starring Steve Allen (1955). While these are all fictional accounts, they do give you a good glimpse into the lives of the musicians and the music that they played.

Helping Beginning Trombone Students to Reach 6th and 7th Positions

2004-07-03T11:08:00.000-05:00

You have a beginning trombone student. He or she is having difficulties reaching 6th and 7th positions on the slide. What do you do?

With the inherit design of the instrument; this can be a common problem for beginning students. After all, the arm only stretches so far in front of you. Younger students with shorter arms are going to have more difficulties than students who are a little bit older.

One of the tricks that you can use with these students is to have them turn their head slightly to the right as they are reaching for one of these positions. What happens is by turning their head; they change the angle of the trombone in relational position with their body. This allows the student to be able to add an extra 2 to 3 inches to their reach and allows them to be able to more easily reach the 6th and 7th positions.

There are teachers who will not advocate this approach. Their theory is that by changing anything with the neck or body, you will ultimately affect the tone quality. While this is true, if the students are using the proper techniques (breathing, blowing etc.), this effect is nominal. What we are trying to accomplish by using this technique is to improve the accuracy of pitches.

I have a student that I am teaching currently teaching that I have to remind constantly to let out her slide a little bit more when she is playing 6th or 7th position notes. Because she was not able to accurately reach these positions early in her trombone-playing career, she “learned” what these pitches sounded like incorrectly. Now when she goes to play those notes, she is playing what sounds right to her ear and not what is correct with the tuner. While we are making progress retraining her ear in her lessons, it is a process that is taking some time and might have been avoided altogether if she was able to hear the pitches correctly by having the slide in the right position early on.

This technique might not be for everyone and certainly if there are teachers who disagree with this technique, I will love to hear from you and your reasons why you disagree with this technique. This is a technique that I have used that seems to work well and it is something that I think other teachers can use effectively also.

Bugles Across America

2004-07-01T19:42:00.000-05:00

From Drum Corps International:

After 37 months of existence, “Bugles Across America,” a program designed to provide a live musician playing taps at every American veteran’s funeral, almost 3,700 musicians have played at more than 37,000 military funerals around the country, according to founder Tom Day.

Day founded “Bugles Across America” in 2001 after a 2000 Congressional mandate stated that every veteran funeral include full military honors. The mandate didn’t take into account the shortage of military buglers (there are less than 500 in the Defense Department, and most of them are assigned to performing ensembles), which forced families to employ boom boxes to play recorded versions of taps at funerals.

DCI.org’s Mike Boo stressed the importance of Bugles Across America. “I’d be remiss if the opportunity wasn’t seized to once again promote an organization of phenomenal worthiness, Bugles Across America. If you are a bugle and/or trumpet player, please, please, please go on their Web site and sign up to be available to perform “Taps” at the funeral of a veteran.

“There is still a critical shortage of bugle players for military funerals, forcing the military to use boom box recordings and digital bugles for “Taps.” There have got to be lots of potential “Taps” players among DCI alumni and fans,” Boo said.

If you are able, please sign up. Our nations veterens deserve full military honors at their funerals.

A Letter From Mom

2004-07-01T10:48:00.000-05:00

From the Mansfield News Journal:

Tami Ketteman's son wasn't in the Renaissance Theatre on Wednesday night.

But he was in his mother's heart as "A Letter From Mom" the Mount Gilead woman wrote was read before a standing-room only crowd who came to see the U.S. Army Field Band and Soldiers' Chorus.

Marcus Carney, 21, is stationed in Afghanistan with the 501st Airborne. He left Kenyon College after one quarter to fight for his country. He was studying ancient civilizations and cultures.

"One morning as I was having my coffee and I thought how there are thousands other mothers who are feeling the same thing I was," Ketteman said during intermission.

"Seeing him grow up, I realize that I can't protect him anymore. I wanted everyone to pray for my son and all those fighting overseas."

The Army learned of the letter and posted it on its Web site about eight weeks ago.
...
It's difficult for her not knowing exactly where her son is or how he's doing. E-mails are "few and far between," she said.

"Mostly, they just say, 'Mom, I'm alive. Stop worrying,'" she said.

"I wrote the letter because I'm so proud of him and wanted people to pray for him."

The letter was read by Master Sgt. Janet Hjelmgren to musical accompaniment. Afterward, the crowd applauded as Ketteman gripped her husband's hand and smiled through the tears.

