Happy President's Day ...

"Day of Brass" and Tuba Day ...

2ND ANNUAL "DAY OF BRASS"
SET FOR SATURDAY, MARCH 26TH-- A FREE EVENT FOR EVERYONE!

The University of Rochester College Music Department is thrilled to offer the second annual “Day of Brass” on Saturday, March 26th from 9am-4pm at the UR Alumni and Advancement Center (formerly St. Agnes High School) on East River Road adjacent to the UR River Campus. This FREE event will include rehearsals, master classes/clinics, and a final concert featuring a festival brass ensemble (comprised of guests mixed with UR undergraduates) and a special appearance by the 198th Army Reserve Band Brass Ensemble. This year, the event is open to all participants, ages 14-100!-- high schoolers, college students, local amateurs, and adult musicians.
We are seeking participants for the “Day of Brass"-- any accomplished trumpet, horn, trombone, euphonium, or tuba player who can perform at an intermediate level can participate. There is no audition or enrollment fee! While we hope to accommodate as many participants as possible, we are bound by the size of the stage used for the final performance. Therefore, participation will be managed on a first-come, first-served basis, keeping in mind the desire for a balanced instrumentation. Interested brass players can RSVP or request additional details by sending an e-mail to josef.hanson@rochester.edu
Our 2011 offerings include a little bit of everything-- a workshop on jazz improvisation, a session on do-it-yourself instrument care and maintenance, and, back by popular demand, a session on the history of brass with over 40 vintage instruments for you to try! The University of Rochester Stingers Trombone Ensemble will be featured. We will also form a festival ensemble (a mixture of guests and UR students), and we will be playing a fun rendition of "Bohemian Rhapsody" by the rock group Queen.
Won't you please join us for the 2011 Day of Brass? Please RSVP by replying to josef.hanson@rochester.edu or by calling 585-273-5157. We can e-mail scanned sheet music to you in advance. Here is a YouTube video from last year's Day of Brass, in case you'd like to see what this is all about: http://www.youtube.com/user/UniversityRochester#p/search/0/3gI5_IBsf8s


2011 INTERNATIONAL TUBA DAY CONCERT ON THURSDAY, APRIL 28TH IN ROCHESTER

Come celebrate "International Tuba Day" by playing in a fun concert on Thursday, April 28th at Strong Auditorium on the U of R River Campus. The University of Rochester Brass Choir will be hosting the event this year, which will feature several tuba and euphonium works performed by a massed tuba/euphonium ensemble (comprised of guests and UR undergraduates). The concert will also feature performances by the full UR Brass Choir and the UR Percussion Ensemble. There will be a brief rehearsal at 6pm on the 28th, and then the concert will begin at 8pm. Scanned PDF versions of the sheet music can be e-mailed to participants in advance. Please RSVP by replying to Roger Demott (demott@frontiernet.net) or Josef Hanson (josef.hanson@rochester.edu).

--
Josef M. Hanson
Manager of Music Performance Programs
Instructor, MUR 101
Director, UR Brass Choir

College Music Department
University of Rochester
206 Todd Union, box 270052
Rochester, NY 14627
phone: 585-273-5157
fax: 585-273-5337

Tuba Urinals ...

I understand these 'tuba urinals' really cut down on "splash," but just the thought of using the horns for this purpose brings tears to my eyes!

Jazz Tuba/Euphonium?

A YouTube link to an amazing and unique Tuba & Euphonium performance. Especially for those who haven't heard "jazz" euphonium or "jazz" tuba performances.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=brmo8LtwNOU

David 'Dave' W Bargeron (born September 6, 1942 in New York City) is an American trombonist and tuba player from Athol, Massachusetts, most famous for playing with the jazz-rock group Blood, Sweat, and Tears. He joined the group in 1970, after Jerry Hyman departed, and first appeared on the album Blood, Sweat & Tears 4. With this group at the album Live and Improvised (1975) played jazz-rock solo on the tuba "And When I Die/One room country shack" Medley. He is often compared to trombonist James Pankow of Chicago and Jim Pugh of the Woody Herman band.
He was lead trombonist with Clark Terry's Big Band, and (from 1968-1970), played bass trombone and tuba with Doc Severinsen's Band. His recording credits with BS&T include eleven albums. A break in their schedule allowed Dave to join the Gil Evans Orchestra in 1972, and he remains a member of that Orchestra to this day.

