Thursday, December 15, 2011

Mission Accom-Plished! Kind of.

Hello people of the mysterious land of Blogdom! Here's a quick recap of what's been going down this past month or so:

So, juries happened.  I played Legend, and the first movement of Haydn.  And, I really shouldn't be bummed out, but I was.  Here's the thing: there was exactly two places I KNEW I could nail, and I really wanted to nail: the high scale at the end of the development in Haydn (up to that infamous Eb6), and the long run at the end of the second fast passage in Legend.  And both places, I kinda flubbed (the Eb was there, but was more of a *ping* than a *PAAAH* and only lasted like 25% as long as it should have, and the scale... well, it was slower than I was used to, so I tripped over it).  But, those were like the only places I screwed up.  It was a room I was comfortable playing in, and the tone was brilliant (at least moreso than usual, so as to not sound TOTALLY arrogant, but it WAS pretty damn good).  Everything went well except those two spots.  And I'm mad at myself for those spots.  And I'm mad at myself for being mad at myself for those spots.  Oh, well, I guess we'll see what the jurors said.

It's, like, I know they're going to give me tips and stuff for how to pull it off, but... I CAN pull it off, I just didn't that time.  But then their tips are valid, cuz I need to be able to do it EVERY time.  But then I still get pissed, cuz it's stuff I know.  But if I know it, it should have happened right, so do I really know it? RAAAAAGE.

On the work front, I'm looking to shuffle around the balance of where I'm working a bit, partially so I have time to record my audition CD, and partially for my own sanity/life satisfaction.  Here, for you guys, is my list of all the rep I have ready for auditions, using the best/only/most significant YouTube recordings (I'll follow up with my favourite recording when applicable):

Without a doubt my favourite recording, he's just SOOOO pro.

Though Marsalis is the go-to guy for a lot of trumpeters, his Halsey Stevens recording really pisses me off, so I don't listen to him a lot.  In my opinion, the Thomas Stevens recording of Hindemith is very slightly better overall, but there are parts of it that Marsalis does better, too.

Fun fact: I hate like every recording ever of the second movement of this piece ever.  They're all too slow.  My university accompanist has actually crafted what I believe is the best interpretation of that piece, in the piano part, and I doubt I'll ever stop playing it influenced by his style.  I'll surely write an entry about it later (hint: it's a waltz. Mind = blown).  The best recording of the piece that I DO know is Scott Thornburg, it's on iTunes if you want to find it; he does Kennan, too.

This is actually the only recording of this piece I've heard. XD  My prof is a bit of a hipster in claiming that his piano reduction is the first piano reduction of this piece, but I'm sure at least a few have been done by now.  Obviously, this is my picc piece, I don't play natural trumpet, and don't plan on it, if I can help it.

Sure, neither the cleanest nor most relevant (in terms of modern vs archaic style) recording, but every now and then, it's nice to listen to the master of a different generation, especially since he wrote the thing.

And Legend you heard already, so here's a different, more modern (and more eye-pleasing >.>) version:


Well, wish me luck, guys!

Friday, November 25, 2011

Musicology of Video Games #1: What Each "Legend of Zelda" Theme Actually Says About That Game

So, I actually did my undergrad in Musicology, and not Performance.  Though I have recently learned the error in my ways, I still do have some interest in my research area, which is video game musicology.  As an example of just how deep this can be, here's something I've wanted to look at for a long time: The Legend of Zelda, the absolute best franchise in gaming, last I checked.  I'll show you just what a musicologist can gather from what would be simple tracks, by analysing each main/Overworld theme, how it compares to the others, and what it reflects about the game itself.  I'm going to ignore the handheld games post-Oracle for now, mostly because I've never played them, and might go back to them later.  Also, while I could probably write an entire article on EACH theme, I'll keep each summary to a short paragraph.

The Legend of Zelda (1986)


Here it is, the game (and theme) that started it all.  The original Zelda theme is quite harmonically complex compared to other tunes at the time, which reflects the nature of the game, itself very complex in terms of layout and free exploration.  The shifting between major and minor modes keeps it fresh, instead of becoming a boring, predictable loop like most tunes would after the hours one could spend in the Overworld, it is actually a challenge to grow bored of this theme, which is exactly what Koji Kondo would have wanted.

The Adventure of Link (1987)


The second game in the franchise took a different direction, using an RPG-style Overworld map, with sidescrolling dungeons and action scenes.  The theme actually reflects this well, using a more triumphant and major sound, in order to better contrast with the action during encounters with enemies.  It was a wise choice for variety, but also isn't as nice to listen to, neither is the game as nice to look at.

A Link to the Past (1991)


A Link to the Past brought the games back to their roots of top-down adventure-based gameplay, and the theme used here is virtually identical (before enhancements) to the first theme.  Basically, Nintendo's way of saying "Hey everybody! We know you all liked the first game better, so here's more! We promise we're still legit!" Not that I'd downplay the best game ever made, but there's no reason the designers couldn't have an agenda with part of it.  After all, it just adds another layer of depth to the experience, as the designers are communicating with the player in more than one fashion.

Link's Awakening (1993)


This is the same theme used in the Oracle series, so I'll just mention it once.  So, moving from a 16-bit to an 8-bit console, one would expect the game to be simpler, less deep.  So, Kondo made a brilliant move in making the theme actually an extension of the original, adding new (and beautiful) layers that players have never heard before.  It is as if to say "You might think this is any old Zelda, but wait! We're just going to keep making it better.  And better." And they did, with this game absolutely blowing away expectations of a MERE GameBoy attempt at Zelda, and replacing them with another totally legit, totally awesome game.

Ocarina of Time (1998)


THIS SONG.  THIS GAME.  Ocarina, though I don't believe (as most of the world does) that it is the BEST game ever made, was phenomenal.  And this track wraps everything about it into one nice little package.  The main motive is there, but so wrapped and flourished that you can barely tell.  New emotions are added, such as strife and helplessness, that really weren't there as much in previous games.  In A Link to the Past, part of the allure was that you were destined to be a badass, and so there was never the desparation that you would fail, but it was more like a challenge, whereas here there was a threat for the first time.  The beauty, majesty, and grandeur of this adventure all make it into this theme, which is a nice contrast to that in...

Majora's Mask (2000)


We're back to the original Zelda theme again, this time riddled with urgency, desparation, and an overall eerie tone, that fits Majora brilliantly.  Unlike ALttP, in which the main theme countered the breaks from tradition of a previous game, the main theme here counters the breaks in ITSELF, changing it from "Whoa, left field!" to "Whoa, Zelda, but so many cool and unique aspects!"  This theme roots it in the player's mind that, no matter how different the quest, they're still playing Zelda, and it's still amazing.

The Wind Waker (2002)


This is undoubtedly my favourite Overworld theme in any Zelda game, with Link's Awakening coming second.  The motive is still there, but the grand, sweeping gestures, and epic, triumphant scale fill the piece with majesty.  I've always considered the hero of Wind Waker to be the best incarnation of Link in the franchise, solely because he starts the game as a nobody who's the butt of every joke and gag, and through sheer determination, even though it's explicitly stated he's NOT the Chosen One, he grits his teeth, gets the Master Sword anyways, reassembles the Triforce, and beats Ganon in my favourite final boss fight in the franchise, too.  There's just so much good about Wind Waker, and... THIS SONG.  Just listen to it, that's all I need to say.

Twilight Princess (2006)


The main motive reappears here as an opening flourish, and... DAT BRASS.   This theme is amazing, though you've heard that about pretty much every theme so far. XD  The triumph of a Zelda game is there, since most of the time you'll be on horseback, mixed with some more move-sounding themes to go along with the generally more plot-based and cinematic nature of the game.  And speaking of that...

Skyward Sword (2011)


QuQ

That is all.