Check out the video here of a performance of this piece.

The History of the Name

2004-06-29T18:15:00.000-05:00

Classic Brass. Catchy title, isn’t it? Better than NWP (insiders joke sorry). So how did we come up with the name?

Back in our college days, Matt wanted to form an ensemble of musicians who would get together, play music, and have fun together. Based on his experience marching in drum corps and his fondness for brass bands, he decided that this ensemble would be made up entirely of brass players and would play classical brass music. Hence the Classic Brass Ensemble was born.

The goals for this ensemble were very noble. This group was to be made up entirely of students of the university we were attending and the surrounding school systems who had an interest in music. It was to be run by students, and its primary goal was to help the students of all ages become better musicians. This was accomplished through a variety of means. First, the students were able to perform in a small ensemble setting and improve their skills that way. Second, the students were encouraged to compose music, arrange music, and conduct their pieces with the ensemble. Third, with the age differences between the university students and the high school students who were in the organization, we were able to share experiences to help the younger students and give them encouragement. We were also learning how to teach these students on a one on one basis, which would benefit us later. Lastly, if the students wanted, they could have the opportunity to learn to play other brass instruments. This last skill was important, as a majority of the students involved were aspiring music teachers.

While the venture was initially a success and was able to survive for a couple of years, the politics of the music department ultimately caused the group to be disbanded. Gradually many of the members moved on to other ventures or other schools. When Matt transferred to NKU, he had wanted to get the group started again in a fresh school with a fresh start. Unfortunately, that dream never materialized.

Now as we are teaching lessons to students, we find that it is now more important than ever to help students become better musicians. Through this blogging technology we are now able to reach a broader expanse of people. As teachers of music, we want to help other teachers become better teachers. We want to help students become better musicians. Through this blog, we hope that you find tools and resources that will help to accomplish those goals. Welcome to Classic Brass.

Quote of the Day

2004-06-29T11:05:00.000-05:00

"Thank you [President] Bush. I shall be playing my trumpet until the dawn."

--Wasam Adain, 23-year-old music shop owner in Baghdad

Let the Sweet Sound of Freedom Ring...

Let Me Entertain You

2004-06-29T10:52:00.000-05:00

From the Reading (UK) Evening Post:

WHEN Derek Watkins was just a boy, he would take his trumpet on to the pitch at Elm Park stadium to play with a brass band at half time.

Now, when the fans hear Robbie Williams’ Let Me Entertain You blasting out over the speakers in the interval at Madejski Stadium, they are still hearing Derek playing – in the trumpet solo at the end of the song.

For Reading FC fan Mr Watkins, there couldn’t be a better place to hear it.

“Even though it’s not live music any more, when they play that record at half-time, I’m still there in spirit,” he said.

The song is not the only famous recording on which people can hear Mr Watkins.

His trumpet solo also opens the soundtrack for the movie Chicago, while his playing features on every James Bond film soundtrack and other blockbusters including Mission Impossible, The Mummy, Bridget Jones’s Diary, the Harry Potter films and Troy.

He has also worked with Frank Sinatra, Barbra Streisand, Tom Jones, Count Basie and John Dankworth, among others, and it is for all this work that he will find himself at the Royal Academy of Music tomorrow to receive an honorary degree in recognition of his outstanding contribution to music.

Outstanding! I love stories like this. Congrats Derek!

Helping Matt Out

2004-06-28T20:27:00.000-05:00

Matt has asked me to help him out with this blog. My name is Doug Battson and I will try and do my best. In case you haven't figured it out yet, Matt is a trumpet player. And as his friend for many years, I can honestly say that he indeed has the traditional temperment of a trumpet player (no offense Matt) :>). I will try and help bring sanity and balance to his rants and sometimes lunatic ravings.

As a trombone player, I will help to bring about the other more rational side of brass playing on this blog. You have my word on it.

So I look forward to servicing you the reading public through this blog.

Sincerely

Doug

Yer Out!

2004-06-28T14:16:00.000-05:00

From the Star Tribune:

At the direction of GM Doug Melvin, the Brewers tape the picture, name, hobbies and hometown of the umpires working each game on the clubhouse door.

For example, one of the umpire profiles read: "Mike Everitt, #57. Hobbies: Playing the trumpet, yardwork, snowblowing and watching sports. Resides: Des Moines, Ia."

I love it when I can blend two of my favorite hobbies into a blog!