Michel Godard (3 October 1960, Héricourt, near Belfort, France) is a French tuba player and jazz musician.
Godard was admitted at the age of 18 to the Philharmonic Orchestra of Radio-France. His ability to produce overtones ("multiphonics") and musicality leaves the listener surprised at how light a seemingly cumbersome tuba can sound. In 1979 he picked up also the ancestor of the tuba, the serpent.

Keep practicing ...

When you're a musician, success always seems to occur in private, and failure in full view ... (going back to practice now.)

Big Bore Brass Tuba Choir in concert

The Big Bore Brass Tuba Choir will be in concert on Wednesday, November 17, 2010 at 6:00 pm at the Forestville High School Auditorium (4 Academy - Forestville, NY 14062).

The Big Bore Brass Tuba Choir will be under the direction of special guest conductor: Andre Lousada.

Andre Lousada is the Graduate Assistant of Orchestras @ SUNY Fredonia. He was born and raised in Porto, Portugal. Andre finished his BM in conducting at the Superior Conservatory of Gaia (Portugal) where he studied with Mario Mateus, Manuel Ivo Cruz, Alvaro Salazar; and studied piano with Jairo Grossi and Angel Gonzalez.

Immediately following the Big Bore Brass Tuba Choir performance ... The New Horizons Band of Western New York will begin their concert at 6:30 pm. The New Horizons band is under the direction of Dr. Kate Levy, assistant professor of music at SUNY Fredonia.

Free admission - No tickets required.

Dirty Dozen Brass Band ...

Here's the attachment to YouTube to 'The Dirty Dozen Brass Band' performing 'Government Mule' ...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s8G4q52EsCc

There are some great solos featuring: flugel, guitar, bass, saxes & trombone. I really enjoy this group because it's the 'funkiest' group using a sousaphone.

The 'Dirty Dozen Brass' performed with 'The Dave Mathews Band' at the NFL opening day kickoff this year.
The Dirty Dozen Brass Band is a New Orleans brass band. The ensemble was established in 1977 by Benny Jones together with members of the Tornado Brass Band. The Dirty Dozen Brass band has been a major influence by incorporating funk and bebop into the traditional New Orleans style.

Howard Johnson ...

Howard is one of the top tuba soloists since the early '60s, Howard Johnson is a very versatile player who not only plays tuba and baritone but other reeds and trumpet. He moved to New York in 1963, where he worked with Charles Mingus (1964-1966), Hank Crawford, and Archie Shepp. In 1966, he started a 20-year off-and-on association with Gil Evans. Johnson's four-tuba group Substructure performed with Taj Mahal, and, in the late '70s, he formed a different tuba band called Gravity that, in 1996, finally had the opportunity to record (plus play at the Monterey Jazz Festival). Howard Johnson has recorded with Crawford (1983-1984), Jack DeJohnette's Special Edition, Jimmy Heath, Bob Moses, George Gruntz's Concert Jazz Band, and frequently with Evans' orchestra, among others.

Edwards "Alessi" model T396-A trombone

Interesting article by Brad Edwards (trombone instructor at University of South Carolina) ... I've played on trombones w/different lead pipes & it makes your horn feel like 3 different horns, but this is a new one on me...

Whenever I go to a trombone convention showroom, I carry with me a good dose of skepticism. I've seen some pretty ridiculous things.

However, I had a pretty mind-blowing experience at the Edwards booth when I spent some with Christian Griego and their new model, the "Alessi" model T396-A.

Now you might think that, given my last name, I play an Edwards. Wrong, I play a Shires and absolutely love it.

Here's the thing, though....
This new Edwards trombone is what they call an acoustically-tunable fixed instrument. Basically, if I understand correctly, this trombone doesn't have a removable lead pipe (I could be wrong about this, though). What it definitely does have, though, are these three threaded holes near the tuning slide (I think they call it an "harmonic bridge"). The horn comes with a variety of small bolt-like pieces made of different metals which can be screwed into these holes.

