What we're doing

[Bassbonechandler]

I get a chance to play in a brass quintet for madrigal dinners and with a choir. Also trying to decide when to have my junior recital.

[imsevimse]

This sounds like tons of fun. A boat a and trombone, what more could one possibly want!

Life jacket.

Survived the boat! Tomorrow after regular job a one hour trip by car to Nyköping and a concert with "The Johan Stengård Big Band". Has been a lot of playing for me lately. A lot of fun

/Tom

[imsevimse]

Close to 400 people at the concert in Culturum In Nyköping when we played there today with the Johan Stengård Jazz Big Band. A fantastic concert hall, a bit different from what we are used to, which is a small jazz club located in a cellar. This hall had much better aucustics. The result was the best performance we've done so far, and what a great audience. I could easy get used to this...
Sunday and Monday we have two more concerts and then I will be on 1:st. I will have a sub to cover for me on 2:nd. I have some homework to do until then.

/Tom

[BurckhardtS]

I feel like I'm drowning in music this quarter. Preparing a LOT of music for grad school auditions in the Winter, and for my recital in the Fall. Also, doing a LOT of work on improvisation right now, because of the amount of solos I'm doing in jazz band, and we will be performing at the JEN conference in Reno in January. A GREAT quarter, but a busy one.

[Bassbonechandler]

I feel like I'm drowning in music this quarter. Preparing a LOT of music for grad school auditions in the Winter, and for my recital in the Fall. Also, doing a LOT of work on improvisation right now, because of the amount of solos I'm doing in jazz band, and we will be performing at the JEN conference in Reno in January. A GREAT quarter, but a busy one.

Where are you auditioning for grad school?

[StevenC]

But last night I found out it's worse than that. There is no they - the person who ran the Christmas pageant retired. My daughter was at last night's vestry meeting and volunteered me to take over.

Hey, congratulations!

[torobone]

It's been a while since I checked in. I had a pretty busy summer. I play lead in a Sinatra big band (almost all vocals- the crowd loves this band), and a community band that lets me solos at the front of the band. I play bass in a high level rehearsal band where I'm happy to be in the room. The big bands usually only rehearse twice per month, so I have time to play ensembles and sub in other bands and orchestras.

For fun, I play trios with 2 bassoonists; it's quite a workout. I also had a chance to play some bass bone quartets that were written for the DBTO. For some reason, the host had us play outside, and that presented additional challenges like hearing the other players. We'll do that again, but inside now that the colder weather is upon us.

[BflatBass]

Been a while since I've checked in too.

Playing in 4 bands now. 3 concert bands and one jazz/rock dance band. Playing tuba in one of the concert bands and started private lessons on the tuba as well. As soon as I feel confident on the tuba I'll stop the lessons. I don't need to be great, just decent. Also shaved off my goatee as instructed by my tuba teacher. Crazy how much difference it makes. Especially on the really low stuff.

There's a jazz band at a college about an hour and a half from where I live that's usually the size of a typical big band which means at least 4 trombones. I'm going to see if I can sign up for this band for spring semester. 4 trombones means the 4th part could be a bass part which is what I'm really looking for. All the bone work I'm doing right now is tenor work and my bass chops are just dying for an opportunity to play.

Cheers,
Robert

[blast]

Last week, Opera in Glasgow, chamber group in Aberdeen. This week Opera in Aberdeen, chamber group in s'Hertogenbosch, Holland... fly out today.. conc tomorrow. Next week Opera, Edinburgh. Don't ya just love travelling ?

Chris

[LeTromboniste]

Last week, Opera in Glasgow, chamber group in Aberdeen. This week Opera in Aberdeen, chamber group in s'Hertogenbosch, Holland... fly out today.. conc tomorrow. Next week Opera, Edinburgh. Don't ya just love travelling ?

Chris

's Hertogenbosch (gotta love Dutch town names that start with an apostrophe!) is a cute town! Hope you get enough free time to visit a bit if you've never been!

