Sorry for the delay in posting...

Well, it has been almost 2 weeks since my last post. I was doing so well until last week. Sorry for that. Anyway, since Mary left me here in the UK, things have been going pretty well.

Everyone is ending the near of the term - and definitely ready to head home. Speaking of heading home, I am counting the days - and I am sure my parents are as well. I fly out of Manchester bright-and-early on Thursday, December 14. I get home to Evansville (with a little help from the time change) in the late afternoon.

It has been a great couple of weeks. Let's start with my trip to the Besson factory in Germany. Actually, the company that is making the new Besson Prestige and Sovereign euphonium is JA Musik, which manufactured Meinl and Meinl Weston tubas and euphoniums. I met a bunch of really nice people (some of which didn't speak a lick of English), and got to play the new line of instrument.

We got into Munich in the evening, and had a 3 hour drive to the small town where the factory is located. Basically, the entire town feeds off of this one business - it is a real sight. One of the most interesting thing is the hours that these people put into work. Everyone gets to work at 6am, which they then take a breakfast break at 8a, work until lunch, and then put in 6 more hours of work. A 12-HOUR work day! People in the US would be screaming 'UNION! UNION! UNION!' at that one! ;)

We stayed in this really small bed-and-breakfast, which I had some of the best breakfast I have ever had. Steve and I were the only ones staying that evening, and had the run of the place to ourselves. I got so wrapped up trying horns that I only took a few pictures out of my room at the boarding house. Pretty much the middle of nowhere, huh?

The trip was great, and I made a lot of new contacts in the industry. There might be some more news coming in the future, but I am going to keep a little 'tight-lipped' about that one!

The past week I was loaded with Besses concerts. I played two concerts with the band, and one with the Besses Boys Band, which is a training band for our adult band. The reason that British bands are so formulaic in their approach is these training bands. Basically, we have 3 levels of bands in the Besses. There is a youth band, which you start in. From there you can move up to the Besses Boys Band, which has middle school/high school age kids, and then the adult band which is made up of older players. So, a lot of playing the past two weeks, but well worth it.

I had the opportunity to play in a master class for Harken Hardenberger, who is a German trumpet player - very famous musician. I performed the 3rd and 4th movements of the Philip Wilby Euphonium Concerto. He had some great things to say, and even told me that I had a 'great sound.' It was nice to hear it from someone of his caliber.

Just to let you all know, there was a write-up about me on the KU homepage about my appointment to the Besses. You can read it by clicking here. A big thanks to Scott Watson for making that happen!

The new disc is doing great. Hopefully, a positive review will be coming soon. But, I do know that everyone that I've talked with has loved it! When I did the disc, I didn't do it for notoriety, but as a teaching tool that would useful - and it seems to be. Go me... ;) Just kidding... Go kids - that is what it is all about!

I am definitely looking forward to heading home, and seeing my parents and family. It should be a great visit home! Thanks to everyone who has been emailing me and keeping in touch! Thanks for your support, and I am looking forward to seeing you all soon!