Tuba Player's Life Celebrated

2004-06-28T10:55:00.000-05:00

From the Lexington Herald

The members of New Orleans' famed Dirty Dozen Brass Band were already in the studio when word arrived that one of their own, Anthony "Tuba Fats" Lacen, had passed away at 53. A veteran Crescent City street musician, Lacen was one of the first tuba players in the Dirty Dozen ranks.

Here in Kentucky, his January death went unnoticed. In New Orleans, thousands turned out for his funeral. His body was honored with a street parade that ran from Gallier Hall, where Jefferson Davis laid in state more than a century earlier, through the French Quarter and back to Lacen's 6th ward neighborhood.

"Man, this cat was famous," said Dirty Dozen baritone sax man Roger Lewis. "All the schools turned out to honor him. There must have been 300 tuba players there. He was just this big, lovable guy."

Even with death, the band plays on... Funeral for a Friend is dedicated to "Tuba Fats."

UPDATE:

Laughter Reigns, War Memories Fade...

2004-06-28T10:33:00.000-05:00

From the Boston Globe:

The first 24 hours had passed in a blur of boiled cabbage and too-short sleep, and it was already Friday night, the heart of the Balkans' largest brass band festival, and the trumpets and tubas owned the place.

Roving orchestras eight, nine, and 10 members strong took to stages, wandered streets, and crowded around tables in makeshift restaurants. Horns blared from speakers, sometimes with a slow, sad bellow, more often so fierce and fast that passersby were thrown from one rhythm to the next. Always, the trumpet rose above, a sound pure and addictive, best described by a musician who said, "I blow my soul in my trumpet, and the trumpet plays itself."

This is a great story! Read the whole thing...

A Good Time in Ashland

2004-06-28T10:27:00.000-05:00

From The Herald-Dispatch:

As far as Quentin Sharpenstein of Louisville is concerned, good music, a quaint setting, an appreciative audience and beautiful weather Saturday afternoon made for one incredible day at the 9th annual Ashland Brass Band Festival.

"The brass band holds a special place in my heart," Sharpenstein said. "Brass band music has grown and grown. I prefer to play outdoors. It’s an incredible day. The people here really appreciate the music. The chamber of commerce did a good job with the weather, too."

An elementary school teacher from Louisville, Sharpenstein has been playing music since he was in the fifth grade.

The former Louisville Manual High School band director is now a member of the Derby City Brass Band. The Louisville brass band was among six bands to play at the Central Park bandstand Saturday.

Nothing quite like a nice day and a brass band in the park. I wish I had known about this one, it was relatively close enough that I could have gone; and I'm certainly sorry I missed it as it sounds as if it was a great time with great music.

Featured Recording

2004-06-26T21:01:00.000-05:00

Drum Corps Finals Coming to a Screen Near You

2004-06-26T20:05:00.000-05:00

This years DCI finals show is being "streamed" to 43 movie theatres across the nation.

Tom Blair, longtime executive producer of the DCI World Championships DVDs as well as the DCI television broadcast, put it simply: “Grab your popcorn, put your feet up, grab on to the armrests and prepare to be blown away,” Blair said.

Blair said he wants to emulate the World Championships experience closer to home. “The whole idea is to give the fans the in the theater an experience similar to being at the World Championships site. I’m going to gear this to people who wish they could be there, and give these people a flavor of the championships experience,” Blair said.

Blair noted that the cinema broadcast is another opportunity for fans who can’t fly to Denver to enjoy an awesome drum corps evening.

“I think this part of the big picture, another one of the unique of ways that we can now present the World Championship experience to a whole different fan. We’ve got the DVDs that are the ultimate experience in the home, for the afficionado, who wants to know every detail for a corps’ performance. We’ve got the PBS broadcast, which allows us to reach out to the people who aren’t familiar with drum corps, which features background on performers and the entire experience -- a little less than the pure drum corps experience. The theater experience gives us the opportunity to take 35,000 people who can’t come to Denver, take them into that stadium and give them the same experience that they might have being at World Championships. It’s another way to expand into different audiences,” Blair said.

The broadcast will begin at 5 p.m. mountain time and will show the last 17 corps performing in their entirety. Clips of the first seven corps performing will be shown before the live broadcast, so all 24 corps will have exposure for this live event. We expect the show to end around 10:30 p.m. mountain time, after the last score is announced.

Get the list and see if the Big Show is coming to your town!

