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A blog about performing music, teaching music and the business of music.
We used to have a saying in Boston Brass that we would use all of the time when coaching groups: "Strong and wrong!"
The meaning of that is of course to always play like you mean it, even the mistakes. If you are worried about making a mistake and back off a little, even if you play the note or passage correctly, it is going to sound wrong anyways.
And who really cares if you make a mistake anyways?
(Well, other than your ego...)
David Cutler is a dear friend and a creative genius. I hope he doesn't read this because it will go to his head but he is one of those people who seems to always being thinking a couple of steps ahead on the creative front.
Here is his version of "Oh Christmas Tree" for prepared piano which he performed many times when he joined Boston Brass every year for the expanded Christmas lineup. I always looked forward to his solo performances during every gig. You never quite know what he is going to come up with.
Enjoy!
It is that time of year again when college students are set to perform their juries and high school seniors will soon be taking their college auditions. Almost all college auditions and juries require scales. So do all district and All-State auditions.
(Note: One of my most popular blog posts over the years is this Quick Guide to Juries which addresses everything you need to know to be successful.)
Everyone knows they need to know their scales. But scales don't actually test what you think they do.
It of course can not be pointed out too many times that scales are the building blocks of all tonal music and positively must be mastered by all musicians. This is not news to anyone.
But what scales, in the context of a jury or audition, are really testing is whether the student gives a ****.
No, I'm being serious.
Learning scales or modes only involves one thing: commitment. It just takes a concerted effort over a sustained period of time to become familiar with them. Once you do that, they are ingrained.
I rarely practice scales any more, and I mean rarely. That's because I have put the work in to the point where they are rote. I have them ingrained in my ear and into my muscle memory.
There is nothing tricky about them whatsoever. Even melodic minor scales (different on the way up than on the way down which struck me as insane as a kid!) are not complicated. It is the exact same pattern in each of the 12 keys, as they all are!
If you accept the premise that there is absolutely nothing tricky about any scale then all you are left with is whether you have bothered to take the time to learn them.
That's it. Do you give a **** enough to have spent the time? Pretty simple.
I'm not saying that a C-major scale is of equal difficulty as a D-flat major scale on a C instrument. The latter is obviously more difficult.
But neither one is very hard at all if you've bothered to take the time to do the work.
So believe me, you have told your potential school or the faculty at your current school an awful lot about how serious you are about this whole music thing by how prepared you are to play your scales.
#endrant
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For a little practicing inspiration, don't miss "Practicing Summed Up In Six Sentences" courtesy of Doug Yeo.
Who knew that Walt Disney was a practicing guru?
I frequently see students start to practice a solo or etude at the beginning of piece. That's where they tend to start the first time they play it.
And the eight time they play it. And the 18th time they play it. And the 80th time they play it...
Guess what starts sounding really good? The opening of the piece!
Whenever I have a student who is not quite prepared to play an etude in a lesson it almost invariably becomes obvious when they get to halfway through the piece. Whether that's the B section, or a difficult variation on the main melody, or a key change.
If I ask them where they kept starting when they practice, they always say the beginning of the piece.
Don't "repeat successes" by going over the music you can already play. Target specific sections that need improvement and start with those sections the next time you sit down to practice.
You will be blown away by the results in a very short period of time.
Listen via
Jeff Conner of Boston Brass joins Andrew & Lance to discuss how Boston Brass got started. Jeff also explains what it takes to run a full-time touring group and how things have (and haven't) changed over the last 30 years.
He also talks about how much he misses having Andrew and Lance in the group and details his adventurous eating habits. Chicken feet, anyone? Oh, and pickle neck tattoos.
Links:
Boston Brass
The Portfolio Musician
The Savvy Music Teacher
Jeff Conner Eating A Chicken Foot
Boston Brass - Rewired
Jeff Conner: Episode 7 of The Entrepreneurial Musician
You can help offset the costs of producing the show by making a small donation at https://www.patreon.com/thebrassjunkies. Your support is greatly appreciated!
Produced by Austin Boyer and Buddy Deshler of FredBrass
PROJECT Trio is an incredible ensemble that blends a whole lot of musical styles to create their own genre. This clip is a great example of what they do.
I love the creativity of the arrangement juxtaposed with the virtuosity of the articulations at the beginning. They are hard to describe and that is a good start to be successful in today's crowded music business.
Enjoy!
"It sounds mushy. I want French fries and you're giving me mashed potatoes."
—Tiffany Hitz (Band Director at Carson Middle School in Fairfax County, Virginia)
I heard my wife tell her jazz band this a couple of weeks ago and I thought it was great.
It reminded me of the importance of using the same words (and imagery) that your audience use. This goes for being a band director or a marketer.
Every single kid in that band immediately knew what she meant by french fries. In fact, it was probably the least number of words she possibly could have used to get that point across that clearly.
Here is a recording of one of my wife's favorite pieces for band, "Moscow, 1941" by Brian Balmages. She has done this piece frequently as a guest conductor and I love hearing it every single time.
Brian is an incredibly versatile composer who has written for everything from beginning band to top professional ensembles. During the 25th anniversary season of Boston Brass, we commissioned him to write us a piece and he wrote a wonderful three movement work that has since been performed by the likes of the New York Philharmonic Principal Brass Quintet and others.
Enjoy!
I recently sat in on a wonderful master class by Lance LaDuke on practicing and goal setting. He had one suggestion for the students at the University of Georgia that I thought I would pass along. It works for any age or ability level.
Turn on the radio to any song you know well and sing along. (Note: If you can't sing it, you can't play it!) Then turn the volume all the way down and keep singing. When you turn the volume back up check the following:
This is a great and simple exercise that tests a whole lot of things. And the best part is that it's away from the horn so no part of the brain will be occupied by "horn operating."
Thanks, Lance!
In 1989, the Canadian Brass were joined by the principal players of the Boston Symphony Orchestra and the New York Philharmonic for a series of legendary concerts.
I was lucky enough to see this concert when it came to Tanglewood in July of 1989. It was a day that changed my life.
I had recently earned the rank of Eagle Scout in the Boy Scouts. As a part of becoming an Eagle Scout, you get to spend the day with someone who is working in the field you hope to pursue. Upon receiving the request, Chester Schmitz, the tuba player of the BSO, agreed to let me tag along for a day.
Imagine my elation as a 14-year-old when the day he suggested was the Brass Spectacular concert at Tanglewood that would involve the likes of Phil Smith, Joe Alessi, Chuck Dallenbach, Fred Mills, etc! I can still remember getting the phone call from him. I almost dropped the phone.
He very graciously introduced me to almost every one of the players in this video as if he had known me for years. It really was one of those experiences for a young boy that vaulted me forward with enthusiasm for music.
Chester and I have remained friends to this day. I could never repay him for how kind he was to me that day over 25 years ago.
I didn't know this video existed and am ecstatic to be able to witness this lineup again. This is as good as it gets.
Enjoy!