...K, seriously.  This is beautiful.  It's like... Wind Waker meets Twilight Princess, take the best parts of both, and put it IN SPACE, then pull it back from that slightly so it's just in the sky.  The live orchestra is breathtaking, and if Zelda ended now, I'd be happy.  At least, until I beat the game.  Then I'd go cry.  The next Zelda after this should be phenomenal, considering the legacy the entire franchise has to live up to, in Skyward, Wind Waker, Ocarina, ALttP, and all these masterpieces.

K, regular content next time, promise. :P

Thursday, November 17, 2011

Whole lotta random junk! Wooo!

Hi interwebs!  Long time no rant!  So, here's one rant, and I have another ultra-nerdy but still music one planned for... whenever I have the chance, so like next week sometime. XD

Thing number one: MASTERCLASS TOMORROW.  I'm incredibly pumped, we're having one of (if not) the BEST trumpet players in the country come to direct it, and her orchestra's performing with our local pro orch Saturday night.  WHICH I'M GOING TO.  I lucked out on two tickets through a series of fortunate events, and they're playing Tchaik 5, so I'm totally stoked.


I'm going to play Legend in the masterclass.  I've played it once already in front of people, at the last noon-hour concert at school.  It actually went really well, except I was for some reason shaking, which I rarely ever do these days (and by rarely, I MEAN it, like maybe once a YEAR or so).  But, there was only one part I was consciously aware of cracking, though that run at the end gets me every time.  I start to get ahead of the piano, so I pull back on the rein, and then it becomes a rocking-back-and-forth until we (usually) end together miraculously at the same time.  Much like the contour of the lick itself.

So, orchestra.  Oh, orchestra.  I'm sitting second in the youth orchestra this year, which I've known for ages, and I'm cool with that.  But I think I got demoted in university orchestra, since I'm labeled as first for the first concert (ALL SIBELIUS, ALL THE TIME), even though we rotate, I play first in two pieces, and my ol' buddy Thalberg does in one (he's Thalberg because I have longer hair, so I get to be Liszt, and there's actually a few other good reasons we line up that way, but not going to go into too much detail right now).  But now I'm apparently sitting second for the whole of the second concert... I just wanted to drive ONE of the orchestras.  Not both.  Just one.  I feel like it's another one of those "we're getting you accustomed to it now so if you get that kind of gig in real life you can deal" things, but... idk.  I just feel like the conductor shouldn't have written "trumpet I" on the set of parts I got in September if he planned on switching them up like that.  On the other hand, I feel like I AM getting to be a decent second, in the sense of anticipating what the lead's going to do and matching lenght/style/tone/etc, but... I have enough chance to practice that in youth orchestra, I just want to experience it from both sides. :/

Anyways, off to play me some Legend.  After all, Masterclassmasterclassmasterclass. ^.^  I reeeeeeeeeeeeeeally hope it goes well for me.  I really do.




(Also, the third movement of the Sibelius violin concerto?  That's totally the soundtrack to some guy baking a pizza.  Just saying.)

Saturday, October 22, 2011

Hector Berlioz: The Man. The Myth. The Incessant Orgy-Riddled Finales.

A few Februaries ago, some of my friends and I decided that February 14th, for the sake of the one single guy at the time, must become a better holiday.  And thus, International Hector Berlioz Day was born.  It was our day to recognize that overly-fixated, whining, over-the-top, badass, and generally awesome French romantic composer of at least one piece, and possibly some other pieces.  Now, for your enjoyment, my crash-course on why Berlioz is pretty much the best thing in the history of ever, mostly either as my own knowledge or stolen from Wikipedia.



Berlioz, unlike Mozart, wasn't super-pro at the piano the moment he came out of the womb.  He didn't even play it... the PIANO.  In fact, he played the guitar and the flute.  That already implies volumes about his personality.  He wrote some random chamber pieces at a young age, but nothing too great.  And he had the hots for his 18-year-old neighbour when he was 12.  This spiritually launched his career as a starving romantic, moving from one fixation to the next, breaking down crying at awesome performances of Beethoven symphonies, and standing up and yelling in rage during bad performances of Beethoven symphonies.

So, he went off to be a doctor, but then saw someone dissecting a body (presumably in a class and not just on the side of the road), and jumped out of the window in disgust.  Being introduced to the music of Christoph Gluck, perhaps the least attractively named composer at that time, got Berlioz even more into composition as a goal.  So, he goes off to study music.

During a production of "Hamlet," he instantly becomes infatuated (not an uncommon trait for Monsieur Berlioz) with Harriet Smithson, playing Ophelia.  Yeah, the insane chick.  You know, the kind of person one usually DOESN'T want to become attracted to.  So, he sends her overly-mushy love letters, and she (obviously) thinks he's a total creep.  He ends up dedicating Symphonie Fantastique (yeah, that one piece that he wrote) to her, but goes and gets engaged some Camille Moke chick instead.  Oh, and I believe Fantastique was the first of several pieces he wrote to have a movement/scene based on an orgy.  In particular, this one's a DEMONIC orgy.  So that's cool.

Now, here's the infamous story that our Berlioz fan club just can't get enough of.  Berlioz goes to live in Rome for a little while, and absolutely hates it.  He receives a letter from Camille's father, saying the engagement is terminated and she's going to marry some piano builder.  Yep, the PIANOS are back.  So, here's his plan:  he buys a french maid outfit, several poisons, and steals a pistol with three shots, so that he can shoot her, her lover, and himself, and use poison if the pistol jams.  But, he gets on the train to Paris, and (depending on who's telling the story) either gets kicked off and goes back to Rome, or gets off, realizes he forgot his costume on the train, and gives up and goes back to Rome.

So, Berlioz holds a concert where Symphonie Fantastique is performed (you know, that one piece he wrote).  Guess who shows up?  Harriet Smithson.  Oh, and CHOPIN, LISZT, PAGANINI, AND VICTOR HUGO.  But mostly Harriet Smithson, I guess.  Anyways, that happens.  And he and Harriet somehow get together, even though they don't speak the same language, and he was a creepy stalker like a few years ago.  So that was a thing.

Paganini, being impressed, asked him to write a viola concerto.  Thus Harold in Italy exists.  Yeah, you know Italy, that one place Berlioz hated.  Anyways, Paganini thought that it was too easy, and didn't play it.  We'd like to think that it's a second piece Berlioz wrote, but if you listen to it, it's pretty much Fantastique with all the bars in a different order, and the viola being more important.  Paganini DID end up paying Berlioz, though, so he could pay off some debts Harriet worked up.  Oh, and then they broke up.  Smooth.  But fine for him, he was already starting to get together with some actress by the name of Marie Recio, who, according to Google Images, wasn't quite as attractive.  For some reason, he ended up providing Harriet financial aid the rest of her life, which, as a composer, would have been impossible, had Mikhail Glinka not showed him how to make a fortune by composing... IN RUSSIA.

And, that's most of the entertaining, non-boring-ol'-history facts that I know about the most awesome of composer figures ever.  Not most awesome composer, that would be Tchaikovsky.  And not the composer with the most awesome figure, that would be Ravel.  Or Fanny Mendelssohn, I guess.  Not a lot to choose from in terms of women, assuming we limit ourselves to mainstream classical composers.  Berlioz, on the other had, is just full of awesome.  From rumors of him hating Richard Wagner, to him writing an opera so grand, they couldn't afford to put it on and instead put on one by Wagner, the stories of this guy just seem to keep flooding in.  Check him out sometime.

Maurice Ravel is bringing sexy back. Yeah.

Thursday, October 06, 2011

Turbo boost, activate! FUUUUUL POWAAAAHHHH!



