What we're doing

Bach5G · Post by **Bach5G** » Sat May 04, 2019 12:55 pm

A year later ...

The season is winding down. One last orch concert (movie music, mainly J Williams. Too much of a good thing, I think) in a couple of weeks and that’s pretty much it.

Busy year. I co-directed a big band, filled in for a friend in orch #1, filled my own chair in orch #2, subbed occasionally. There were a few stretches of being out 5-6 nights in a row. The music is one thing, but the driving is another. I eventually cut back to Wed night orch and trombone in Sat am big band.

A few memorable moments this past season: RVW’s London, Arvo Part Symph, Brahms Deutsches Req (on bass). I tried my hand at leading a big band. Not my thing as I think I did a creditable job (if not an excellent job - just give me a microphone and some Ativan and turn me loose) but I’d rather play.

I’m hoping to get some useful practice time in over the next couple of months - something I missed when I was driving all over the city every night.

ronnies · Post by **ronnies** » Wed May 08, 2019 9:40 am

Busy weekend with concerts on Saturday and Sunday

Saturday is Beethoven 9 with the St Andrew Orchestra and Edinburgh Bach Choir. Haydn "Te Deum" also on the program but we've been told "There are no trombone parts" (even though I had one on my stand).

Sunday night is Beethoven "Consecration of the House", Hidlgaard "Concerto Borealis" (tenor trombone version) and Suk Symphony no.1 with the Colinton Amateur Orchestra Society.

I'm playing bass in all but the Suk, where I'm playing 2nd (alto clef).

Ronnie

StevenC · Post by **StevenC** » Tue May 21, 2019 8:39 pm

This is the time of year when my playing opportunities change. The orchestras that go along with the school year are done, but a wind ensemble I play in over the summer starts. We had our first rehearsal this evening. There is some good stuff in the folders. "Mars" is in the folder every year, but we never get around to playing it.

Geordie · Post by **Geordie** » Wed May 22, 2019 8:43 am

Just flown budget airline Liverpool/Warsaw. Got the horn into the cabin. No problems or questions at any stage. Getting ready to sit with the band at my friends’ wedding for the first part of the band set. Very friendly guys via email, looking forward to meeting them for the first time and the whole experience this weekend.

BflatBass · Post by **BflatBass** » Wed May 22, 2019 8:37 pm

Been a while....

The local junior college concert band is done for the summer. The music was especially challenging for me and as concert bands usually do we had our requisite march in the folder. This time it was the Salvation Army Band march "Rosehill". Marches are ok. They do get monotonous but this one I really liked. I play 3rd in this band so I got to play a 'real' bass part for this march which made it more fun.
Still playing in 3 other community bands. One of which is a jazz/rock dance band that is especially challenging. There's only two bones and I'm playing 2nd and I'm spending a lot of time way above the staff. I'm able to play high Bb better than ever before as a result. Also we perform with a vocalist and no conductor (typical for dance bands) and a lot of the charts are hand written so it's a good exercise in 'change in environment'. We do two 50 min. sets with a 20 min. break in between and by the time we're done my chops are wasted! Really helps to build my endurance.
The gigantic community band starts up in June. We see typically 10 to 15 trombones on any given week. Really looking forward to that mostly for the social aspect of it. It's their 100th anniversary this year so it's gonna be special. It's the oldest active community band in California (USA)

Let the summer begin....

StevenC · Post by **StevenC** » Fri May 24, 2019 10:28 am

BflatBass wrote: ↑Wed May 22, 2019 8:37 pm
The gigantic community band starts up in June. We see typically 10 to 15 trombones on any given week.

Sounds frightening.

Posaunus · Post by **Posaunus** » Fri May 24, 2019 1:35 pm

StevenC wrote: ↑Fri May 24, 2019 10:28 am
BflatBass wrote: ↑Wed May 22, 2019 8:37 pm
The gigantic community band starts up in June. We see typically 10 to 15 trombones on any given week.
Sounds frightening.

I think I'd pass on this "opportunity!"

BflatBass · Post by **BflatBass** » Fri May 24, 2019 11:47 pm

Posaunus wrote: ↑Fri May 24, 2019 1:35 pm
StevenC wrote: ↑Fri May 24, 2019 10:28 am

Sounds frightening.
I think I'd pass on this "opportunity!"

Like I said, I do it mostly for the social aspect. People come from all over the area so it's like a yearly "get together" for the musical community in my area. It's typical community bad repertoire so the music isn't especially exciting. It's just great seeing everyone get together.