What's the chamber stuff?

[imsevimse]

It has been an intense period of gigs and everyday work the whole autumn and it continues.

- We finished our two months of monday night gigs at the Olympia theatre in Stockholm with the "Johan Stengård Jazz Big Band". We played the last and seventh concert this monday. The trial period turned out just right. First concert we were about as many on stage as in the audience. The three last concerts were sold out and people had to turn in the door because there were no seats. It was crowded and they could not put in another chair because of fire regulations. We had some help from a radio broad cast that helped get our name out, and we have made it known through facebook but besides this there have been no adverts about us. Adverts are expensive and we are on a small budget, but mouth to mouth and the good reputation of our leader seem to have spread the word enough. The collaboration with the theatre will go on next year and we are booked for another 20 gigs from January to June.

- I will do another two day dance party gig on a cruise ship soon with a traditional Big Band, playing bass trombone. I applyed early for vacation, and was granted one day to be able to do the cruise gig.

- Next is a big band gig with an American bass trombone player living here who has put together a band called "George Graham Foundation Orchestra". We are playing in memory of the great LA trumpet player George Graham who passed away a couple of years ago. It is the original arrangements from the George Graham book. The band is playing at a festival.

- The week after I will sub in a 1930-40 style of a band. I don't know what to expect from it but I know I will pick one of my old small horns.

- In december I have two gigs as a choralist but nothing yet on trombone. My everyday job as a programmer will keep me busy most of december because we have a lot to do but it would be nice to play a traditional Christmas concert in a church too. We will see if something turns up.

Busy as a bee....

/Tom

[blast]

Last week, Opera in Glasgow, chamber group in Aberdeen. This week Opera in Aberdeen, chamber group in s'Hertogenbosch, Holland... fly out today.. conc tomorrow. Next week Opera, Edinburgh. Don't ya just love travelling ?

Chris

's Hertogenbosch (gotta love Dutch town names that start with an apostrophe!) is a cute town! Hope you get enough free time to visit a bit if you've never been!

What's the chamber stuff?

Thanks for the heads up. Late afternoon and evening Sunday is off, so we will have a good look around.

Chris

[RoscoTrombone]

Had the final Tchaikovsky series concert in Edinburgh last night with the Canongait Orchestra.

Manfred Symphony,Nutcracker Suite and Marche Slave - some great stuff there to play.

I managed 4 out of 6 concerts since March and played Symphony no 1,2,3 & 5 as well. There's one thing noticeable about Tchaikovsky and that is he likes his trombones to be loud!!

That's me done with my serious playing for the year with only two trombone group meetings left to do which is always good fun.

Ross

[blast]

's Hertogenbosch (gotta love Dutch town names that start with an apostrophe!) is a cute town! Hope you get enough free time to visit a bit if you've never been!

What's the chamber stuff?

Thanks for the heads up. Late afternoon and evening Sunday is off, so we will have a good look around.

Chris

Bit of a 'hit and run'.... there was train breakdown that mean't that we couldn't get to the destination hotel, but wonderful Dutch guy at Utrect station offered to drive the two of us on to our destination... people are great. Late arrival...a little refreshment... Sunday morning rehearsal, two performances in the afternoon, gear back to the hotel, festival organised supper and early morning home flight Monday. How many musicians travel the world but never really see it?? Nice gigs though.

Chris

[afugate]

So, I've been officially unemployed since the end of September. In the interim, I paid the bills with my horn and some gigs that actually paid pretty well.

Now I'm probably going to find myself with less playing time since I've been elected to the Oklahoma House of Representatives. I'm going to bring a horn up to the capitol to keep in my office. And if any other legislator ever gets annoyed with me, I'll just grab my horn and show them just how annoying I can be...