Tomorrow is the first noon-hour concert that the brass studio is putting on at our university.  And I'm second from the end of the programme, playing the Honeggar Intrada.  It's an awesome piece of music, and I really love it, but... IT'S SOOOOO stressful.  I'm really bad at not choking up when I triple tongue, and I freak out in the introduction, even though I KNOW I can play it.  It's probably because I have a trend: I always sound really bad in rep class, and I always sound pretty bad in rehearsals when I have a solo line, but I sound pretty good playing the same thing in an ACTUAL concert.  I've convinced myself that it's because the concert isn't a rehearsal, and I only sound bad in rehearsal.  I doubt that's the case, maybe some psych major can prove me wrong.

I'm kind of excited to hear how people are going to sound this year.  I've gotten a bit of an idea from rep class, but I want to see who gets jittery, who has learned to cope with performance nerves, who won't need to cope because they don't have them, and the like.  I used to have terrible performance anxiety.  How did I get rid of them?  You're not going to like this answer. :P

I'll be brutally honest with anyone who has a similar problem:  I got over fear of failure by failing.  I'd walk up on stage, and freak out, and the piece would be terrible.  Then, after a while, I got used to it, and the piece would still go not great, but I wouldn't freak because I expected that.  Then, the pieces slowly stopped going not great, and starting sounding good.  But I was so used to the worst possible outcome, so I wasn't nervous, as I had experienced the worst already.  It's kind of a lacklustre way to go about solving the problem, but hey, it worked.

Does anyone else get performance tunnel vision when they play?  I've had moments before when I'd realize, about halfway through a concert, "waitwhat... where'd that audience come from?"  I'd be so in the zone, so "we gon' play us a Symphony" that I forgot people were actually there to WATCH it.  Which I should probably consider at one point, but there's a LOT of things I should probably consider at one point, so I'll get there in due time.

Anyways, guess I should run through the piece at least once tonight.  Then bring my Silent Brass (^.^ <3) in tomorrow so I can stay fresh through a barrage of Bordogni/Rochut before I play.  Honeggar, I'll be glad when you're over... I have an easier time pacing myself in Legend. XD







>.>

Saturday, September 24, 2011

Inactivity! Yaaay!

Well, my fellow internetters. It's been a while. Have you gained weight? (Don't take that personally, it's a general human trend that the longer you don't see someone, the larger they become, unless they're actively trying to counteract that) So... I've been kinda not around a lot recently... and I think it's time for a good old-fashioned rant.  Before writing this, I give no guarantee as to the eventual whine factor in this post.  I'll try and keep it to a minimum up at the top, but we'll see what happens.

So, life.  It's kinda... slow right now.  Here's the buzz: it's application time, applying for grad school, applying for funding, applying for loans.  My life right now revolves around three things: work (to make money to go to school), practice (to be good enough to get into a school), and applications (to actually get the school).  So basically, everything I do is supposed to benefit me... later.  Right now, however, I'm not really doing much.  I have a possible lead on a teaching gig, that would be GREAT, to learn to help out some younger trumpet players as they aspire to be what I aspire to be.  But as for the rest of my life, especially socially, I feel like I'm at a bit of a standstill.  I'm not even around campus that much because I've cut back on the ensembles this year (not being a full-time student, and frankly not wanting to sit in five different groups when I could just pick the two or three that I like the most).  I guess I'm just feeling kinda... like everything's repetitive, and I need to get my ass in gear to take all of this to the next step.  I'm always slow at doing applications and things like this because I'm stupidly afraid to move on in case I screw something up and ruin it, but I know that if I don't do it, I'll be stuck in this rut for even longer, and that just won't do.

I know that I WILL get what I need to get done, done.  I'm making myself move forward in this, and I have an excellent opportunity to do a lot of writing over the next week, so that'll help put a HUGE dent in my situation.  If there's a time to act, it'll be right now, and then once February passes me by, I can relax a little bit (but not much, as then I'll have to start looking at renting a place and finding work).

I'll probably put up a post in the next day or two in regards to having started school again.  There's a few things I'd like to say, just about the place in general, what I'm excited for, and some of the weirder things going on.

As some of you already know, I'm a bit of a nerd (or, VERY MUCH SO a nerd), and will probably put up, every couple posts, something that either doesn't relate to trumpet and is just nerdy, or tag a little thing on the bottom of my music post.  So, when I was nine, I was super into Pokémon, just like any self-respecting nine-year-old would have been when the TV series hit English airwaves in '98.  Later in life, after that phase had passed off, I heard a remake of Pokémon Gold/Silver was being released, those being one of my favourite games as a child (the two versions are essentially the same game).  Curious to see what had become of the franchise, I picked up a copy of Platinum, which was the most recently released, and found myself quite pleased with it.  Now, though I don't follow the TV series (and I should HOPE not!) or anything, I am a competitive battler on the side, usually with online simulators, as music takes up too much of my life to bother raising a team on a real cartridge.  So, if you ever find yourself facing of against a Mettack (or occasionally, TheRealMettack) on the Smogon or PO server, that's me. :P

Anyways, the whole point of that rant was to say, there was a particular song in the TV series that I had been on and off searching for, and I finally found it!


OK, that's enough nerding out for one day, back to work.  Time to get on these applications like a ScarfTran on a Scizor.  Let's go!

Thursday, September 01, 2011

FIN-F*CKING-LANDIA

Wow.  Just... wow.  We played two concerts with the youth orchestra, one away in a small university town, and one at home, which is essentially a big university town.  And wow.  The concerts were amazing.  The size of the orchestra has been buffed to around 70ish from the 50 of last year, if I'm not mistaken.  And it makes a noticeable difference.  I feel like I can play more or less as loud as I want for any given passage (assuming, you know, I want to play the soft passages still soft, just comfortably soft, instead of the effortful soft this still-improving trumpet player usually pulls off).  This especially became noticeable at the end of Finlandia.


This... this... THIS.  Especially noticeable on the Tuesday show, this piece of music is absolutely amazing.  I happened to notice a percussionist in our local pro symphony while I was playing.  Even from the back of the church, I could tell how incredibly moved he was by the piece, and it was an amazing experience playing it.  The ending (7:22 on in this recording) was the loudest I've ever played on a stage in my life.  It felt incredible.  Such a great way to end off my stint as principal.

Yeah, that's it.  I'm going to be sitting second or third for the rest of the year, it looks like.  I was a little upset at first, but I'm more rational and agree with the decision now that I've let my emotions slide away.  I mean, the listed principal is a good player, for sure.  We're about tied in terms of skill, with just a different set of strengths and weaknesses.  And I'd trust him the most of out anyone, even myself at times, to lead the section.  Also, I'm only registered as a part-time student, so I'm incredibly grateful of the management, conductor, and board that I'm in the orchestra at all.

Both of the other pieces, Mozart and Berlioz, deserve their own post, so I think I'm gonna start dedicating certain posts to composers, probably about once a month.  Expect the next one to be about everyone's favourite insane Frenchman, who dresses in drag, has people play with their bows upside down, and only wrote one piece, just in multiple incarnations!  That's right, it's Hipster Berlioz!

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

I *maaaaay* have on more than one occasion tried freestyling using random composer names in the shower... why do you ask?

Ah, orchestra!  Youth orchestra has started again, and things have been going really well!  There was a bit of confusion with the trumpet roster last week (as to who would actually be available for the concert), but that's been sorted out, and I'm temporarily sitting principal (I'm not currently listed as such on the roster for this upcoming year, so I assume this is my last show in that role).

Sectionals have been going alright.  Brass is currently split into high and low in different rooms, so trumpets and horns are together.  While I really like our coach, I kind of wish that we could all be in the same room, as everything sounds so sparse currently, and just... better, with the lower range to beef it up

But really, it's the actual orchestra rehearsals that are what does it for me.  It's been a very bipolar summer for me, bouncing back and forth between feeling awesome, depressed, lonely, excited, anxious, overconfident, underconfident, and a myriad of other emotions.  But once I get back into orchestra, it's like the music has a healing effect.  Just being there makes me feel at peace.

