Bemidji: Artist in Residence in Review

Last week I had the great  honor of spending a week with my friends Sarah Paradis and Bill Kloppenburg while working with students at Bemidji State University in Minnesota.  Some of you might be wondering where that is, well take a right in the middle of nowhere (St. Cloud, MN) and drive three more hours.  Bemidji is actually the home of Paul Bunyan and the entire town is fascinated with his folklore. Everything from flanel to amazing pancakes to chopped lumber, and frozen lakes can be found in the incredibly beautiful town.

While in residence at BSU I gave a recital, masterclass, lessons, a lecture, and soloed with the community trombone choir.  Everyone was excited and we completed some great work.  I was surprised at the level of students, Sarah is doing great work with some gifted youngsters.

Talking about phrasing and style with Steve Radley

The Bemidji Trombone Choir is actually a community trombone ensemble made up of musicians from over 80 miles away.  The concert went well and featured a variety of music including my first arrangement. The choir was kind enough to play Avant de Quitter ces Lieux from Gounod's Faust.  I scored the ensemble for 5 trombones and was surprised when I played infront of 12 musicians.  Needles to say, I am little closer to the goal (160dbs).

Sarah Paradis (Conductor) Russ Zokaites (Soloist)

Bemidji Trombones (Choir)

Sarah and I before an amazing night

Bemidji State University

This week I am serving as a guest artist at Bemidji State University in Bemidji, Minnesota.  The week is filled with rehearsing, teaching, and performing.  I am excited to work with the students and a community trombone choir.

The schedule:
Wednesday March 28th, 11:00am Masterclass
Wednesday March 28th, 7:30pm Recital
Thursday March 29th, 7:00pm Trombone Choir Concert.

(I will be teaching on all three days but they will be closed sessions)

The recital will include:
Lebedev's Concerto in One Movement
Bozza's New Orleans
Ewazen's Concerto for Bass Trombone
Gounod's Avant de Quitter ces Lieux
Inez McComas' A Quick Trip with Lots of Baggage


Sarah Paradis will be conducting the trombone choir in a variety of repertoire including an arrangement of mine.  I am truly excited to get to work this week!

The drive from Kansas City was anything but quick, 11 hours in one sitting.  Although it was nice to see the hills in Iowa, and the lakes in Minnesota.  Most people drive south for spring break, I however drove to the still frozen in North.

Question: How do you Maintain Motivation?

I have started a new segment for the 160th post on the 160 Project.  Last night, I emailed high level performs and asked them a question.  In this case:

Dear Gentlemen,

How do you continue to motivate yourself?  After many years of a high level of practice and performance how do you continue to push yourself?  How do you pull yourself out of a practice slump? 

Will Timmons: 

I was discussing this at dinner with another trombonist in the AF band.  The answer that I came up with is that you have to continue to increase what you strive for.  You must be a good planner with short-term and, most of all, long-term goals.  These big goals will be something like:  Perform at the ITA Workshop or release a CD of the highest caliber.   I feel like many people become settled in to a feeling of contentment and the day-in-day-out mentality of what their job requires.  Some musicians get a job that doesn't require the perfection that the audition circuit demands or that the trombone community has come to expect.  People become content not to be the best in the world.  I find that to be fine... not everyone needs to desire that.  But I never want to stop pushing myself to a higher standard, even when I reach the top. 


Many times, people just need a fresh perspective or an inspiring idea to push them forward.  Inspiration isn't automatic or consistent.  A few times in my life, I've been propelled by those around me.  As a member of the New World Symphony Orchestra, I was constantly around incredible young artists that were winning jobs in top tier orchestras.  Knowing that they and I were on equal ground every day, and seeing them win these auditions made me feel as if I could win one too.  That helped me dive in and do the work that needed to be done to get to my lofty long-term goal.


Sometimes seeing a great performance inspires you to go practice.  Many times, I practiced for hours following a big performance in orchestra or band back in college.  There's something fresh and exciting about performing in front of a crowd.  I used that to my advantage by allowing that energy and excitement continue into my practice session afterwards. 


Keep performing, keep striving for larger accomplishments, surround yourself with high acheivers, and eat, sleep, and breathe artistic excellence.  Always try to think on the highest artistic plane possible.  This will help one to stay creative. 


Will Timmons (Will is a member of the Air Force Ceremonial Band in Washington DC.)


RZ: But what happens after an audition, or performance, when you just want a day or week off but you have another audition in just a few weeks?