--Andy in OKC

[StevenC]

Now I'm probably going to find myself with less playing time since I've been elected to the Oklahoma House of Representatives. I'm going to bring a horn up to the capitol to keep in my office. And if any other legislator ever gets annoyed with me, I'll just grab my horn and show them just how annoying I can be...

Hey, congratulations! I hope you still have plenty of time to play. Maybe you'll even find someone new to play with.

[afugate]

Now I'm probably going to find myself with less playing time since I've been elected to the Oklahoma House of Representatives. I'm going to bring a horn up to the capitol to keep in my office. And if any other legislator ever gets annoyed with me, I'll just grab my horn and show them just how annoying I can be...

Hey, congratulations! I hope you still have plenty of time to play. Maybe you'll even find someone new to play with.

Thank you.

I'm certain I'll have to skip playing during most of the session (Feb-May). And then work on getting back in playing shape. I've suffered at times during campaigning from too much time away from the horn. I refer to it as my "candidate chops". lol

--Andy in OKC

[ExZacLee]

Congratulations on the win Andy - and I mean the win for all of us. Glad to have you in the right place at the right time!

[afugate]

Congratulations on the win Andy - and I mean the win for all of us. Glad to have you in the right place at the right time!

Thanks, Zac! I appreciate your kind words. BTW, I ran into a guy yesterday who says he's your cousin. It happened during the employee payroll / HR session. I think his name was Mark Pierce? Said he was a sax player, but I didn't hold that against him.

--Andy

[ExZacLee]

Yeah that's my cuz! Heck of a player too...

[NuhJuhKuh]

Playing with the “Irish Film and Pops Orchestra” next weekend - rehearsals all weekend, the concert at Artane School of Music on Sunday, 7:30pm GMT (I believe there’s to be a livestream if you have Facebook, but I don’t!). Should be fun - same section as last year, and playing some of my favorite movie themes e.g. Superman March, Jurassic Park and Lord of the Rings. Wish me luck!

Neil

[BflatBass]

Playing in 4 bands now. The latest being a jazz/rock dance band that will use a vocalist for almost all the work (when we find one). It's pretty small with 3 trumpets, 2 bones and 4 saxes and rhythm section. With this band most of the playing I do now is tenor work with the exception of tuba in one of the bands. I'd rather be doing all bass work but whatever, it is what it is. I'm glad to be playing and its all fun and challenging.
Since I'm spending more time on the tenor I'd really like to get rid of my old King 3B and find something a little bigger with an F attachment. Maybe a Conn 88H or a Bach 42 or equivalent. Keeping my eyes peeled for a good deal somewhere out in my neck of the woods.

Cheers,
Robert

[VJOFan]

I hardly play these days because home life takes precedent for some very good reasons. (And I don't need to hustle gigs for money)

But a buddy messaged me looking for a sub and I ended up playing my first orchestral show in about 3 years last week. I forgot the kind of concentration needed to do that kind of work. The first rehearsal was a little frantic. In the end though, it was a beautiful experience playing a mostly Rutter (Magnificat and a few other smaller works) program with a fantastic choir and a top notch soprano.

Tonight will be a far less stressful meet up to fulfill a long planned idea of playing some quartets. Then... the horn will go back in the basement for a while. So it goes.

[VJOFan]

Playing with the “Irish Film and Pops Orchestra” next weekend - rehearsals all weekend, the concert at Artane School of Music on Sunday, 7:30pm GMT (I believe there’s to be a livestream if you have Facebook, but I don’t!). Should be fun - same section as last year, and playing some of my favorite movie themes e.g. Superman March, Jurassic Park and Lord of the Rings. Wish me luck!

Neil

Movie themes and the "live" movie looks to be becoming a huge part of the future of orchestral music shows. Sounds fun!

[henrikbe]

I don't get to perform very often, but today I'm participating at a concert in the local church for elderly people. Dress rehearsal right now. Me, a group of five female singers, a tenor singer and a couple of trumpets. Traditional Christmas stuff. I'm playing solo on Bach's version of In dulce jubilo at the very beginning, and When you wish upon a star near the end, and some playing along with the others. Wish me luck, I'll probably get nervous as I always do. But playing for elderly people will probably be a bit less frightening than other audiences.