We're doing a Hector Berlioz piece called Harold in Italy, which is kind of a glorified viola concerto.  Apparently it's actually a symphony that just happens to have a solo violist throughout, but that might as well count in my eyes.  Today we did the final movement, titled "The Brigand's Orgies."  Leave it to Monsieur Berlioz to write all these orgy pieces... anyone remember Fantastique?  Also, I was incredibly surprised to find out there is more than one piece by Berlioz.  After listening to the first movement, I realized there is not more than one piece by Berlioz, just the same piece with the bars in a different order.

Our strings section is MASSIVE.  The conductor was worried about us brass overpowering them, since a lot of them are new this year, but I honestly don't think we have to worry about that, since there's just so many of them.  Perhaps that's why we sound so good after only two days, sheer numbers.  That, and I'm sure we're all really dedicated.  I know this is my last (even if only second) year with the ensemble, and I want to make it as awesome as physically possible.  I just hope everyone else feels the same.

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Music Moments of Awesome #1

As an introductory note, I'm going to start making up names for people I refer to frequently, so I don't have to keep saying "a friend who plays _____" all the time.  All of these names have a reason that makes sense to me, and that the person may or may not get (if you can figure out yourself, good job, PM or FB me the names and we'll see who gets the most right).

Welcome, one and all (if there IS a difference), to Music Moments of Awesome, a random mini-series I came up with to catalogue random little moments in my life that would sound totally lame if I told you directly, but are going to sound deep and profound because it's text on a blog on the internet, and especially so because it's white text on a black background, which is 56% more profound than the next most profound colour scheme.

So, the coolest experience I've had in music, to date.  That sounds like an excellent way to start off, give away the good one so that everything after this can't live up!  Brilliant idea.  Anyways, last October, I had the honour of playing in a combo with a clarinetist from New York.  He was completely amazing at the instrument, and both looked and played like a snake charmer.  Probably the sexiest clarinet tone that I know (amirite, Sol?).  Anyways, the concert, which was about 45-50 minutes of improvised, minimalist, multicultural (even within itself) music, was a huge success, and I couldn't be happier to have been a part.  But that's actually not the moment I'm thinking of.

The moment happened in the green room, before one of the shows (I think it was the first one, can't remember).  There was eight of us from the youth orchestra (nine if we include the conductor) in the ensemble, and we were warming up.  Then, someone started playing Brahms Hungarian Dance No. 5.  Yeah, you know the one.


And then... we all started playing it.  Ramona, Minevra, and I took the tune along with the violins, either having it already or having figured it out earlier, while Lucca played the offbeats, JC took the bass line, and Rite conducted, with our conductor eventually taking her arms and conducting through her.  It was like something out of those lame high school arts show for kids, where the entire cast just bursts into the same song, and they all know how it goes.  Except... IT HAPPENED.  It really happened.  That's the only time it's ever worked out as well as on TV for me (one person on guitar and everyone else singing totally doesn't count, as it's nowhere NEAR the same magnitude).  It's a moment that, though some of the other people may not have thought much of it, I'll never forget.  Because the impossible... just went down.

AWESOME.







(Also, this)


Monday, August 08, 2011

Gotta get down in August, everybody's looking forward to September!

Hello fellow interneters!  So, the only thing left for me to do this summer is youth orchestra camp, and that will run almost immediately into September.  Only two more weeks of work left before that.  It's finally that time of year, the time younger children dread, and us post-secondary students strangely long for.

As I have done for the past two years, I'm planning to have a student recital in March sometime, this one being my last before I leave the city.  I don't have a name picked out yet, but I've been referring to it under the tentative codename of "Like a Brass."  Reasoning for that should be obvious... >.>


Like the last one, this one will be a split recital with a friend of mine, a trombonist this time around (the last one being a clarinetist).  Both of those folks have shot miles up my list of top friends over the past year or so, and I'm totally thrilled to know you both, since I'm pretty sure at least one of you reads this.

The theme of the recital, nay, the entire YEAR (not sure if Ye Olde English, or Legend of Zelda reference), is chamber music.  Of course, the two of us will be doing a duet in the concert, a piece written by a former composition professor at our school, who was active during the 1980s, and was written for my trumpet professor, and another trombonist, both of whom were principal chairs in the orchestra at the time.  It's a great piece, kind of weird, but I like it.  It's not entirely tonal, but right in the middle, has a nice one of these:


(Not that actual song, just the same progression as it for about a page, and it's the first one that popped into my head XD).  I've also got word from one of my piano major friends that we're definitely doing a sonata, the question now is just which one, but I'm kind of feeling Hindemith.  Except I just remembered (like, JUST, as in while typing this) that we'll probably also be hearing the Hindemith trombone sonata, so perhaps not... I'm really itching to play Kennan again, maybe I'll dust that one off.

We've also got the Poulenc trio on the list, with a rather talented horn player at our school.  I was talking to a soprano I know on Saturday, and I might consider adding Handel or Scarlatti or something.  I have a friend majoring in composition, who's in the middle of writing a piece for trumpet and electronics (more on that when I get more information).  AND, I might have mentioned back in June or July, my professor will actually be making an appearance, we're going to play the Manfredini!  Obviously I can't have ALL of these at the recital, and I'll have to pick and choose carefully (both the soprano and composer are graduating, so I might respectfully have to ask that we just do those at their respective recitals).  But, yeah, I'm really looking forward to this year.


Sunday, August 07, 2011

Dedication

Hey, you.  You know who you are.  Or, you might not.  Or, you might not read this.  We'll see.  Well, we've known each other for quite a while.  When I reference you to people who don't know you, I often just call you "my best friend," for simplicity's sake.  Of the people I've met post-high school, that statement holds.  We've both had some stunning victories we've celebrated with each other over, and some nasty defeats we've helped each other get through.  I took notice in you as soon as I heard your name the first time, and I'm glad we became the friend we did.  Admittedly, there were many times I wish I could have had my chance with you, but I think I'm finally over that now.  I think.  I just wanted to thank you for being the amazing person that you are.  And you're not allowed to forget that I'm always around the corner, whenever you need, or whenever you just want to talk.  So, thanks. :)

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Overthinking It - Reflections on Deathly Hallows, as it applies to the Philosopher's Stone and beyond

K, the seventh Harry Potter book revolves around the Deathly Hallows, three magical objects that were supposedly crafted by Death, and given to the Peverell brothers, sometime in the middle of the thirteenth century (I'm using harrypotter.wikia.org for most of these dates).  The Invisibility Cloak, owned by Ignotus Peverell, was passed down the male family line, eventually getting to James Potter.  The cloak was loaned to Albus Dumbledore, and when James was killed by Tom Riddle (suck it, Voldy) in 1980, he kept it until Harry's first Christmas at Hogwarts, December 1991.

So, this cloak is supposed to be forged by Death? And yet, Dumbledore can see though it.  Oh, and Alastor Moody can see through it, though the magic eye helps.  Moody's magic eye is more powerful than Death itself?  Not to mention, anyone with the ability to cast Homenum Revelio can locate the person under the Cloak, and the person also shows up on the Marauder's Map, which had f*cking Peter Pettigrew on the production team.  Like, seriously, that Cloak might have retained its invisibility for over seven centuries, but it kinda sucks.  Come on, Death, you've gotta up your game.

K, so now we have the Resurrection Stone, which was passed down the family line to one Marvolo Gaunt.  Yeah, recognize the name Marvolo?  Somewhere, a Peverell got it on with a Slytherin, as we know that Voldy's the heir of Salazar Slytherin, and apparently also of Cadmus Peverell.  So, this Stone, embedded in a ring, makes its way to our old friend Tom.  Tom, we assume, didn't just take up a random interest in the Elder Wand in the seventh book, so wouldn't you think he'd recognize that little logo on his ring? I guess not.  Either way, Tom ends up turning it into a Horcrux.

