Braces: An obstacle for many young musicians

In teaching young students I have unfortunately encountered a recurring disaster, dental work.  Braces and brass playing do not mix, however, most young musicians go through stages with metal in their mouth.  I was lucky enough to start playing while I had my braces on and had them removed about two years.  More commonly a young student will start playing and then get braces after they get the hang of the instrument.

This is disastrous and can often lead large amounts of frustration.  There are two major problems that young players have and that braces exacerbate, too much mouthpiece pressure and too much movement in the embouchure.

There are a couple of things that can make wearing braces less annoying.  First, loosen up those biceps; use less pressure and stop pushing in with your instrument.  Second, use your braces as a tool so you know when you are moving too much.  Use slow gliss and take note of how your face changes, you probably will notice very little movement.  Also buzz more, buzz sirens or long glisses.  You have to get your face used to moving a little bit.  Then buzz lip slurs or other passages making sure to stop at each pitch instead of going passed it.  This will help minimize movement in your face.

Sorry to all you young brass players with braces.  But on the other hand one day you might actually have a decent small.

Die Walkure

Today at 6:30(local time all over the US) the Metropolitan Opera is giving an encore presentation of the Ride of the Valkyrie.  For those of you who do not know, the Met projects its presentations directly into movie theaters across the country.  This is a great way to experience some of the best opera in the world.  Colorado Public Radio has a complete list of the 16 theaters in Colorado offering the service, most of these theaters are in the Denver Metro Region.  Two theaters, one in the Springs and one in Littleton, are offering the broadcast on their IMAX screen!

Just a warning for all you casual music goers, the show will last approximately five and a half hours.  However, there are English subtitles to help you navigate this epic story.  This broadcast is also incredibly special because James Levine did conduct the concert.  Levine, nearing the end of this incredible 40 year career, has been plagued by health issues in recent years and had to cancel most of his engagements with the Met and the Boston Symphony.  If you have nothing to do this evening, this presentation of the Valkyrie is more than worth watching.

Washington D.C.

I have spent a great deal of time in our nation's capitol because my mother grew up three miles south of the government center.  And now it looks like I will be spending more time visiting this musical mecca; the city is acting like a magnet attracting most of my friends to its musical institutions.

Will Timmons recently won a position in the Air Force Ceremonial Band
Tyler Castrucci will be attending the University of Maryland for his masters of music
Katie Thingpen is moving to stay close to Tyler
Joel Baroody just won a position the US Coast Guard Band

I think they should all move to Denver.  As proof here is the crime rate for both cities, Washington D.C.and Denver.

Congratulations to Washington D.C. you are receiving four more incredible musicians to add to your musically bloated city.

Correction:  The Coast Guard Band is in New London, CT.  I am not sure how I missed that.  Sorry Joel.  But Washington, you really should stop enticing my friends.

Interview: Pam Kiesling 4th Horn of the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra

I am pleased to announce a series of interviews here on the 160 Project.  My plan is to interview rising young musicians in an attempt to chronicle their progress in the field of classical music.  In the first round of interviews I will be looking at some recent audition winners around the country and one international audition.  Hopefully, this will lead to interviews on a verity of topics with musicians from a verity of careers and stature.

First up, Pam Kiesling.  I met Pam at the Univesity of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music where we performed together in the orchestras and wind symphony.  Currently, Pam is living, working, studying, and teaching in Houston, Texas.  In this interview we discuss her budding career and her recent success with auditioning.

If you have any questions for Pam or myself please feel free to leave a comment.

Faster than the speed of sound

In a world full of overweight and beer drinking trombone players, who would think a trombonist could break the sound barrier? Mico Hirschberg of Eindhoven University thought so.  BBC News published this article about trombones producing shock waves.  They have even provided video proof.  The air traveling inside a trombone travels approximately 1 percent faster than the speed of sound.

However the article does not make any mention about volume.  Sorry violists this is not proof that brass plays too loud.  I guess the quest for 160 dbs continues.

Summer in Colorado

Yesterday, I had my first experience playing for money on the street in downtown Denver.  The 16th street mall was packed with people in anticipation of the holiday weekend. Most people were either eating lunch or in a hurry to get to the next store.  However some people stopped to listen, including a few ACLU activists, a dude smoking a cigar, the head of jazz studies from LSU, and a violinist dressed like Darth Vader.  The Tromboniacs received lots of complements and little cash.  Several people took pictures and I doubt we will ever see them.

Last night Colorado Public Radio broadcast the Colorado Symphony playing Mahler No. 9.  The concert was spectacular.  I was very impressed with the trombones, Mike Thorton, and Justin Bartels.  The orchestra as a whole was incredibly tight and energetic.  I hope they can reproduce the experience again tonight when I will be in the audience.

Congratulations to Rachel Hockenberry for being named 4th horn of Symphony Kentucky at Bowling Green and to Pam Kiesling for being name 4th horn of the Arkansas Symphony.

The Future: at least the next three months

Tomorrow the Trombonaics will be playing on the 16th Street Mall in downtown Denver.  The weather looks phenomenal, so bust out your lawn chairs and your dollar bills.  We will be putting on a show around lunch time and we will have a case open for tips.

As many of you know, I will once again be spending my summer at the Aspen Music Festival and School.  A few days ago Alan Fletcher and Asadour Santourian made a video discussing the season highlights.  If you are looking for the best concerts this is the video to watch.  If you want to hear me play, you will have to keep reading the 160 Project.  I will know my assignments one or two weeks before the performance.

Vladimir Feltsman

Feltsman is performing with the Aspen Festival Orchestra on the opening concert of the season on July 3rd.  I first heard Feltsman perform in the spring of 2006 when he performed with the Rotterdam Philharmonic in Atlanta.  His performance of Rachmaninoff's 3rd piano concerto changed the way I listen to music. He was so captivating at the piano that the orchestra seemed to be an extension of his playing.  I was so focused, strings, winds, and brass seemed to emanate from the piano.  One day I hope to achieve the blending that I heard the Rotterdam Phil produce that night.

Sadly, I will not be on this performance, my teacher John Rojak will be performing with the Festival Orchestra all summer.  However, I will not miss the concert or dress rehearsal.

Congratulations to Derek Fenstermacher for being named the principal tubist with the New Jersey Symphony.