[AndrewMeronek]

Just finished a brief run of the Boar's Head Festival Orchestra in Groose Ile, Michigan. It turned out to be a pretty darned good orchestra to play in. My bone-battery mate was Don Bilger.

[NuhJuhKuh]

This just popped up on my YouTube feed! Hopefully some of the other pieces will eventually emerge too. The saxophonist was excellent- not bad on clarinet either (he spent the rest of the concert in the woodwind section, which I have to say, were probably the best in the orchestra two years running).

Can’t wait until next year!

[StevenC]

Our orchestra's all Czech program is tomorrow evening. Dvorak, Suk, Smetana. I'm really looking forward to it.

[Mikebmiller]

I played 4 Christmas concerts including one where I got to solo on euphonium with the local symphony brass choir for a crowd of about 500 people. That was excellent fun, especially as all the other members of the group are regular members of the orchestra and I am just an occasional sub. I don't get to play with real pros that often, so this was a big thrill for me.

I am playing A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum for a couple of weeks in January. It looks like a fun show. The book is only about half as long as the last show I did - Guys and Dolls. Then my quintet is doing a recital at the art museum on Super Bowl Sunday.

[imsevimse]

January is a month where there often is less to do musically (for me). It has been the same since I began to write down every gig I do (since 2011). So to fill this month I have signed for 1st trombone with a symphony orchestra project. It is a real good community orchestra named "Filialen Symphony Orchestra". It is probably the best amateur orchestra in Stockholm with a lot of music teachers and retired musicians as well as good amateurs. Most have a higher musical degree exam but for some reason have changed carer, just like myself.

We have had three rehearsals and things begin to sound really good. We will do R.Vaughan Williams "London" Symphony", a violin concerto by Fredric Delius and a transcription of "The Pit and the Pudilum" by Josef Holbrooke for Symphony Orchestra. The conductor is an Canadian named Glenn Mossop who teaches conducting at the Royal Academy of music in Stockholm and also has been conducting professional orchestras. The concert is 27/1. A lot to do for the trombone section
After this it will be a busy spring with the "Johan Stengard Jazz Big Band" every monday at the "Olympia Theatre" at Odenplan in Stockholm. If you happen to be in town come and say hello.

/Tom

[MrHCinDE]

We've started rehearsals on Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 4 for the next concert with yet another new combination for the low brass section. All four of us have played with the orchestra before but never all in the same project.

Most of the 4th movement is ff or fff which could easily become a clichéd blastathon if we're not careful. In general the low brass were quite sensible but at one point (and we though following the body language of the conductor) we really opened up and got "the hand". If it had been from the conductor that would have been fine but on this occassion it was the oboist. It seems he was so outraged that he felt the need to stop playing his part and assume the role of embedded conductor. I've never experienced that before.

I know it's an easy trap to fall into and get a bit carried away, especially when something's written fff in a comfortable range and the trumpets are really belting out their parts, but this has to be something for the conductor to decide. If it happens again, I'll have a friendly word with the oboist and ask him nicely to direct his suggestions to the conductor, who, if in agreement, can pass them on to us.

[timothy42b]

Volume is an issue for the community band I play with most. It's an extremely live room and those few who blast away are a real problem. However I wouldn't dream of being the enforcer (though I've made some gentle suggestions to the director.) That oboist has incredibly bad manners - he probably gets away with it because there are so few of them around.

[Mikebmiller]

I am finishing up Forum this weekend with 4 shows, including the dreaded double show Saturday. We have a very fine band for a local production. I would venture to say that we could put our band in a Broadway pit and most folks wouldn't notice the difference. The lead trumpet player is great and we have 3 real pros on the reed parts. That said, I would say that Forum is one of the least interesting shows from a trombone players point of view that I have ever done. The book is only 55 pages and after get get past the first half hour, all the interesting tunes are done. It is a very funny show, though, and the cast is killing it.