WAIT.  Full stop.  The Resurrection Stone.  Is a Horcrux.  Oooookay... we'll let that slide for now.  Anyways, Albus Dumbledore finds this ring sometime during Order of the Phoenix, iirc, and instead of destroying it, decides he'd rather wear it and try to resurrect his sister Ariana.  Moron needs to read some more fairy tales.  Of course, he gets cursed by the ring, and eventually dies.  But before he does, he breaks the Ring and the Stone with the Sword of Gryffindor.  Well, at least Hallows are more powerful than Horcruxes, as this one survives.

Then, we have the Elder Wand, which was won by Dumbledore when he defeated his best friend, Gellert Grindelwald, in a duel in 1945 (NOOO significance in THAT year at all... >.>).  So, at some point or another, Dumbledore has been in possession of each Deathly Hallow.

K, so throughout the first four books, two of the Hallows are accounted for, and from Order on, we can track all three Hallows.  Draco owns the Elder Wand for a while, Tom has at different points owned the Elder Wand and Resurrection Stone, Albus has owned all three, but not simultaneously... and Harry actually owned all three simultaneously, as soon as he disarmed Draco in Malfoy Manor (as he had the Stone by then).  Throughout the entire second half of the book, and second movie, Harry is the Master of Death. O.o

Now, the first Horcrux to be destroyed was Tom's Diary, waaaaay back in Chamber.  This diary had the ability to store a projection of Voldy as a 17-year-old, and through Ginny Weasley, caused all sorts of Muggle-born-petrifying shenanigans.  Though the books never say if it was charmed to do that regardless of being a Horcrux, we assume that the projection WAS, in fact, the piece of Tom's soul that was stored within.  This begs the question... WHY AREN'T ANY OF THE OTHER HORCRUXES AS BADASS AS THE DIARY?  I mean, we've got the Locket, that's got itself a cool little guilt-trip thing built into it, and the Ring has that whole curse that nearly killed Albus if Severus Snape hadn't first.  But seriously!  That diary had more power in it than all of the others combined.  And Tom made the mistake of giving it to Lucius. Frickin' Lucius Malfoy, of all people.

And finally, as a minor though... Harry Potter was the only Horcrux not destroyed by Salazar Slytherin's Basilisk, as they mention that the Sword of Gryffindor can only destroy Horcruxes because it absorbed Basilisk venom when Harry slew it.  Just saying.  And since it was Tom himself that destroyed his soul in Harry, Tom literally caused the death of each of his Horcruxes, due to the creature that helped him create the very first one, the diary, by killing Myrtle.  Perhaps this implies the owner of the Horcrux is the only thing that can destroy it?  Who knows... besides JKR, of course.

Monday, July 25, 2011

Oh, right, this exists!

Hallo fair people of teh interwebs! My summer's been... well, kinda boring, to be honest.  Most of my musicky things are done until the end of August.  I'm really missing my orchestra playing, but I guess there's only 28 days or something until rehearsal starts again.

I bussed by a baseball diamond today, and was reminded of a story that my professor told me from when he was principal in the orchestra here in the city (not our current orchestra, but the precursor, which was disbanded in the early 1980s).  Said orchestra went on a tour that included a stop at the South shore, and when they got to the place, they passed by a baseball diamond.  Having shown up really early, presumably for some R&R on the vacation, the orchestra decided they'd go down to the diamond and play a game of softball (I guess real orchestras bring this kind of equipment when they go on tour? XD).  Little did they know that the field was out of commission, and maintenance wasn't done on it, so it was incredibly muddy, wet, and slippery.

But that didn't stop them, largely due to being oblivious of the fact.  By top of the second, both teams were covered in mud and making absolute fools of themselves.  However, they were having a blast, and a little shoddiness couldn't stop them.  I imagine the look on the valet's face at whatever hotel they were staying at, as a (presumably) 40-50-piece orchestra walks in totally trashed.

It's stories like these that make me yearn for that kind of life.  Like, maybe if I get the job I want, we won't tour, or maybe we'll be more serious than that, but... it's just that sense of all the people there WANTING to be there.  Well, we assume wanting.  The trumpets in our current orchestra are infamous amongst us students for a maneuver where, when repeating a section without trumpet, they'll both (in unison!) slump down with their heads in their hands, but we can't tell if that's just because they want to move on already, or what.

I just REALLY want this to get here already... it's little things like these that re-kindle that motivation.  We'll see what the future has in store.

Thursday, July 14, 2011

You're not a real brass student if you don't complain about how much you sound like crap every day



I was talking to a friend of mine who plays piano recently, she's probably one of the best piano students in the province.  We had the opportunity to premier a trumpet "sonatine" written by a graduating composition student at our university recently, and I'm hoping we can continue to do chamber music this upcoming year (I think the Hindemith would actually reflect both of our playing styles very well). She was at a national competition recently, and learned some incredibly valuable advice that helped her (already fabulous) playing: tension is bad. Now, all music students should know this, BUT all music students forget this from time to time, too.  I find there's a lot of simple things like this (exaggerate everything, relax, etc) that I have the ability to do, but will forget about for a while until someone reminds me.

There's a noticeable difference between improving on an instrument like piano and one like trumpet.  I've played a little bit of piano (up to grade 8 RCM), and I find it more... detached, I guess, than trumpet is.  When you know conceptually what you need to fix, you will need to work to get it habitual and not forced, of course, but at the same time, it's not the same degree of overhaul, I feel.

There's a trend I've had, and I'm sure other brass players have noticed this, that each time I meet a new professor or professional player, they point out one fatal flaw that MUST be fixed before I can be a professional myself.  Whether it's taking deeper breaths, relaxing, tonguing lighter, tonguing crisper, fixing my embouchure, or my most recent, moving the air faster, both out AND in.  It seems that no one can point out everything you're doing wrong, but everyone can point out something.

One of these days, I feel like I'll figure it out.  One of these days, I want to play like him.  Maybe he's not happy with his small-town gig (as the jokes us students make might imply), but that man is godly at the trumpet, and I just hope he realizes it every now and then.

So, this post was kind of random filler, I admit, but the summer's been slow.  Got a gig on Monday, maybe that'll spark something.  We'll see.  For now, a piece that I'm completely addicted to, and could listen to for hours on end (which is good, cuz it kinda takes that long XD).

Tuesday, July 05, 2011

Good Friends, Bad Friends

What up internet.  It feels like a while since I've written here, though I DID say at the beginning that I expected this to be a once a week thing, I've been kind of generous to get this kicked off.  Well, I'll probably be cutting back to about once a week by this point, since the summer's slow and there's not much going on, but we'll see.

This is a social experiment.  Do not adjust your TV monitors.  I've always been curious about cliques, and how people end up grouping off the way they do.  In high school, there is of course a notable music clique, but there's really two subsets of this: the "popular" music kids, who can hold their own outside the band room, and who seem to be favoured by the teachers and act all smug and superior; and the "nerd" music kids, who are just like nerds outside the band room, but treated as outcasts even amongst their own kind (three guesses which group I was in, and if you can't get it in two... I have bad news).

So, of course, when you have an entire school of the same subject (obviously music in this case), then you start to get more and more visible subgroups of friends.  I've kind of wanted to research various departments in Canada and the States, to see what subconscious factors might affect how people divide into groups in the end of their four years there.  These are the cliques, and friend-prerequisites, that I've noticed so far:

(Disclaimer: I go out of my way to insult some groups of people, and over-dramatize things for the sake of humour.  Please don't take offense if I've blown some qualities you might have out of proportion, that's how sarcasm works)

The Popular Ones - Yeah, those annoying folks.  The ones who reprise this role of the centre stage, the people that everyone want to be friends with, the ones at all the best parties.  Though I don't want to stereotype *cough*singers*cough*, instrument might play a factor, but it also comprises of people who have that over-the-top, unnecessarily outgoing, barf-inducing attitude.  Expect a large amount of the attractive folks to be here, a lot of the unattractive ones who still act as if they are, 90% of the airheads, and at least one entire studio.  People outside of the group either love them or hate them, and most of the smart people outside of the group aren't particularly fond of them.

