Van Gogh: At Work

Last week, I took a second trip to the Van Gogh museum in Amsterdam.  I visited last winter when his paintings were being exhibited in a different building.  The new Van Gogh Museum just opened at the beginning of May.  The title of the new exhibit: Van Gogh: At Work.

1886

The exhibit attempts to give a comprehensive view of Van Gogh's development through different styles.  A lot of space is devoted to his education.  This collection of drawings and paintings are incredibly interesting.  You can see examples of sketches, color experiments, different brush strokes, and varying angles of the same subjects.

1888

Take these two self portraits: same subject completely different style.

In music we attempt to do the same thing when we study.  We isolate different technics or licks and we practice them in different ways.  However, our study is mostly refinement based.  The huge difference, Van Gogh actively thought about what he wanted and had to drastically change his craft in order to achieve his goals.

Think about what you play and why you play it.  Decide on meaning and let that effect style.  Once you can hear exactly what you want, then the craft will be clean and meaningful.

Is Practicing Becoming Tedious?

Recently, I have been talking to a former student who has found practicing tedious. The first thing you should know is, practicing is tedious, sometimes taking years to achieve our goals. Classical music is unique in the level of craft and artistry, not to mention the pressure of repeating that high level in real time...every time. This takes practice and there is no way around it.

However, there are ways to have fun and stay interested in practicing.

1. Be around other musicians and friends. A very close friend of mine told me to go to the school with the best people, and that's what I did. At USC and at CCM we had a group of energetic young students that consistently played for and with each other. Having a discussion about where you are and where you want to go is the best way to get there.
2. Listen to great music. This step is often over looked in music school, who has time to listen to a symphony when you have a lesson tomorrow. However, this is the only way to figure out what music is. If you can listen to live music, that's better. And take in a variety of genres.
3. Be creative in your practice routine. Know what and why you work on things in your daily routine. This way you can change the content and still work on the same thing. Instead of playing Rochut, play actual songs. If you are working on articulations, play some jazz.
4. Be creative with your “truth boxes.” Playing for a metronome, tuner, and recording device can drive anyone nuts. Instead of the metronome use a beat, design your own for specific piece, or use something you find on a keyboard. Change the style of beat to fit the music. You can also use a drone or play along with a recording. You will know if you are out of tune.

If you can't listen to live music check out these places for current performances.

New York Phil Webcast

Detroit Symphony Webcast

Met Opera

Berlin Digital Concert Hall

20 minute routine

There are lots of etude books that use a CD.  Play with them.

Smart Music

Last, but not least, make sure you are having fun away from the trombone.  Exercise, join the gym, play an organized game or convince your teacher to play Ultimate Frisbee with the studio.

In a masterclass today, I heard a teacher demand a student take a day off.

Kickstarter: Not Mine

Everyone that reads this blog is familiar with Kickstarter, the fundraising site that funded Discovering a Classical Musician.  Two days ago, a friend of mine launched her own project.  Tromboteam, along with nine composers, are raising money for new trombone quartets.

I have known Sarah Paradis, the fifth member of Tromboteam, for almost three years.  We attended the Aspen Music Festival together, and this past spring, she hosted me at the University of Bemidji.  I have always been impressed with her playing.  However, this project shows off her unbelievable entrepreneurial skills.  Along with being a professor of trombone, Sarah, tours regularly with Tromboteam and an active brass quintet.  These compositions will certainly get exposure.

Inez McComas wrote a little piece for me in 2010.  A Quick Trip with Lots of Baggage has been a huge hit among my friends and colleagues. After the world premiere in May of 2010, I am aware of several performances, Dr. Brad Edwards toured Georgia performing the piece on tenor trombone and Genevieve Clarkson performed the piece at the International Women's Brass Conference on tuba.  Sarah heard the piece on my recital in Bemidji.  Brad Edwards premiered Inez's new composition Descending into Light last week.

Established composer James Kazik has written several popular brass pieces throughout his career.  Check out his website for more information.  Any new composition from Kazik is sure to be successful.

Trombone players and trombone supporters, get on it and help create new music.  This project is sure to be a hit.