[LeTromboniste]

Just finished my group's application for a major international competition, fingers crossed! Had big rehearsals the last couple days and still need to practice over the weekend for a concert next week playing early 16th century music with a loud band of 2 cornetts, 1 bombard, 3 trombones. There's one piece in particular where I play slide trumpet and it's a killer. Amazing piece of music, but real hard on the chops and quite demanding technically for that awkward instrument I'm only starting to feel somewhat comfortable on. But it's a fun challenge and a concert I'm very much excited about. Meanwhile lots of office work to do, finishing up a massive edition project over the next month (collection of 100 early 17th century motets for solo voice).

[BflatBass]

Christmas/winter break is over and the music community here in my town is back into full swing. I'm in four bands now so my practice schedule is booked. My endurance has to improve with the amount of time I'm spending on the horn. I almost decided to 'opt out' of the junior college concert band I'm in because I feel a little shakey about my ability to get all this music 'down pat' by concert time. I still don't know if I'll be playing tuba or tbone for this band. We also have a singer and keyboardist for the jazz/dance band now and our gig schedule is set up for an indefinite amount of time. The band is starting to sound good and the charts are very challenging.

Cheer,
Robert

[StevenC]

That oboist has incredibly bad manners - he probably gets away with it because there are so few of them around.

Not only are there few oboe players, the difference between good and bad oboe players is huge. I have played with good oboe players, but I have also played with painful oboe players.

[StevenC]

. Also trying to decide when to have my junior recital.

What will you be playing at your recital?

[Bassbonechandler]

. Also trying to decide when to have my junior recital.

What will you be playing at your recital?

Ewazen ballade, gregson tuba concerto, new kid by Anna baadsvik and handel violin sonata in F major transcribed by Douglas yeo. Plus a brubeck stereogram.

[StevenC]

Ewazen ballade, gregson tuba concerto, new kid by Anna baadsvik and handel violin sonata in F major transcribed by Douglas yeo. Plus a brubeck stereogram.

You'll be playing both tuba and bass trombone on your recital?

[Bassbonechandler]

Ewazen ballade, gregson tuba concerto, new kid by Anna baadsvik and handel violin sonata in F major transcribed by Douglas yeo. Plus a brubeck stereogram.

You'll be playing both tuba and bass trombone on your recital?

No I'm gonna play the tuba concerto on bass trombone. It's in a great register for the instrument.

[LeTromboniste]

Concert today went quite well! Had some trouble with too much water collecting too fast in the slide trumpet (it's a long piece with no rests long enough to empty the instrument - and it doesn't have a water key) which for some reason was worse today than usual. It was also my first concert playing a completely historical mouthpiece on sackbut, which I'm trying to adopt for most of my playing. Three-part construction with a lathe-turned top (rim and cup) and a reverse conical backbore made of rolled and seamed sheet brass (which means a sudden increase in bore right after the throat and then the bore tapering down, opposite from usual), with a turned sleeve at the joint.

Seen here side-by-side with my modern Ferguson mouthpiece and my usual tenor sackbut mouthpiece (historical flat rim and sharp throat, but modern one-piece construction with conical backbore) - both are by Egger :

[Bach5G]

Very cool Maximilien.

[shider]

So... My local wind orchestra will perform a piece by "Udo Jürgens" (he was a famous Musician in Germany, somewhat similar to Sinatra in his singing and always playing concerts with a full Big Band because he could afford it and loved it. Might be well worth a listen even if you don't understand the german text!)

Our conductor, who is a retired professional Horn player with one of the german army bands did the arrangement with a friend of him who is an amateur trumpet player (pretty good though).