The Jazz Outcasts - I went to a classical school, but we did have a saxophone studio, and we did have a jazz band.  This leads to the Jazz group, which comprises of ALL the sax players, plus some random brass, percussion, and guitarists.  They tend to keep to themselves, as instrumentation dictates they're not involved in much outside of jazz events (in our school, EVERYONE tries to avoid wind band, so don't even mention that).  Usually cool people, and often found in the student lounge for too many hours per day.

The Nonexistent Studio - Be it composers, violins, musicologists, guitarists, or piano, it's different in every school, but there's always one studio that you don't see until graduation day.  Someone who, in a department of less than 100, you aren't even aware of their existence.  Unless you go to the practice rooms at 3:00, then the ENTIRE STUDIO is spread out amongst each room, and you're screwed if you want a spot of your own.  Often spend entire weekends in said rooms.

The Phalanx - Army.  Music departments attract army folks like horse shit attracts flies.  They're that one group of people who always hang out, and are usually chill, but every Monday after ensemble rehearsal, you can see them don camo as they head off to whatever it is they do each week (probably reserve band, can't remember for sure).  Like the Popular group, they may think they're better than everyone else, but unlike them, they don't admit it.

Assorted Losers - A group of people of various brass and woodwinds who always seem to hang out together, and are avoided by most other groups, especially the Popular and Phalanx.  Yeah, you know the one.  Three guesses which group I was in during my undergrad.

As for how people divide themselves, there are also these three criteria:

By Social Group - People who come into the department with a predestined group (again, esp. Popular and Phalanx) will quickly settle into these roles, which could cause frustration to those who do not share the same background, or even those who do, but only have bare-bones credentials and slip through the cracks.

By Instrument or Studio - Of course, it just makes sense to become friends with the people in your studio.  Though this doesn't mean the entire studio will be friends with each other, you can usually group an entire 15-person studio into three groups of 5ish.

By Skill Level - As much as I hate to say it, musicians can be shallow.  It's not a stretch that people want to keep either within their skill level, or may feel intimidated by those above them, or that those below them aren't worth their time.  This is my least favourite division, and doesn't always hold (ESPECIALLY not within the Popular group), but some people make it blatantly obvious without even trying or noticing themselves.

Just something to think about next time you're with a group of your own classmates, whether in a class, ensemble, student lounge, or practice space.  I can already guarantee you've thought of at least one example in your own life (assuming, dear reader, you are a music student or ex-music student), and if you take the time to step back and take it in, you can probably get these groups in most any situation (with, you know, instruments taken out, I guess).

Wednesday, June 29, 2011

City Community Clarinet Ensemble, Featuring Select University Students

That was the title we grudgingly gave to our University concert band, and though this post isn't about them, it seemed like it was appropriate.  I want to take a minute to rant about community ensembles, what I like about them, and what I don't like.  I think that community ensembles as a whole are really great things, and I've played in a few of varying skill and organization.  There's a few trends I've noticed for things that work, and things that don't.

There's your "elite" community ensembles, which I wasn't originally going to talk about, but I just got the idea to, like, while I was typing that previous paragraph, so I will.  These are the ones that, while not by audition, are meant for small cliques of usually ex-semi-pro players.  Things like quartets, quintets, and to an extent, brass bands fit into this category.  These are usually alright, and the quality of playing is decent, but because most members are current or former semi-pro players, egotism and overprofessionalism is much more abundant in these than in other groups.  But that's not really what I want to focus on.

There's your regular community groups, those that accept everyone, that are made of a mix of young students, university students with nothing better to do, music teachers, semi-pro musicians, on-call or volunteer professionals, and the majority demographic: people with jobs outside of music, who are looking for a way to keep up or dust off the instrument of their youth.  These groups can be wonderful things, but there's a few guidelines that need to be followed to keep it working properly.

First off, there's the music that you actually play.  For a while, I was erroneously under the impression that community bands shouldn't play hard music, until one of my best friends verbally smacked me upside the head, and I realized the error in how I was thinking.  Community groups should strive for a balance, really, of poppy tunes, and "serious" music.  For example, a group that I was in recently played a mix of Leroy Anderson and associates, and rounded it off with Prokofiev.  It was an excellent programme, full of variety, and something for everyone in the audience, and the ensemble.

What is more a problem is the conductor's attitude towards the ensemble, the interaction between members of the ensemble, and the ratio of demographics between the above-mentioned groups of people.  Having played in three different community groups recently, I'll list off what I've noticed works, and what doesn't.

When the conductor picks music, he or she does need to balance, as I said above.  He or she should recognize when a piece of music is quite challenging, and programme it with lighter things to contrast.  Now, don't shy away from hard music, as there's nothing that'll make the returning casual musician happier than to be playing "real" music in a "real" ensemble, so at least one big piece per concert is encouraged.  But, the conductor must realize that he is not the "boss" in an employment sense, but in more of a mentor sense, like... for some reason, the first thing that pops to mind is an AA meeting. XD That's a terrible example.  But hopefully the point is kind of there...?  So the conductor has to be more of a friend.

That brings me to my most important point, as I can kind of clump the last two together.  There has to be a good ensemble dynamic, and everyone there should try to get along.  This, I've noticed, works best among the older crowd, and those who aren't in music full time.  It's those that, as I said, want to dust off or keep up their instrument that get along best with the other members of the ensemble.  That crowd will ideally be the brunt of your ensemble, with a few semi-pros, pros, teachers (who I consider in a different category, not as a prejudice, but just because they have a different role in the overall musical community), and advanced students to round out the sections.  This interactivity I find to be less present in largely student ensembles, as students are more likely to separate off into smaller groups of tighter-knit friends.  Perhaps it's just something that happens when you get older, I wouldn't know.

The community orchestra I'm playing with now, we're doing Brahms 4 for our final concert, and it's a HUGE undertaking.  There are parts of the way it's run that I'm alright with, but parts that I'm not terribly fond of.  I probably won't be playing the next season, but it's the only group still running this far into summer, so I'll take what I can get.

Sunday, June 26, 2011

There's a little too much Mahler in your Brahms.

So, we have a fellow who came back to the city last year that plays bass trombone I've had the chance to talk to a few times.  He's been slowly making a name for himself in the music community around here, his forte being conducting wind ensembles.  I'm always iffy about people I haven't heard play, but he seems to have a solid history.  He's the kind of person who, though he tries to be nice, feels like he must be honest with everyone he teaches, and this means when they need to work to pull something together, he tells them that they will legitimately need to work, and I respect that.

We started talking about my plans for the next year (NEXT next year, the 2012 school year, when I'll be hopefully starting a Masters of Music in performance), and how I'm still taking lessons, and playing in as many groups as I can next year (everything I can possibly do to make sure I don't stray from my planned path in the year I won't be a student).  He then gave me a short motivational speech, something that he gives to all people he sees potential in, but something I felt the need to pass on.  It's simple, but it worked for me.

It's quite simply this... don't hold back.  Ever.  For a lot of people, they'll go to a local school because it's easier, not because it's something they want to go to, given the option without consequence.  I did that, but was lucky enough to have gotten a solid education with a great teacher.  But when it comes to my masters, I need to leave town, and leave province.  All he told me was, don't settle for anything less than what you want.  Don't turn away from trying just because there are better people.  Because there will always be better people.  It's not being the best, it's being good enough to get the jobs that require best-like abilities (after all, they can't have the top three trumpet players in the world sitting principal of EVERY orchestra at the same time).  There's no reason to not bother trying.  What's the worst that could happen?  You end up doing what you would have anyways.  There's literally no downside.

