I found this very interesting if only to listen to some beautiful trumpet playing.
…continuing in our quest to feature brass performers who might have slipped past our readers, we are now featuring one of the most out of control and brilliant ensembles “Mnozil Brass” (a brass septet from Austria, which is representing the elite of world brass scene).
Sometimes a teacher is lucky enough to have known students who eventually excel in music and this fine gentleman is certainly a fine example of one of our success stories. Although Jim never studied trumpet with me, I was fortunate enough to have had him in my classes and was able to see this young, gifted man develop into a leading musician not only in performance, but also in composition as well as the recording industry. I have included just a few of his accomplishments since leaving our University. Education ________________________________________ • North Texas State University, Masters Music, Denton, Texas,…
This was the week that got me my first G in many years. To some that might not seem like much of an accomplishment but to me it was a welcome occurrence. My F and F# got much easier and after finally breaking into the G, I have been able to go up to a very think A above high C. Review of this week’s work. 1. I was able to use last week’s recording for this week’s material. In Part I, I hold the first two half notes out for four counts each and the last half note for…
When I first listened to Mr. Haskins play, I was instantly reminded of the great rock guitar player Jimi Hendrix. You might wonder what the two musicians could have in common. Both musicians impressed me as being able to instantly move from mental creation to artistic technique. Both players, even though using different instruments and styles of music are/were able to perform whatever comes/came to mind without any technical difficulty. When listening to most musicians, I hear the same licks and worn out patterns but in Mr. Haskins case, he seems to be free to reach down into his deepest…
Music and the Internet are two elements which have worked well together for through the marvel of science, we are able to share performances with likeminded musicians throughout the world Such is the case here where a good friend from Australia has allowed us to attend, if only second handedly, a recent concert in the far off continent. Elaine Johnson has been very active in sharing her musical talents as well as her true love for music with musicians around the world and for that reason I wanted to applaud her for her endless drive and refreshing enthusiasm for our…
I would like to thank a fellow trumpet player (*Michael Stewart* www.stewmuse.com) for sharing this video with us. There is more truth to this computer generated video than most will realize. As a person who had witnessed the “WHITES ONLY” years, sadness fills my heart for the injustice put upon the Black race for so many years. English translation: New York, 1930: Harry, a trimmer (barber) racist will change his attitude after discovering a magical trumpet. Set in the years following the great depression of the 29’s, at which time it originates the Swing (jazz style in which stressed Fletcher…
What is HI-R-BY-A-THIRD? HI-R-BY-A-THIRD stands for How to Increase Your Range By A Third This is a new support group just for high note wimps like me and it begins Today! • If you are tired of having other trumpet players laugh at you when you miss the high note at the end of your solo, join our group. • If you have lost jobs because of your limited range and want to play in a higher chair in your section, join our club. • If you are envious of the other players who are able to perform a full…
I love it when someone proves me wrong. It tends to bring me back to earth and realize that even old people (especially old people) can learn a thing or two. In an earlier post, I questioned the quality and newness of any compositions created in the past few decades and today I was proven wrong. Enjoy this beautiful composition which includes some Stravinsky as well as electric guitar. Please excuse me now as I will have to remove the egg from my face. To the younger crowd, that means I was wrong. The composer’s program notes are included below…
More on our continuing discussion on “Why do the bands still tune to the tuba”? Sound as if only one person has an opinion on how a band should be tuned. Or maybe he/she is the only one with the courage to voice his/her view? Again, my comments are in bold type and the comments are in regular type. “Oh yes, a couple more things”… “The tuba is the foundation of most chords in band music”, The tuba has usually the lowest note of the band but when trying to get a chord in tune, my focus first goes to…