I'm the bass trombone player, aswell as i will be the vice conductor in the future (we always have one)..
And there is the problem: They wrote for 4 trombones, 3 tenors and 1 bass. So far so good, we are 7 trombones in total, 6 tenors and me on bass.
But i'm supposed to conduct the piece since our conductor will do the singing, so i can't play the bass part and the damn part goes sometimes an octave below their tuba part
Nobody of the other trombone players can do that (we're amateurs after all) and i'm not even sure if i could pull it off ... But i would love to try, if i wold not have to conduct

So.. basically i get the chance to conduct, which is awesome, but on the other hand i can't play one of the rare real bass trombone parts we get to play.. My opinions are split

[StevenC]

So.. basically i get the chance to conduct, which is awesome, but on the other hand i can't play one of the rare real bass trombone parts we get to play.. My opinions are split

I guess the question is, does the band have anyone else who can conduct? You want to conduct; you look forward to conducting, but this is one piece the band plays that needs you on bass trombone.

[BflatBass]

Got myself a doozy of a cold the last couple of days so I'm going to give the horns a break for a few days. Hard to breath deep without coughing so....time to rest. My next rehearsal is on Monday. I'll see how I feel then.
Our first concert for the jazz band I'm in got cancelled so we're not performing until March. Good thing as far as I'm concerned. Takes some of the pressure off and gives our new singer some more time to rehearse and get in sync with the band on the charts she's featured on. She's only rehearsed with us two times so we could use more work in that area.

Chears,
Robert

[StevenC]

As trombone intensive as the fall program for our orchestra was, the spring program is looking to be the opposite. So far, we've got some Beethoven, Overture to "Fidelio" and the Pastoral Symphony. In Fidelio, I sit around for 200 or so measures, then play a totally exposed part. In the Pastoral, I rest for a few movements, then play a bunch of Cs and Ds. A wind concerto and some vocal pieces will be added to the program, so this may be it for trombone. Our bass trombonist graduated, but this program does not need him. Our tuba player had oral surgery, but this program does not need him. I'm missing the mighty Moldau.

[StevenC]

The spring concert was last night. The concert went well, and the trombones were well rested. Orchestra management assured me there would be more for me to do in the fall. Objectively, when our tuba player became unavailable, and a trombonist left the program, this was a perfect semester to play Beethoven's sixth. Meanwhile, I think about Mahler festivals and wonder if this region could support such a project.

[blast]

We are in rehearsal for Mozart's 'Magic Flute'. They want 'small bores' (along with nat trumpets and baroque timps but everything else normal !) so I started out with my 1927 Conn 14H,but found that to be the wrong sound at the louder end. I am now on my late 19th C German Piering Bb/F trombone. 130 years old and still earning money... and that's just the trombone !

Chris

[afugate]

We are in rehearsal for Mozart's 'Magic Flute'. They want 'small bores' (along with nat trumpets and baroque timps but everything else normal !) so I started out with my 1927 Conn 14H,but found that to be the wrong sound at the louder end. I am now on my late 19th C German Piering Bb/F trombone. 130 years old and still earning money... and that's just the trombone !

Chris

I see what you did there...

--Andy in OKC

[timothy42b]

I did Magic Flute in 1975 or so. The South Bend Symphony provided most of the musicians but their trombones weren't available and they used the college orchestra, which was in its first year. We got paid $35 each, which was decent in those days; the symphony players all got $200 which was apparently scale. I played second because I could read tenor clef. The singers were awesome, I learned a lot listening to them. The Queen really nailed that Night aria, college kid but incredible talent.

The three of us really struggled with the timing on the bass recitative. I still remember the frustration - we could all count, but didn't know how to do that playing "out of time." When we finally got it right, the director looked at us pleased and said, "you tuned!" No, we got the timing right. Same thing maybe.

Good memories. That was my senior year, and the only year I didn't make the concert band, so I ended up in the orchestra. Totally my fault, I did not prepare the scales for the audition. I blamed it on audition nerves but realized later that had nothing to do with it; it was lack of homework.