October & November

Got a late start to posting this month! Here's what's left:

Oct. 15, 16: ASO performance of Stravinsky's The Nightingale
Oct. 17: ASO performs at Tri-City HS. Rep includes Shostakovich's Festive Overture, Gershwin's Cuban Overture, the march from Tchaikovsky's Sixth Symphony, Copland's Buckaroo Holiday, and more.
Oct. 18: ASO Target Family Day at the Woodruff Arts Center
Oct. 22, 23, 24: ASO performs Strauss's Also Sprach Zarathustra. A great showpiece for not only the brass, but the entire orchestra.
Oct. 25: ASO Halloween shows at 1:30 and 3:30. BOO!
Oct. 29, 30: ASO performs Brahms's A German Requiem. One of the most beautiful pieces in the repertoire, with similar trombone parts.
Nov. 3, 4: ASO Young People's Concerts in the morning
Nov. 5: ASO performs Stravinsky's The Nightingale in Athens, GA
Nov. 7: ASO performs Stravinsky's The Nightingale in Carnegie Hall, NYC!
Nov. 12, 13, 14: ASO concert with Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake, Glazunov's Violin Concerto, and Shostakovich's Symphony No. 1. Not a bad choice to see the low brass.
Nov. 14: ASO GMEA Band Project at Berkmar HS. I'll be coaching all day and performing a couple of unaccompanied solos (Spain and Dona Nobis Pacem)
Nov. 19, 20, 22: ASO performs Bernstein's Prelude, Fugue, and Riffs, Wynton Marsalis's An American Symphony (he'll be performing at this world premier ASO commission that we'll record during the weekend), Ravel's Piano Concerto in G, and Gerswhin's An American in Paris. What a great American music concert! Great parts for us too.

September Events

I've got a few events coming up soon that might be of interest. But first, you might want to check out this YouTube link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tB-haEwr4xA

Sept. 18: ASO concert at Clayton County Performing Arts Center at 8 pm. Repertoire includes the March from Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 6 and selections from Prokofiev's Romeo & Juliet
Sept. 19: ASO concert at the Woodruff Arts Center at 8 pm. Same repertoire.
Sept. 24, 26, 27: ASO Opening Weekend concerts! We're ready to get going with the season, and it starts with one of my favorite pieces to play - Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 6. We're also doing a live recording of Rachmaninov's Third Piano Concerto with Garrick Ohlsson, with Spano conducting.
Sept. 25: Colin, Bill, myself, and Eric Bubacz are giving a masterclass down at Columbus State University from 11 am to 1 pm.

So glad to be getting back on stage!

Fall is around the corner

We're already getting set for the fall here in Atlanta, but it sure doesn't feel like autumn! The ASO has just one more show up at Verizon. We're playing Verdi's Vespri Overture, which has some good playing, but the highlight is Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 4. I highly recommend this show, especially since the ASO is offering a lot of free lawn seats. Click here for info. Let me know if that link doesn't work...

KSU (and other) students should check here periodic studio updates.

May Events

May 2 & 3 with ASO
Brahms Symphony No. 4 (last movement only. See April 30th description)

May 4 at KSU
Juries!!! Around 3 pm

May 7, 8 & 9 with ASO
Liszt's Orpheus (About 30 notes...)
Debussy's La Mer (Not too much to play. A couple of nice passages near the end, though)

May 14, 16 & 17 with ASO
Stravinsky's Symphony of Psalms (A very cool piece with several good spots for the bones)
Mozart Requiem (A must-see! The famous 2nd trombone solo will be played by Bill Thomas, and Colin Williams will be rocking out the alto parts. This concert is the last one I'd say you HAVE to go see this season if you're a trombonist)

May 28 & 30 with ASO
This is a show called The Inca Trail. It is filled with many Latin American pieces and will be conducted by Miguel Harth-Bedoya. Rep TBA.

April Schedule

...sorry about being late this month...

April 9 at KSU
Sam (2:15-3:15)
Breon (3:30-5:00)
Trombone Choir (5:00-6:00)

April 16 with ASO
Runout concert in Perry. Lots of Copland, and Dvorak's Carnival Overture. Should be a good show. (I'm off...)