Bremen, Germany

Trombone class here at ArtEZ is quickly becoming an awesome experience.  Today, Peter, Tommy and I made the two hour trek to Bremen, Germany.  The purpose of the trip: check out two of the best trombone makers in the world.

First and Third stop the Latzsch trombone factory.  Latzsch is the trombone designer who sponsored the festival I attend last December.  Not only does he make great trombones, but mouthpieces as well.  After spending a couple hours at Latzsch, the three of us walked less than a mile to the Thein show room.

The Monster Contrabass

Theins have become an insanely popular trombone all over Europe.  Their horns are pretty incredible.  Unfortunately, these babies are the most expensive models readily available.  Thein makes a "German" trombone and a "Universal" or "American" model.  The differences have to do with the size bore of the slide and the exact shape of the bell flair.  The prices are also different, but a Universal model sold to a citizen of the non-EU country goes for only 6,512 Euro.

All three of us we kids in a candy shop all day.  The trip was a great way to kick off the school year.

ArtEZ Conservatorium: Day One.

On Thursday, the master's students at ArtEZ met to start our school year.  The emphasis of the program is on personal research and creative programing.  Much like schools in America, we are responsible for our own research.  But unlike schools in America, the students are responsible for developing our own avant garde performances.  Over the next year, groups of us will be writing, organizing, and performing works of art that we produce.  I am excited to be in a very creative place.

Day One: Zwolle, NL

The ArtEZ school is comprised of three different schools in three different citys, Arnhem, Enschede, and Zwolle (ArtEZ).  The masters students are in each city because of our individual teachers, however, we will be traveling are working with each other throughout the year.  There are a number of students from all over Europe, including Spain, Romania, Germany, and the Netherlands.  I am the only American participating in the masters program.

Netherlands Symphony Orchestra: 

Sound Check

Zwolle is a typical Dutch city.  However, is this not a canal; this is the mote that surrounds the old city.  Throughout the town, you can see parts of the old fortress, the keep, and several other structures.  ArtEZ: Zwolle is actually in the old cloister just behind this tower.

After school we took a walk around town.  This is a typical cheese shop, there are serval just like it.  I am looking forward to a very fruitful year.

Creating Awe: TED and the Netherlands

A few weeks ago TED's Podcast posted a lecture by Rob Legato. Rob helps create screen shots in movies; the TED Talk is more or less him bragging about his work on Apollo 13, Titanic, and Hugo.  It's truly remarkable how he and his team created three of the most beautiful screen shots in cinematographic history.  Interestingly, none of them are based in reality.

The obvious musical reference would be splicing performance to create an uncharacteristically clean recording. A second could be using electronic software to loop or modify your sound.  Another could be small breaths in irregular places creating unusually long phrases.  How many sneaky ways to "deceive" an audience can you think of?

Today, I visited another branch of the ArtEZ Conservatory.  The city of Zwolle is a stereo typical Dutch town straight out of the middle ages.  The modern city actually dates from around 800.  The structure of the school has some pretty good awe power.  ArtEZ: Zwolle sits in a renovated cloister on the edge of the city center.  (On the left in the picture above.)  I will be posting some more pics of Zwolle soon.

Back in Enschede, I heard the finally exam (recital) of Babis Vlachos an incredible saxophone player.  Besides the beastly alto playing, Babis performed one piece on the bass saxophone.  This was a rare treat.  Babis just finished his MM under Johan van der Linden.

Europe: The day before

As many of you know, tomorrow I am leaving on trip to the Netherlands.  The catch - I have a one way ticket.  For the next two years, I will be studying with Peter van Klink of the Netherlands Symphony Orchestra at the ArtEZ Institute of the Arts in Enschede, NL.

For the past week, I have been at my parents house in south-western Virginia.  I have sold my car, finished the Discovering a Classical Music Project, published my arrangement of Avant de Quitter ces Lieux, and started the long process of packing.  I will be traveling with two duffel bags and a trombone.

I have no idea what will happen, where I'll go, what I will do, or what I will play on this, my next great adventure.