The Reagan Trumpeter

2004-06-26T15:42:00.000-05:00

From the Free Lance-Star:

ARTHUR LEON WHITE played "The Battle Hymn of the Republic" on his trumpet and watched as a flag-draped coffin was carried up the steps of the U.S. Capitol.

The Stafford resident, a member of the Army's Herald Trumpets, was part of the slow, dignified march that had started at the Ellipse some 40 minutes earlier. He wore his dress blues, and was feeling the heat of the day.

But White didn't think about that. He thought about the man in the coffin.

Over 25 years, he's played for countless presidents and prime ministers at White House parties and on special occasions. But Ronald Reagan stands out in his mind. The 40th president was the only one who treated White and his fellow band members "like family."

Thank you for your service, Mr. White. President Reagan appreciated your skills, as did the nation, that day.

Trumpeter Bill Ferguson Celebrates 50 Years with Band

2004-06-26T15:35:00.000-05:00

From the Ames (IA) Tribune:

Bill Ferguson tapped the beat with a black loafer, leaned back into his chair and played till he was red in the face.

His trumpet was cocked a little to the right.

His eyes followed the notes of band tunes he'd never played before.

And even as the Ames Municipal Band wrestled with the 13/8, 11/8, and 7/8 time of a piece called "Serenade," it was hard to imagine how Ferguson could be any more at home.

This is his 50th year with the band.

At 11 performances a summer, he's approaching 550 concerts with Ames' band.

And he's still the first one to show up at the Iowa State University band room for the 7 p.m. rehearsals on Monday nights.

"He's usually here by 6:30 saying, 'Why isn't the room opened up?'" said Mike Golemo, the director of the municipal band and ISU's director of bands.

It's not that Ferguson needs the extra practice. Golemo said he's a "great player who has all his chops."

But he does like to be prepared.

He also likes a challenging piece of music.

And he's a respected bandmate, a positive person, a nice guy, Golemo said.

"He looks like he's 29," Golemo said. "I don't know what his secret is. Maybe it's music."

Or maybe it's agreeing to take on a special project even though he's officially retired from 30 years of international sales at Sauer-Danfoss. Or maybe it's keeping his black cars shiny and sporty. Or maybe it's tuning in to the band music on KDAO 1190 AM from Marshalltown. Or maybe it's the car races he likes to watch. Or maybe it's trips to Branson to take in eight shows at a visit. Or maybe it's raising show dogs. Or maybe it's all that time thinking about what makes Stan Kenton's music so special.

Or maybe it's being a trumpet player in a municipal band that features buttoned-down retirees and flip-flopping undergraduates.

"This is an excellent band," Ferguson said. "It's a very powerful band. It's a real joy to play in."

We should all be so lucky! Congrats Bill and thanks for being such an inspiration!

First Myth of Trumpet Playing

2004-06-26T12:54:00.000-05:00

From Clyde Hunt's Sail the Seven C's courtesy of Bb Music Production:

MYTH #1 Only special freaks can play in the high register. Don't waste precious time trying to duplicate their efforts. There are plenty of notes below high C upon which to devote your time and effort.

FACT: Nearly any player can dramatically improve his or her high register. What is needed is the desire to do so, and a dedicated, systematic approach. The high register will not succumb to the casual player.

I agree, in principle, with Clyde. Every trumpet player willing to put in the time should be able to play the high register. Unfortunately, there aren't any "magic" methods that a player can employ to achieve success. Hard work and dedicated practice is what is required.

In my studio, we focus on the lowest register of the horn. My philosophy is that the more solid the low end is, the better the foundation is to build the upper end. The key to playing well in the upper register is to be able to play with a relaxed but controlled technique applying sufficient breath support that maximizes tone quality in all registers you can play the horn.

It is hard work. Don't get discouraged and stay focused on results; if you do, you will be playing high and low sooner than you might think.

Welcome to Classic Brass!

2004-06-26T12:07:00.000-05:00

Welcome to the blog devoted to brass playing specifically and classical music in general.

I teach trumpet at Buddy Rogers Music in Fairfield, OH and have been a member of a number of outstanding musical organizations throughout my career including: bands, orchestras, ensembles, and drum corps.

I plan to post at least once a week here (probably on the weekends; although weekday posting is a possibility too) with articles, discussions, exercises, and suggestions.

Feel free to participate and if you have suggestions for improving the site or can identify resources I've missed, please drop me a line.