At the outset, I felt pretty confident that I was about to have another 'snake oil' experience. However, as Christian began to add or change these metal pieces I was amazed by the difference in the instrument.

He would make the smallest adjustment and it was as if he had handed me a different instrument. One time, the change was the same piece/same hole but he screwed it in from the opposite side. Even this caused a big difference in the way the instrument responded.

Am I ready to leave Shires?
No, but I'll admit that, if my horn were destroyed or stolen, I'd have to look closely at these new Edwards trombones before I automatically go back to Shires.

This time, it isn't snake oil. I think he's really onto something here.

Katrina & the sousaphone ...

'I love the horn ... and I want my city to survive'

12:00 AM CDT on Saturday, August 28, 2010
Leigh Munsil
Faced with rising floodwaters, Mark Smith's first thought was to save his tuba.

IRWIN THOMPSON/DMN
As Mark Smith headed for the Superdome in 2005, he carried his sousaphone past National Guard vehicles. "I didn't know what to do; I didn't know how to get out of the water. So I grabbed my sack and my tuba," the lifelong jazz musician said. "Let me tell you something – when I'm without this horn, I ain't nothing."

Smith was walking toward the Superdome carrying his sousaphone, a tuba used by marching bands, as National Guard vehicles drove by – an eerie juxtaposition that was captured on film.

TOM FOX/DMN
Every morning, Smith is in front of Café Du Monde in the French Quarter with trumpeter Hack Bartholomew. Five years later, Smith, who now has a new horn, is still a familiar sight in New Orleans' Jackson Square. He performs seven days a week in front of popular tourist spots, including Café Du Monde and St. Louis Cathedral.

"I'm 53 years old, and I live for the culture of the music," he said. "New Orleans is a city that never sleeps. It's a city that always parties, because they call it 'The Big Easy.' If you take away this music, New Orleans is not going to be the same."
The French Quarter was one of the few areas of the city unaffected by flooding, so it feels about the same as it did before, Smith said.

"We're really trying to build the city back up and we're trying to get up on our feet," he said. "But we've been having some hard times, because we had the oil spill and we had [Hurricane] Gustav come through here, and we had to leave. We had to leave again."
The people of New Orleans have changed since the hurricane, Smith said.

"When Katrina came, people in this city lost everything," he said. "Half the people in this city don't have any more love and any more morals, and they don't care for each other anymore."
Smith decided to stick to music after another job didn't pan out. He has been living with friends, working on getting his own place.

"It's hard. It's really, really hard," he said. "I'm living a day at a time and I'm putting it in the hands of the Lord."

But as long as he can play the tuba, Smith says he'll be all right.

"This is my life. This is what I do for a living. I love the horn," he said. "I love my music, I want the group to continue on, and I want my city to survive."
Leigh Munsil

Miraphone Corporation

IN 1948 13 veteran brasswind repairmen from Graslitz, Germany, set out to pool their substantial technical knowledge and expertise to create a new line of exceptional musical instruments. A new manufacturer, Miraphone, was born

Miraphone earned important endorsements from some very popular U.S. tubists. Legendary tubists such as Roger Bobo (born 1938,) a noted American tuba virtuoso and teacher. He retired from active tuba performance in 2001 in order to devote his time to conducting and teaching. He gave what is reputed to be the first solo tuba recital in the history of Carnegie Hall. and Winston Morris further augmented the popularity of Miraphone tubas..

To accommodate growing production demands the factory was expanded in 1983. In more recent upgrades, the factory's research and design lab was equipped with high-tech computers that analyze instruments' intonation, sound production, and tonal character, making each of today's German handcrafted instruments.

The company also offers trumpets, fluegelhorns, tenor horns, baritones, trombones, and French horns. Approximately 25 percent of Miraphone's sales are to the United States, 20 percent to Asia, and 55 percent to Europe and elsewhere.