8parktoollover · Post by **8parktoollover** » Mon Jun 03, 2019 11:13 pm

Most of my school stuff is done.Got a new piano and sent in my application and video audition for orchestra camp yesterday. Tomorow I have band rehearsel and a dress rehearsel for a casual concert with a 6p group of a saxaphone a piano 3 singers and myself. Thats all

8parktoollover · Post by **8parktoollover** » Wed Jun 05, 2019 6:05 am

Concert yesterday went great, I got accepted into music camp, And tommorow I have a lesson.

txtimmy · Post by **txtimmy** » Wed Jun 05, 2019 10:09 am

New to the forum, so I guess this is more of an introduction for me. I have been playing again for about 2 years now, after laying off for 15 after college. I was not a music major, but played in Local community big bands and the University Bands where I grew up and went to College.

These days I have gone back legit mostly. I was first playing with a community band in New Hampshire when I was stationed in Boston and living on the North side of the city, and recently when I moved to Rhode Island for my next duty station have found a community band down here to play with. I pay whatever part is needed, and generally play either 2nd, or lead. I have found a big band finally and am in as the super sub until I can find a group that has an opening.

Happy to be a part of this community since I found it while researching a trombone I was purchasing a little while ago.

Cheers,
Tim

VJOFan · Post by **VJOFan** » Fri Jun 07, 2019 9:15 am

The, for fun, trombone quartet I helped start this year will be modelling life long music making during the end of term concert of our local El Sistema group. It operates out of Aeolian Hall in London, Ontario.

We settled on the warhorse repertoire of Achieved and Scarborough Fair.

It will be good for the crowd and fun for us.

paulyg · Post by **paulyg** » Fri Jun 07, 2019 11:11 am

Tomorrow is my final university symphony concert, Tchaik 4. I began hydrating yesterday, gotta bring the heat for that last page!

8parktoollover · Post by **8parktoollover** » Sun Jun 09, 2019 11:36 am

Been off from school since wednesday and am going back on tuesday. At the end of the year at my school they have a festival with 3 concerts. My band is opening with the first concert of the festival on tuesday and then there is a concert in thursday that I will be attending and then a jazz concert on tuesday next week.

torobone · Post by **torobone** » Sun Jun 09, 2019 1:10 pm

Just played the alto part for Barber of Seville overture with a local orchestra. Playing concerts most Thursdays through July with a concert band, where I get to play a transcription of Basie's Tall Cotton. The big band I'm in is playing a couple of outdoor concerts leading up to the Beaches Jazz Festival are the end of July here in Toronto.

Post by **blast** » Sun Jun 09, 2019 1:25 pm

.....STILL playing Magic Flute.......

Chris

Post by **BGuttman** » Sun Jun 09, 2019 1:39 pm

blast wrote: ↑Sun Jun 09, 2019 1:25 pm .....STILL playing Magic Flute.......

Chris

You must be getting a lot of reading done. Not much to play in that opera, although when you do play it's pretty exposed.

8parktoollover · Post by **8parktoollover** » Tue Jun 11, 2019 10:31 am

Just finished my band's end of year concert. Attending a concert on thursday.

Post by **blast** » Tue Jun 11, 2019 5:06 pm

BGuttman wrote: ↑Sun Jun 09, 2019 1:39 pm
blast wrote: ↑Sun Jun 09, 2019 1:25 pm .....STILL playing Magic Flute.......

Chris
You must be getting a lot of reading done. Not much to play in that opera, although when you do play it's pretty exposed.

You can't read in a pro opera pit...... but you might sleep...

Chris

Schlitz · Post by **Schlitz** » Wed Jun 12, 2019 2:12 am

Mikebmiller · Post by **Mikebmiller** » Wed Jun 12, 2019 9:17 pm

I am having a great time this week playing with the Poinsett Wind Symphony in Greenville,SC. This is mostly a Furman University alumni band. Lots of great players in every section, including 9 fantastic bone players. We have a concert tomorrow night.

After spending most of my band time stuck in an incredibly mediocre community band, it is truly eye opening to be in a group where everyone can play the snot out of their axe.

Geordie · Post by **Geordie** » Thu Jun 13, 2019 9:36 am

Getting ready for tomorrow when I will be on one of the 100+ coaches, with players from around the world, playing at dozens of spread out venues in part of NW England. The brass band event that has been running since 1884 and is a fantastic social and musical occasion.
http://whitfriday.brassbands.saddleworth.org/intro.html

8parktoollover · Post by **8parktoollover** » Thu Jun 13, 2019 11:48 am

Just leaving from my school's main end of year concert. i'm signed up for the audition for a band waiting to receive the date. Got a lesson tommorow.

ExZacLee · Post by **ExZacLee** » Fri Jun 14, 2019 9:24 am

Tonight is the last night of a particularly hard charging week - playing with the Swunky Face Big Band at Duet in Tulsa after two nights with the Clark Gibson quintet. I've been coming back from an injury that required my laying off the horn for about two weeks (and not playing much the previous few weeks due to the birth of my beautiful daughter). I've had to go back to square one and really address fundamentals. I had burned my tongue on some coffee, canker sores followed as they're want to do, and my tongue was so swollen I could barely talk right much less play - and the canker sores made any attempts to play too painful.

