Hello all!
It was a great day to play brass – ideal to deal with the post-US-election blues.
Gaian
Very good to see you and dig into the work at hand.
ROCHUT
- Record yourself. Insist on quality and diversity in:
•Rubato
•Dynamics
•Best possible slurs (over breaks w/o tongue, with valve w/o tongue, with tongue) - Divide & Conquer range issues:
•Remember to put the high notes together in context with those that come before and after for quality and control
•Make up your own range exercises
INSTRUMENT MAINTENANCE
Keep your slides well lubricated for ideal pitch stability and purity of tone. Both are adversely affected by air escaping the dry slides.
COMPOSITION
- Reset your score to the proper order of instruments from top to bottom. There are a lot of reasons for this, some historical, some to do with how melody is (typically) laid out, but for now you just want to get into the habit.
- Remember to make sure that the middle of the bar is not obscured by quarter notes – use tied eighth notes in this situation.
You should definitely think about some basic harmony instruction (YouTube?) to get an understanding of how melody can be supported in accompanying parts. I am pleased that you’ve chosen to pursue this, and impressed with your instinctive choices for your arrangement.
Rolando
We missed you again this evening! Please do call the office and let us know how we can adjust the schedule. 416-651-7529.
In the meantime, mix up your routine to keep things fresh and be sure to find even just a few minutes to keep your face limber. This makes a world of difference. When trying to keep things fresh, be creative about all of your approaches to your playing, from warm-up through your musical practice. Get creative and try things – you’ll be surprised at what works!
It was great to fill in for you, and I am sure I will do that again later this academic year. Keep up the good efforts!
Barn.