This may have been kind of useless to some of you, but for some reason, it really hit me, so I felt I'd share.  If you're unimpressed, here's something that should work, in some form at least. :P

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Don't we all love a good origin story!

So, internet, here's a good one (or, at least, I HOPE it ends up being a good one).  This is one of the updates I've been planning since before day one.  Now, folks of the internet, I give you... my origin story! This is about me, playing the trumpet, and the trials and tribulations getting to where I am today (and I'm not done yet, but you'll be getting the updates to the story as they happen).

Nothing interesting really happened BEFORE university, but I'll detail that anyways.  I first got into music via piano lessons, after a Christmas where I was fooling around with my cousin's newly-acquired electric piano, and my dad noticed how much I like it.  I guess, to some degree, it's him that really got me into music, who'da thunk? So I took piano starting at age 7, and three years later, decided to get into the band program at school.  My original choices were trombone and tenor sax, but after playing the trumpet when we got to demo all the instruments, I liked the feel of it better than bone.  I still to this day feel like I picked up the instrument on a whim, and am sometimes stunned to see how much it took over my life.

So, I didn't do much playing outside of school band though my entire elementary and junior high career.  In high school, I dropped concert band entirely, playing only in jazz band and our annual musicals.  Choosing to go into music professionally also feels to me like I chose it at a whim, and there were times when I thought "What if I don't like it" and "what if I'm not good enough?"

I started taking lessons in grade ten, with a jazz trumpeter and composer in the area.  I got the vibe from him, when I mentioned I was auditioning for university, that he didn't think I was ready, but after much self-doubt, I went ahead with it.  And somehow, I got in.



Then, that's when things really started taking off.  I remember my first performance class there, the other freshman trumpet player (we're a small school, having more than one entrant in one year for trumpet was pretty rare) played an arrangement of Ravel's Pavane.  I realized listening to him... I was not good enough.  Not nearly.  That's when I made a vow to myself:  by the end of my fourth year, I would match him.  We would be equals by then.  And, of course, music is subjective, and different people place greater value on different aspects.  But I would like to think that I met my goal.

My professor, who I constantly tell people I owe every penny of my career to that man, noticed early on in our lessons that my mouthpiece was in an odd place.  I can't believe I was even making a sound like that, as when I go back to demonstrate to people how I used to play, I can't break the treble clef.  A normal trumpet embouchure should be half upper lip, half lower lip, and if it's skewed at all, upper is favourable.  I had about a fifth upper lip, and four fifths lower. That's BAD.  Bad to the point that I failed my first-year jury, and knew I wouldn't have what it took to be a performance major, so I went into musicology.

That summer, I decided I had to do something about that.  I worked my ASS off, and by the end of it, had my mouthpiece where I needed it.  As I started the next year, another trumpet student from my high school had started as a freshman, so I decided my first performance had to be to show him how much I had improved.  It wasn't NEARLY perfect, and I still had that rough, untamed sound, but it was at least a 300% improvement from when he had heard me last (which isn't as impressive as it sounds >.>).

It wasn't until the end of my second year, into the start of my third, that me and the other trumpet in my year really started talking.  On the inside, I always wonder if there was a skill threshold I had to pass in his mind for him to consider me worth it, but I try not to think about it too much.  That's something I think about a lot, of the music community as a whole, but will be the topic of later discussion.

Into my third year, I decided to be ambitious and embark on a serious undertaking: my first private solo recital.  It would be just over an hour of me and me alone, including the Arutunian as my finale, and the third (and "fourth") movement of Hindemith.  Sadly, that was also around the time I hit a slump, and the recital went nowhere NEAR as well as I felt it should have, even now.

Thankfully, the slump ended that summer.  Sometimes I wonder if I only ever improve over summers, plateau during the school year, and then jump up again the next summer.  That year, I did the one thing I wish I had done ages ago: joined our region's youth orchestra.  That experience was the best thing for me I could have imagined.

I had another recital in my fourth year, this one split 50/50 with an amazing friend of mine who plays clarinet.  And this one went pretty awesome, even though we had a MASSIVE logistic scare the day of (I might write about that later, it really inspired me to see so many people coming together to make something work, literally half an hour before a concert, WITH NO VENUE).  I played the Halsey Stevens as the finale (it was my signature piece of that year... I find I have pieces that signify each year, and that was it), and NAILED the ending (there was an arrival note that spoke noticeably late in the recording, but I was proud of myself regardless, considering how the previous year's recital had gone).

And that brings me to now.  I'm still taking lessons, and I'll be auditioning around North America for a grad program, taking Performance this time, as I feel I might just be ready.  I'm still playing in the youth orchestra, as I found out recently, so this is looking like it'll be an awesome year.  We'll just see what it has in store.

Thursday, June 16, 2011

You played Hindemith on THAT?! Seriously?

That might be what someone would say to me when I tell them about my Eb trumpet phase.  Yeah, I had a point in my undergrad years when I literally played everything I could on an old Bach Eb I'd borrowed from my prof.  Unlike most other Ebs, it was a long bell, large bore model, and I loved the thing.  It had a large, orchestral sound that most other horns of its size lacked.  Besides the usual concerti (Haydn, Hummel, and Neruda), I also played the Hindemith sonata on it, which most people would be completely perplexed about.  Everything but the first movement sounds fantastic on that instrument, the second is especially nice to listen to.  However, I'd get some very odd looks from others when I pulled out that horn.  I mean, something as GIANT and MANLY as Hindemith requires a GIANT, MANLY Bb horn.

I noticed pretty quickly the three main schools of thought people had regarding instruments.  The first, and first I was exposed to through my professor, is to play the instrument that puts each piece into the most comfortable key to play in.  Although I followed this when I was younger, I soon realized that it's just as much a crutch as a convenience, as I sometimes feel like I'm admitting I was defeated on another horn.  Also, this doesn't take into consideration the sound of the horn.

The second, and my favourite, is to choose your horn due to the quality of sound produced.  This varies from piece to piece, and performer to performer (for example, I prefer playing the Halsey Stevens in C, while my professor plays in Eb-D-Eb, and the other trumpet prof plays entirely in Bb).  This method can be combined with the other, however, as playing the J Haydn (as opposed to M Haydn, which DOES exist) in C, though it would sound nice, gets to be a real chore when the trills kick in, which diminishes the quality of the performance.

Then, there seems to be a train of thought around that is PLAY EVERYTHING IN Bb.  Or PLAY EVERYTHING IN C.  People who devote themselves to a single instrument, and won't hear otherwise.  It's more common in Europe, from what I understand.  Thankfully, I don't know many people who follow this.  What is more common is the inverse, which is to boycott a certain size of horn (I know someone who refuses to play Bbs in any situation that doesn't go lower than concert F3, and even then tries to get away with it).

While I said already I push the second method, it's up to each person to figure out which horns work for them.  It might also be that shorter/longer horns just don't sound as good when they play it that helps make the decision.  Most trumpet players could get away in like with naught but a Bb, C, and Picc, and I know that I'll be living that way most of my grad studies/early career.  I'm actually looking at buying my first Picc soon, so perhaps I'll post about that later on.  But first... well, let's just say that next time, we're REALLY getting into the good stuff.

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

They call it the bassoon for a reason, folks.

I had a lesson with the principal trumpet of our city orchestra a few days ago.  I'll probably talk about that at one point, but for now, I need to let it stew in my mind for a little longer.  I have a few smaller things to get out of the way first, and there might be a rather large impact of that lesson in my future, but enough said about that.

One of the coolest things happened to me in orchestra rehearsal on Friday.  It was the first of two solid days of rehearsal for a Sunday matinee with the festival orchestra, and was made of largely symphony members, with some young artists thrown in for good measure, and to cover up the parts (as our home symphony has less than 40 full-time members).