The Clark Gibson quintet was amazing - I felt like I was just hanging on by my fingernails, but man, it was worth it. Clark on alto, Pat Bianchi on B3, Jim Pisano on tenor and Jeremy Thomas on drums, it was the best butt kicking I've had in a while.

After tonight I'm going to spend some much needed time at home with the wife, baby and dogs, and away from the road. I'll get some mixing done on some projects I'm working on Saturday morning and then it's napville for Father's Day.

I'm really hoping I come out of this better than I went in - this horn kicks my a$$.

8parktoollover · Post by **8parktoollover** » Sat Jun 15, 2019 11:29 am

Solfege/theory finals are tommorow

Mikebmiller · Post by **Mikebmiller** » Sat Jun 15, 2019 9:00 pm

Played a graduation with my quintet this morning. Somebody forgot to remind the sub trumpet player that the recessional was in 2. Oops. We had to start over after about 6 bars. Oh well, they didn’t take our checks back. Life goes on.

LeTromboniste · Post by **LeTromboniste** » Sun Jun 16, 2019 10:36 am

Big church gig this weekend playing a concert yesterday evening (Mozart Vespers) and service this morning (Mozart Coronation mass). It's the second year I play there and it's both a fun and frustrating gig at the same time. On the one hand the conductor is very nice and actually good, the pick up orchestra is decent, the church is a weird but interesting 60's post-Vatican II building with nice acoustics to play in, it's in a cute little town overlooked by a baroque castle, the pay is quite good and there's a fancy cocktail with very good food after the service (a non-neglectable perk). On the other hand the conductor insists on having the trombones stand in the centre-back of their respective choir sections rather than sit together, which makes it very hard to play at a level where you're happy with your own playing - good luck blending and being a useful anchor for tuning when you can't hear your colleagues, are standing 25 feet behind the double bass, and surrounded with singers who are about quartertone off on half the notes...

On a side note, the Swiss Guard was there again!

8parktoollover · Post by **8parktoollover** » Mon Jun 17, 2019 2:08 pm

Solfege/theory finals went fine. Band audition scheduled for next monday and working on scheduling an aufition for a youth orchestra, and playing 2 part in the song for japan ensamble. And school's over on thursday.

Mikebmiller · Post by **Mikebmiller** » Mon Jun 17, 2019 2:40 pm

LeTromboniste wrote: ↑Sun Jun 16, 2019 10:36 am On a side note, the Swiss Guard was there again!

Looks like they are guarding the buffet!

BflatBass · Post by **BflatBass** » Thu Jun 20, 2019 12:22 am

We were supposed to play the Rolling Thunder march last week in the gigantic community band but as it turns out it's this week....and I'm not playing in that band this week!! I think I could have done really good with that march ( I hear the conductor is only taking it at 130) but idk about the rest of the bone section

I know of one other trombonist that is doing quite well with it this week but one or two out of 10 to 13.....not good odds

So I'm disappointed that I didn't have the chance to play it but that's ok, they're prolly not going to sound that great anyway.

I''m working on arranging a version of the Atlantis the Lost Continent suite by Safranek for 4 bones and tuba. I use my little digital multitrack recorder to put it together and I'm finding out about the natural intonation discrepancies with the tuba. If anyone has any ideas on what tunes might work in this format I'm all ears. Fun stuff.

8parktoollover · Post by **8parktoollover** » Thu Jun 20, 2019 1:20 am

I got my my tests back and lesson is tommorow.

SirJohn · Post by **SirJohn** » Fri Jun 21, 2019 9:40 pm

My son got a bass trombone feature at the band camp jazz concert tonight.

8parktoollover · Post by **8parktoollover** » Sat Jun 22, 2019 11:48 am

Band audition on monday

8parktoollover · Post by **8parktoollover** » Tue Jun 25, 2019 4:33 am

Audition went well. Bought a new mp a real nice stomvi 5a. Also brpught my bach in for repair.

8parktoollover · Post by **8parktoollover** » Thu Jul 04, 2019 1:01 am

Got into the band.

imsevimse · Post by **imsevimse** » Thu Jul 04, 2019 11:53 am

8parktoollover wrote: ↑Thu Jul 04, 2019 1:01 am Got into the band.

Congratulations!
/Tom

BflatBass · Post by **BflatBass** » Thu Jul 04, 2019 1:52 pm

8parktoollover wrote: ↑Thu Jul 04, 2019 1:01 am Got into the band.

I second that congrats

Cheers!