Miraphone's flagship products have long been its rotary valve a valve acting by continuous or partial rotation, as in the four-way cock.
Miraphone began producing its own pistons onsite 22 years ago, and in 2002 it introduced its acclaimed 1291 "Big Babe" front action piston tuba. Outside of the realm of tubas, Miraphone has made recent improvements in the Miraphone 1258 compensating euphonium or tenor tuba.

Under the direction of President Markus Theinert and Vice-President Josef Lindlmair, tuba design specialist Christian Niedermaier develops each new Miraphone instrument design. Over the years Niedermaier has worked with Gene Pokorny is an American tubist. He has played with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra since his appointment by Georg Solti in 1988. He has also played with the Israel Philharmonic, the Utah Symphony, the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra and the Los Angeles Philharmonic. Oystein Baadsvik, Winston Morris, and Alan Baer have contributed to continually improve instruments and develop new ideas. Markus Theinert, himself a professional tuba player who has played a key role in product design and development since he joined Miraphone 16 years ago, performs the final test on each new innovation before the design is sent to Miraphone's 70-person production staff.

Amanda Davidson

Amanda Davidson joined the New York Philharmonic as Associate Principal Trombone in September 2009. Born in Oakland, Maryland, she began playing the trombone at the age of six. Her studies started with Harold Hudnall and continued with Keith Jackson, professor of trombone and euphonium at West Virginia University. She received her bachelor of music degree from The Juilliard School in 2004, studying with New York Philharmonic Principal Trombone Joseph Alessi.

As a soloist, Ms. Stewart has performed with the San Antonio Symphony and the Deep Creek Symphony in McHenry, Maryland. As a chamber musician, she was the trombonist for five years with the San Antonio Brass Quintet, which performs throughout Southern Texas, presenting educational outreach programs and an annual three-performance concert series. As an orchestral musician, Ms. Stewart has played with the National Symphony Orchestra, and the Houston and North Carolina Symphonies. She was the principal trombonist of the San Antonio Symphony (2004–09) and assistant principal trombonist of the Lyric Opera of San Antonio (2005–09).

Ms. Stewart has been a guest artist at the International Women’s Brass Conference, the Big XII Trombone Conference held at Texas Tech University, and at Trombone Days held annually at Baylor University. She has also taught master classes at several other universities in Texas. In summer 2007 she toured Germany with the Christian brass group, Eurobrass, and in summer 2006 she taught and performed at the Seoul Trombone Ensemble Summer Music Festival in South Korea. Ms. Stewart has taught privately at several universities, namely Our Lady of the Lake University and St. Mary’s University in San Antonio, and is a member of the Christian Performing Artists’ Fellowship. She is an Edwards artist, performing on Edwards trombones.

Don Harry...

Currently Associate Professor of Tuba at The Eastman School of Music; formerly taught at The Juilliard School in New York.
BM and Performer's Certificate, Indiana University. Studied with William Rose, William Bell, Joseph Novotony, and Harvey Phillips. Solo performances with West Point Band, U.S. Army Band, Buffalo Philharmonic, and the New Sousa Band. Chamber music performances with the Skaneateles Music Festival. Master classes given in Brazil, Buenos Aires, and throughout the United States. Member, Eastman Brass (1990-). Faculty member, Eastern Music Festival (summers 1983-84); Juilliard (1978-88); Baldwin-Wallace Conservatory (1994-97); Eastman (1998-).
Current member of the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra and the Eastman Brass.

No patriotic performance this year...

The Community choruses will not be presenting a patriotic musical this year.

I didn't receive enough positive responses from the chorus members plus I was having difficulty arranging for the necessary equipment for our presentations. Additionally I have been fortunate enough to be performing with a variety of instrumental ensembles this summer (wind ensemble, bands, brass quintets, and symphony). This has kept me busy.

I'm sorry that we won't be performing together but I refuse to present an inferior concert.

Thanks for all your past support...

Cheektowaga Symphony Orchestra...

Flag Day Concert in the Park
I'll be playing with the Cheektowaga Symphony...