So, in every ensemble I've been in, I can't help not feeling like a student.  I've done a bit of community orchestra work, where I feel like I'm a mere learner, as is everyone else in the ensemble.  When we did a combined youth orchestra/symphony concert, I couldn't get the thought out of my head that there was still a divide between professionals and students.  A divide that you could just... feel in the room.

Then last Friday happened.  The way the conductor talked, the way the musicians interacted... for once, I felt like I was on par with EVERYONE in the orchestra.  Not on par in terms of skill, but in terms of social status.  It was as if, for once, we were all on the same page.  No musician was superior to another... it was kind of awesome.

So yeah, short post is short, but we'll see.  I have another small rant I might put up to kill time, but there's definitely some substance in the future.   Smell you all later, dudes.

Friday, June 10, 2011

SOOOO many things I want to talk about...

When I started this, I was worried that I would quickly run out of things to say.  Thankfully, festival has put a LOT on my mind, and given me a bunch of different events, encounters, and reflections to talk about here.  I guess I'll start with the easiest/shortest thing to say, and work my way down the list every day or two.

So, our quintet played Ewald in the young artists gala tonight.  This was the third time performing it in three days, and as much as I said otherwise, I wasn't impressed with the first two performances.  Mostly, I wasn't impressed with myself (I have this thing in ensembles where, I'll hear everyone else playing the notes, but I'll be completely unaware of their accuracy and general level of success/failure, so I have a hard time assessing how other people in the ensemble played).  I just really wasn't speaking through the horn like I needed to, and sounded generally feeble.

Then something happened, and I'm not sure what.  I have a theory, but I don't know if it's accurate.  Today was the first rehearsal day for the Concerto Orchestra, which is playing a concert on Sunday (Stravinsky for piano and winds, Beethoven triple, and Rachy 3).  I had a rough start as usual, but once we got into it, I felt like life was slowly flowing back into me.  It was as if being back into an orchestra rejuvenated the motivation that I lost after the youth orchestra season ended.  When I played the concert tonight, I had my old orchestra sound, my old orchestra accuracy.  I completely nailed it.  I DEFINITELY wouldn't call it perfect, but it was my some of my best playing since the end of the last season.

Yet again, this proves it for me.  Proof that I want to be an orchestral trumpet player.  Proof that I HAVE to be an orchestral trumpet player.  That I'm going to stop at nothing until I achieve this goal of mine.  And, with a new drive of motivation, I feel like that goal isn't entirely out of reach.

Tuesday, June 07, 2011

When life gives you lemons, drill holes into them and make them musical instruments.

I've been playing in a local classical music festival (cue: whaaaaaa?) for the past week or so, and I can tell you, it has NOT been a good week for me.  I've only just started recovering recently to the level that I know I can play, but it sometimes feels like I've already made a bad first impression on the people I've been playing with.  Thankfully, no-one seems to be making that big a deal over the rough start to our rehearsals.  I'm glad to see that, as you get further and further into music, people do grow up after all.  It's not all about the behind-the-back gossip, over-criticism, and inflated egos that plague the university music department.  I'm sure it still happens to some degree, but when ensembles are self-directed and not graded, it seems us young artists just meld better.  Our quintet has been playing together for just over a week, and we already blend better and work as a team more than the university quintet did after an entire year.  It's sad, but refreshing at the same time, to see people who care working together to create something like this.


(That video is not us)

Tomorrow, we're doing an outreach concert at an elementary school near where I live.  We'll be playing the second movement of Victor Ewald's first brass quintet.  It's a drop-dead gorgeous piece of music, and I'm so thrilled that we'll get to share it with the kids.  The short lick the trumpets have at 2:52, as well as the 1st trumpet line at 2:58 (me!) are my favourite parts to play, by far.  We're going to be teaching the kids about the two types of classical music: love songs, and pirate songs (credit for this concept goes to the tuba professor in our area, who teaches at... three different universities, I believe?).  Except "love" is apparently an uncomfortable word for elementary school kids, so we'll be talking instead about cupcake music and pirate music.  I really think they'll go for the idea, as anything involving pirates is awesome.  As a bonus, when we introduce ourselves, the other trumpet and I are going to play the opening lick from the Vivaldi duet, to show the kids what trumpets sound like.


(Again, that is CLEARLY not us)

I played in a masterclass with our city's symphonies' principal trumpet last week.  I was on the fence between Arutunian and the third movement of Hindemith, and ended up choosing Arty because I was only able to give the accompanist music two days in advance, and we only had half an hour to rehearse.  It ended up being a mistake, sadly.  Yes, I'm a freak that finds Hindemith easier than Arutunian, but I ended up getting tongue-tied and generally not sounding good.  I didn't really learn to tongue properly until the end of my first, and into second, year at university, and even then, I sometimes wonder if I actually do the "K" syllable right, as every day it's seemingly random as to whether I'll be good at it or not.  Luckily, I have a lesson with him this Saturday, so I'll break out something that I'm better at, in hopes of getting more musical, detail- and refinement-oriented advice, as opposed to "you need to fix this."  Don't worry, I'll fix it, but there's no point in making someone tell me the same thing twice if I can help it.  There's my project for the summer, I guess.  Make myself sound as good as physically possible... but hey, what else is new?

Thursday, June 02, 2011

Hello there, wonderful world of the internet!

This (currently rather unattractive) place is my domain, my own little corner of the interwebz in which I post my thoughts and experiences.  As you've no doubt gathered, I'm a trumpet player, and actually just got my Bachelor's degree in music, like, last week.  I'd been thinking of starting a blog for a while, and decided that I'd do it once I graduated, which means I'm late already.  Hopefully that doesn't become a trend.

Now, you're probably wondering to yourself, "Self, is this guy worth paying attention to at all, or should I go back to captioning pictures of cats with atrocious grammar?"  And with my recent graduation having happened, I figured I'd give my quick two cents worth on just that, whether I (or any musician) is worth listening to, and about a musician's self-worth in general.

You see, there's this nasty thing I've noticed in the music world, and in my instrument, it's especially apparent (no, it's not how everyone thinks you're an asshole, but that might be the topic of a later post).  As a musician, it seems that you have to be both the most awesome person in the world, and just an average Joe on the side of the road, at the same time.  As in, when confronted with a challenge, then you cannot back down.  When something comes up, you've just gotta be like "I got this" and get it.  If someone asks you "can you play this," the ONLY accepted answer is "hellz yeah."

At the same time, if you're like "Oh dude, I can play the Halsey Stevens Sonata from memory, check this out," then you're automatically branded the official label of "douchebag" (that's a technical term, which in layman's terms means the average trumpet player).  You have to be the most humble person in the room, but at the same time, you have to be the best player in the room.  It's a delicate balance, for sure.  And, as you, my seemingly-still-reading reader will soon find out, should you continue the currently implied trend of reading what it is I say, there's a lot of mannerisms like this that are both essential, and endlessly mocked, about trumpet players.

So, this didn't go QUITE the way I originally intended, but hey, that's the music business, so I guess it might as well be reflected here.  I'm not entirely sure where I want to go with this blog right now.  I'll be chronicling my stories in the world of music (anonymously, of course), my successes and failures, and my general opinion on the scene in both my local city and the national/international (read: North American) music scene.  I might also offer a few educational tips, comments on my opinions of big-name players, and general interest things about music.  A few posts will even be non-music, likely, but I'll keep those to a minimum.

I expect to post about once a week, but I might actually put a few more up for the next week or two, just because I'm involved in a music festival going on in the city, and there are some really interesting things I want to rant about.  So, anyways, those of you that actually care (i.e. anyone who has read this far), feel free to post a comment about what you'd like to see in the future.  This is your Friendly Neighbourhood Trumpet Player, signing off.