8parktoollover · Post by **8parktoollover** » Thu Jul 04, 2019 2:38 pm

Thank you

tim · Post by **tim** » Thu Jul 04, 2019 4:20 pm

Independence Day Concert...
with fireworks....
gonna be a late one...

8parktoollover · Post by **8parktoollover** » Sun Jul 07, 2019 2:48 am

Got my bach back from the shop.

BflatBass · Post by **BflatBass** » Sat Jul 13, 2019 11:57 am

Well the gigantic community band has finished it's series for this year. Out of the 6 weeks they ran I played weeks 1,2,5 and 6. Week 5 was the Independence Day concert where the brass all stand up for Stars and Striped Forever which can be somewhat challenging for trombones on a cramped stage. The best part was playing the trio for the National Emblem down an octave

. This was their 100th year so there were a lot of accolades, awards and celebrations for most of the concerts. The last week we had a 98 year old fellow in the audience who played in the band back in the mid 30's. I can't say I'm a big fan of playing in a band with 135 members on stage, 17 of which were trombones and 7 of those were playing the 3rd part. The kids on 3rd playing their student model straight tenors had to play plenty of notes up an octave

It was all fun for the social aspect of it tho.

Still working on an arrangement of Atlantis the Lost Continent for 4 bones and tuba. I've got the 1st movement on paper and am now getting the 2nd movement written while I try and create a decent recording of the 1st movement on my little 4 track digital recorder. Fun stuff but it can be tedious at times.

Cheers,
Robert

8parktoollover · Post by **8parktoollover** » Sat Jul 13, 2019 12:08 pm

Band camp starts tommorow.

Geordie · Post by **Geordie** » Sun Jul 14, 2019 2:35 am

Brass band gig at this historic event.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Durham_Miners'_Gala

StevenC · Post by **StevenC** » Sun Jul 14, 2019 7:58 am

Our Midsummer Night's orchestra concert was last night. Trombones did not have a lot to do, but it was a fun concert. One of the two conductors is an undergraduate student. He was good. He brought sensitivity and excitement to the podium.

StefanHaller · Post by **StefanHaller** » Fri Jul 19, 2019 4:25 am

Vacation in Sweden, three weeks. I brought my horn and practice every day (much to the delight of my family). Playing "Kristallen den fina" over the lake at sunset is quite nice though.

PhilTrombone · Post by **PhilTrombone** » Fri Jul 19, 2019 8:11 am

Anyone playing in the Lake George Band Festival on Saturday (July 20)? I am playing 3 PM.

imsevimse · Post by **imsevimse** » Fri Jul 19, 2019 3:03 pm

StefanHaller wrote: ↑Fri Jul 19, 2019 4:25 am Vacation in Sweden, three weeks. I brought my horn and practice every day (much to the delight of my family). Playing "Kristallen den fina" over the lake at sunset is quite nice though.

Greetings! "Kristallen den fina" is one of the many Swedish folk songs that I often play myself. Others are "Ack Värmeland du sköna", "Dalvisan", "Liten dora", "Vem kan segla förutan vind", "Liksom en herdinna" ... there are too many of these to count. I play them in every key. It's similar to playing ballads. They are often melancholic minor melodies that sound really good on any brass

Outside over the lake? That is something I can relate to but I use to play outside over the fields of crops.

/Tom

StefanHaller · Post by **StefanHaller** » Sat Jul 20, 2019 3:31 am

Yes, I like to write four-part arrangements for many of these to sing them with my family (which is not so easy when your family consists of three mezzo-sopranos and one baritone). Many of them lend themselves to beautiful rich harmonic settings, we are having a lot of fun with that.

StefanHaller · Post by **StefanHaller** » Sat Jul 20, 2019 3:41 am

Oh, and speaking of folk songs, I finally found out where your funny forum name comes from. I found this in a small book with "Svenska Visor" in a book shelf in our cottage:

366A4F73-699E-4035-90CF-CCB42ADB73C6.jpeg

Bach5G · Post by **Bach5G** » Sat Jul 20, 2019 9:29 am

I got back into playing in the late 80s when I joined the community concert band. I eventually served in the board of directors and as president, and put together a dance band and staged several successful fundraisers. I left on not particularly good terms about 20 years ago when replacing our conductor got a little divisive.

They called me up a couple of weeks ago and asked if I’d like to fill in for today’s concert. I agreed and in a few minutes I’m off to play the Boundary Bay air show.

Not much turnover in the band. Nice to see/talk to old friends. Parking pass, lunch provided, sunny weather. And I get to play my new horn.

(Afterwards) That was fun. The performance went well and I stayed for a bit of the air show. Never been to one before. Saw some WW2 fighters (P40, P47, Wildcat, maybe). What a wonderful sound!