Gaian Nice work with the additional Remington flexibility exercises this week. Aim for full and consistent sound throughout all registers. Incorporate the 16th notes exercise into your daily warm-up routine. Try to stay relaxed in your upper body while playing in the high range. Think of moving a smaller, faster air stream to produce sound in the high register (rather than [...]
It was nice to work with the TFS students after a couple of weeks off. Paul Nice work with pitch-matching, and good knowledge of note names and fingerings. Practice B flat major scale this week, working towards quick transitions between the fingers for each of the notes. Try to keep tension out of your neck and shoulders while playing. Martin [...]
Gaian Nice work on your Rochut this week - great phrasing, and lyrical playing. Keep experimenting with vibrato in No. 8 this week. Since this one is in D major, experiment with using the finger "123" for E naturals. Good job with the technical study as well. I'll look forward to hearing the D major study from Blume, and Slama [...]
Happy snowy Sunday! Gaian Nice work on your Rochut melodic etude. It was great to hear that you've been exploring the use of vibrato. Adding it to certain notes can really add beauty and expression. Keep this up in working on No. 6 this week. Great work with the technical etudes as well. I'll look forward to hearing how the [...]
Hello, TFS students! I hope you enjoyed your afternoon off on Thursday. I will be away next Thursday, February 16th. My colleague Mik Debowski will be filling in for me. I hope you enjoy working with him! I'll look forward to seeing you again on Thursday, February 23rd!
Paul Great work with long tones and lip slurs this week. Keep working on these in regular practice - they are the key to brass playing! Again, nice job with reading music - recognition of notes rhythms are coming along nicely. Keep working towards feeling the pulse (indicated by the time signature and tempo markings), that underlies all of the rhythms we [...]
Gaian Nice playing this week. I'll look forward to hearing your work on the following next Wednesday: Slama Etude No. 3 Etudes 1 & 3 (C major and E flat) from 36 Studies for Trombone Rochut No. 6 Don't forget to look for free metronome apps, and play with a metronome when working on the technical studies. Take note of [...]
Wishing the TFS students a happy weekend (I understand both Paul and Martin are going skiing!), and a great week ahead. Some notes from Thursday's lessons: Paul It was nice to start the lesson off with breathing exercises. We will keep this up in the coming weeks. Nice work with long tones. It was great to see/hear your knowledge of [...]
It was nice to be back at TFS yesterday, and to see how things have come along in this first week. Paul Nice work on matching pitch, and reading notes and rhythms today. This week in your practicing: Continue to warm up with long tones and lip slurs, taking in full relaxed breaths, and releasing them without tension. Work [...]
Gaian Nice work with the technical etudes. For next week, work on Slama etude No. 2, and the E flat major one from "36 Etudes". Use a metronome while working on these, and take note of the quickest tempo you can comfortably play them. Push yourself to increase that tempo gradually throughout the week. Keep articulations crisp and bouncy. Your [...]