You have a choice to make.  In order to have long term sustainability you have to have times when you relax and let your body and mind rest.  So you have to decide when to take a break.  I think this goes back to the short-term planning and how it fits with the long-term planning.  If you stack your schedule so much that there's no down time before having to start on your next project (audition, recital, performance) then you might be limiting your chances of success.  It all comes down to planning.  Don't schedule yourself to teach 6 hours the day of your recital.  Don't schedule 11 recitals in 11 days. 


To clarify, I think it's okay to take multiple auditions fairly close together.  You probably don't want to have them constantly 2 weeks apart.  It's hard to sustain that.  It's best if you have auditions within the same week or spaced out by a month or more.  The 2 week time in between is just enough time that you are able to get out of the focused mindset that you were in for the first audition, but not enough time to get re-focused.  I think that's a mistake some people make.  But for some people, 2 weeks works okay.  It all depends on who you are and how you respond to certain situations.  

If you are smart about it though, you can plan your way to success.  Set yourself up for playing your best at the right time.  Timing is everything.  You need times of intensity but you need times to relax and rebuild (just like any great workout would suggest). 

Will Timmons

Playing in a Section: Rope

I have been thinking about individual responsibility in section playing.  Most people would think this is a no brainer and relates to individual parts.  However, I am thinking about the next step.  How your part relates to everyone else's.  More so, how can your part make it easier for other people to play?

The other day in orchestra, we were reading a student composition and the tubist had two isolated whole notes.  These notes severed as the underlying harmonics for a short choral in the winds and brass.  The first time through, he put a huge breath right in the middle.  The second time he supported through the choral, making the whole orchestra sound better.  I doubt the other wind players noticed much of a difference, other than their parts sounded a lot easier with a more clear idea.

Fig. 1

Yesterday, I coached a high school trombone section through a choral.  All of them knew their parts but had little idea how their parts functioned within the section.  (B in fig. 1)  Slowly, as the listened to where harmonies changed or where other people had moving notes a more clear section sound emerged. (C in fig. 1)  

How does this make it easier for others to play around you?  The 1st trombone had an octave leap over a bar line, while the rest of the section repeated their harmony.  This should have been a huge energy creating moment, but the principal had to work so hard to play his octaves energy was lost.  Rather than ask him to push through the bar line, I had the other three musicians push through their parts.  In supporting their own lines, they were supporting the first trombone part, making his job much easier. (D in fig. 1)

One of my students mentioned this process was like twine being worked into rope.  Knowing your part is only the first step, knowing where everyone else's parts are going will help a section or entire ensemble know where they are going.  

Time Passing

Time Passing

Click-Click-Click

Listen to the Metronome Tick

Keeping me honest

It's rhythm is the truest

It's movement isn't a trick

Marking the Passing of Time

In search of the Sublime

Each hour of Practice

Almost a Sickness

What to do in the Meantime?

Day by Day I am Waiting

For my career to start Blooming

Weeks and Months of Work

Trying not to go Berserk

While my craft I am Crafting

Months and Years

Counted by Beers

Celebrated Performances

And tender Smooches

Avoiding our Fears

10,000 Hours

While our lives it Devours

Attempting to be Perfect

I am an Addict

My playing left to Scours

More batteries in the Trash

Time flies in a Flash

Metronome, tuner, Recorder

The source of my Anger

Everyday I Rehash

The Passing of Time

The work of a lifetime

Practice for Hours

Passing this time of Ours

Is it a Crime?

~Russ Zokaites 2-18-12

Performance: of an arrangement

The Carolina Trombone Collective will be playing an arrangement of mine tomorrow night at 7:30.  Colt Campbell will be soloing with Avant de Quitter ces Lieux.  This arrangement was the first thing I arranged and I am honored that the piece is receiving a performance.

The CTC is the trombone choir at the University of South Carolina.  Under the direction of Dr. Brad Edwards the ensemble gives a biannual concert of varying genres.   I was a member of the CTC while at USC.  This ensemble introduced me to trombone choir and captivated my interest in contemporary trombone literature.  The CTC lead to incredible collaborations with some very dear friends.

If you have time to spare tomorrow night and happen to be in SC check out the concert.  I am sure you will be please with the performance.

Lohengrin: Rhythmic Fun

Wagner's Prelude to Act III of Lohengrin is notorious for time issues.  The main excerpt utilizes moving notes on the weak beats instead of the strong ones.

In the above excerpt you will notice moving notes on beats 2 and 4.  Try moving everything back one beat.  Essentially put your metronome on beat 2 and 4 instead of 1 and 3.  This will put the moving notes on strong beats.

Can you do it? Take beats away.  Only allow your metronome to play beat 4 (of the original).