Rachmaninov had big Hands...

Just got back from Spain. I promise to post pictures and more info later - but, thought I would leave you with this... AMAZING!

from the airport...

It's about 10am here in Phoenix, and I have a full day of traveling ahead of me. Good news is on hand - Mary and I were accepted into ASU. Me, for a doctoral program, and her for a master's program. We both got exceptional offers that we can't refuse, and are looking forward to living in the Sun Valley.

My parents came out for the weekend, and it was great to see them, if only for a few days. You know, being away from everyone that I care about it difficult - much more difficult than I thought it was going to be. But, today I return to the land of 'coloUr' and we get back to it... well, almost.

Tomorrow, Wednesday, I am heading down to Steve Mead's place for the evening with another euphonium player from the studio at the RNCM. We head to Alicante, Spain for the Spanish Brassurround on Thursday for a weekend of playing and fun. I've never been to Spain, and am looking forward to seeing it. Hopefully, the weather will cooperate and we'll get some nice r&r before we head back to England.

Besses is getting ready for our first competition. The piece is great, and hopefully things will go the way we want them to - more info on that later. Well, I fly to Chicago and then to Manchester, so I must get going. More posts after I return from Spain, and PICTURES! I promise!

Mozart and more planes...

Today is TECHNICAL EXAM day at the RNCM. All of the first, second, and third year students are tested over etudes/studies and scales. Sort of like a jury for music majors in the US... the difference here is that your scale requirements are (to quote one of the euphonium players here - "stupid hard"), and I would agree with that. For the musicians who are reading this... go play a F# melodic minor scale in 4ths for two octaves... you can't hear it, and if you can - good luck with the fingerings. Your only saving grace is just memorizing it...

So, that has most of the younger players pretty freaked out right now. But, after this afternoon it will all be over for them. Some will do well, some could have done better - we just hope no one fails. Because that means... you have to do it again, and again, and again - until you pass.

This past weekend I went again to see the Halle Orchestra at the Bridgewater Hall. It was a nice concert, a Sunday evening concert. Here was the program:

Petrushka (1947 version) - Stravinsky
Mass in C minor, K. 427 - Mozart

While I don't really have an attachment to either of these pieces, I have never seen Petrushka live before, and I don't think I have ever heard the Mass in C minor. So, two pieces crossed off the list. The Stravinsky was great, but the Mozart lacked a bit - probably because I wasn't too hip on the soloists that they had. There were some major pitch problems in the orchestra during some of the more tender sections. The orchestra has been doing a lot of concerts lately, and this one sounded a bit 'under-rehearsed.' But, it was still loads better than most other groups - and you can't beat the choir - very good.

Only a few more days until I head back to the US. Slightly apprehensive about my audition, but just going to play and not worry about the outcome. Yesterday, the 12th, a lot of my friends converged upon Washington, D.C. again for the Navy Band Audition (round 2) for their euphonium opening. One of the players from the RNCM went over there and took the audition and told me that they advanced 6 players to the semi-finals, and two went on to the finals. They went over two days, so we should hear something this afternoon. Hopefully, they will hire someone for the job... good luck to Jamie Lipton - good friend of mine, and she is in the finals... she has been wanting, and deserving one of these jobs for a while... go get 'em!

Anyway, I am trying to get all of my ducks-in-a-row getting ready to leave this place. I found out yesterday that our trip to Spain will be covered by the RNCM because we are going as 'recruitment officers.' Either way - free trip to Spain, gotta love that. More info later, and pictures - I PROMISE!

So far in Feb...

It's been a little while since I talked about what was going on here in Manchester, so I thought I would give you all an update. First, I am excited to be coming back to the US (even if it's only for 4 days) and I wish it for a bit longer.

Things here at the RNCM have been hectic to say the least. Right now the undergraduate students are preparing for their technical exams, meaning that they have to play scales of varying forms and also some etudes. I was asked this past week to sub last minute in a brass quintet for the Philip Jones Brass Competition at the RNCM - we played on about 45 minutes of rehearsal, and made it into the finals, which are tomorrow. Needless to say we felt underprepared, well - at least I felt that way - so we got a bit of rehearsal time this afternoon.

I am going back to the US on th 15th, and heading down to Phoenix with the parents and Mary. Gonna look at some properties down there and just enjoy ourselves... time with Mom, Dad, and Mary - it's gonna be nice.

When I get back from the US, I am going to Spain for 5 days for the Spanish BrasSurround Festival. It's a big brass festival put on by the Spanish Brass, which is one of the best brass groups in the world. Here is a link. Another euphonium player in the studio here, Phillip Schwartz, is going down there with me - and my teacher, Steven Mead, is a featured teacher/soloist. Fun, sun, relaxation, and the euphonium... sounds like heaven. ;)

Anyway, it's been a busy couple of weeks, and I can't wait to come back home for a bit. I look at the last few months and it has really flown by - but there is so much more to come. Check back often for more updates - see you soon!

Inspirational messages

This was just too good to not post. You gotta love our president.

Besson v. York

Read all about the Besson v. York squabble with the new article from 4barsrest.com and Iwan Fox. Truly an interesting whats-going-on in the brass and brass band world, it definitely has a lot of people felling hurt and angry. We'll see how the ending goes - but for my $, it's BESSON all the way! Read the article by clicking here or the picture above.