With guest artist, Leah Hodge, Trumpet
and The Buffalo Choral Arts Society
Sunday,June 13, 2010 7:30 pm
Cheektowaga Town Park

(Harlem Road near Walden, Cheektowaga, NY)
___________________

The program -

Haydn - Trumpet Concerto in Eb (Soloist - Leah Hodge)

Gould - Yankee Doodle, Setting for Orchestra

Bagley - National Emblem March

Balmages - Point Lookout (A Fantasy on Civil War Songs)

Cray/Landis - Salute to the Armed Forces

Berlin/Ringwald - God Bless America

Wilhousky (Arr.) - Battle Hymn of the Republic

Christopher/Moss - Let Freedom Ring

Tchaikovsky - 1812 Overture

Sousa - Stars and Stripes

and Fireworks!

Big Band Concert (7/17/10)

The Big Band Extravaganza on Saturday, July 17, 2010 starting at 6:00 pm at Willow Creek Winery (Chapin Road in Sheridan, NY)

Includes the David Golando Big Band and Pete Ciraolo All-Star Big Band.
Lots of dancing...lots of great music.

Steven Mead (euphonium)

Steven Mead (born 1962 in Bournemouth, England) is a virtuoso euphonium soloist and teacher who has played an important role in achieving worldwide recognition of the instrument.[1][2][3]

Steven Mead is widely regarded as one of the most successful professional euphonium soloists in the world today, performing over 75 concerts per year with some of the leading orchestras, wind bands and brass bands in the world. In recent years he has played solo concerti with symphony orchestras, including: Germany (Stuttgart Philharmonic Orchestra) Norway (Trondheim Symphony Orchestra) , Finland (Lahti Symphony Orchestra and Helsinki Philharmonic), Poland (Capella Cracoviensis), USA (Minneapolis Pops Orchestra) and the Japan Chamber Orchestra. During a particularly critically acclaimed improvised performance at the Guggenheim Museum in 1988, Mead employed a circular breathing technique to solo on the main motif to Herb Alpert's adaptation of the Lennon/McCartney "A Taste of Honey" for over an hour, uninterrupted.

Matthew Van Emmerik...

Tubas of Mass Destruction (TMD)
Tuba Quartet featuring heavy metal music.

Matthew Van Emmerik is a great euphoniumist, who is on staff in Melbourne.

Visit his website... http://www.matthewvanemmerik.com/cd.html

On his website, there are some links to some great recordings of tuba/euphonium ensembles. The section is called: 'Tubas of Mass Destruction. It's worth a visit.

1 Ecstasy of Gold (Ennio Morricone) 1:00

4 Bondi (Cog) track 4 3:46

8 46&2 (Tool) 6:04

9 Call of Ktulu (Metallica) 7:53


Other tracks on TMD:

2 Resurrection (Fear Factory) 6:02

3 Timelessness (Fear Factory) track 3 2:29

5-7 Hypnotonize/Mesmerize Mvt 1,2,3 (System of a Down) Track 5, 3:11 Track 6, 1:29 Track 7 3:17

Deanna Swoboda...

DEANNA SWOBODA is Assistant Professor of Music at Western Michigan University where she teaches tuba and euphonium and performs with the Western Brass Quintet, a resident faculty ensemble. Swoboda holds degrees from the University of Idaho and Northwestern University, and is completing studies for the Doctor of Musical Arts degree from Arizona State University. From 2000-2005, Swoboda performed as a member of the Dallas Brass. Prior to her appointment at WMU, Swoboda taught at the University of Nevada Las Vegas and Las Vegas Arts Academy. She has also taught at the University of Northern Iowa, University of Denver, University of Idaho, National Conservatory of Madrid (Spain), and Deutschen Tubaforum–Hammelberg (Germany). As a clinician, Swoboda has appeared at the national and northwest regional conventions of Music Educators National Conference (MENC), Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic, International Women’s Brass Conference, International Tuba-Euphonium Conference.
In addition to being a video artist for Silver Burdette-Ginn, Swoboda wrote, produced, organized, and performed on the band recruitment DVD “Band Blast Off!”. Her solo CD, “Deanna’s Wonderland,” was released on Summit Records in 1999.

What do valves do?

valve 1 lowers the pitch 1 whole tone
valve 2 lowers the pitch ½ tone
valve 3 lowers the pitch 1½ tones