April 17 & 18 with ASO
ASO plays with Big Bad Voodoo Daddy. That band brings a very good show, and we get to play pretty much the whole way through.

April 23 at KSU
Sam (2:15-3:15)
Breon (3:30-5:00)
Trombone Choir (5:00-6:00)

April 23 & 24 with ASO
Must see concert! Mahler's Symphony No. 6 "Tragic" is one of my favorites, and has the best trombone writing of any of his symphonies. If you don't know why you should be there, take my word for it. Recommended recordings include San Francisco with MTT, Scottish National with Jarvi, Vienna with Boulez, and even your own Atlanta Symphony with Levi (Jay Friedman played principal).

April 25 with ASO
Repeat of April 16 show in Callaway (I will be playing this time).

April 30 at KSU
Sam (2:15-3:15)
Breon (3:30-5:00)
Trombone Choir (5:00-6:00)

April 30 with ASO
Brahms's Symphony No. 4 is beautiful, I think his best. However, we only play the last movement of this piece and it's the only piece with trombones. Maybe you can 'stub in' late...

March Schedule

March 5, 6 & 7 with ASO
Wagner Prelude & Liebestod from Tristan und Isolde (pretty, not much for us)
Higdon The Singing Rooms (quite a lot of playing)
Singleton Praisemaker (not much)
Scriabin The Poem of Ecstasy (good late romantic work with some decent playing, especially for trumpets!)

March 5 at KSU
Sam (2:15-3:15)
Breon (3:30-5:00)
Trombone Choir (5:00-6:00)

March 12 at KSU
Spring Break!

March 12, 13 & 14 with ASO
Tchaikovsky Capriccio italien (not too much)
Prokofiev Piano Concerto No. 3 (not much)

March 15 with ASO in Athens
Repeat of Tchaikovsky and Prokofiev

March 19-21 in Washington, D.C.
I'm going to play the Bourgeois Bass Trombone Concerto at the Eastern Trombone Workshop with the U.S. Army Band. I'll also be giving a masterclass, and a clinic with members of the ASO Trombone Section with Eric Bubacz on tuba. ETW has a great lineup including Charlie Vernon, Massimo la Rosa, Matt Vaughan, and many more that are listed on their site.

March 26, 27 & 28 with ASO
Sibelius Violin Concerto (couple of loud notes)
Brahms Symphony No. 2 (my favorite Brahms symphony to play, even has a good tuba part!)

March 26 at KSU
Trombone Choir performs Italian March and Psalm 42 at 1 pm recital
Sam (2:15-3:15)
Breon (3:30-5:00)
Trombone Choir (5:00-6:00)

Remaining February Schedule

February 19, 21 & 22 with ASO
Xi Above Light (new piece with some interesting brass writing)
Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 5 (great low brass parts)

February 19 at KSU
Sam (2:15-3:15)
Breon (3:30-5:00)
Trombone Choir (5:00-6:00)

February 26 & 28 with ASO
Haydn The Creation (very soloistic bass trombone parts, no tuba, Colin plays alto)

February 28 at KSU
Sam (2:15-3:15)
Breon (3:30-5:00)
Trombone Choir (5:00-6:00)

ASO & KSU January Schedule

January 7 at KSU
3:30 or so for auditions
Possible late afternoon lessons on 6th or 7th

January 8 at KSU
Lessons

January 8, 9 & 10 with ASO
Prokofiev Symphony No. 5

January 15 at KSU
Lessons

January 15 with ASO (MLK concert at Morehouse)
Verdi La Forza Destino
Flagello The Passion of MLK
Beethoven Symphony No. 5

January 22 at KSU
Sam (2:15-3:15)
Breon (3:30-5:00)
Trombone Choir (5:00-6:00)

January 22, 23 & 24 with ASO
Respighi Fountains of Rome
Respighi Pines of Rome

January 29 at KSU
Sam (2:15-3:15)
Breon (4:00-5:00)
Trombone Choir (5:00-6:00)

January 29, 30 & 31 with ASO
Strauss An Alpine Symphony

NEW! ASO & KSU November Schedule

November 6 at KSU
3:30 Sam / 4:30 Trombone Choir / 5:30 Breon

November 6 & 7 with ASO
Bartok Concerto for Orchestra / Copland Appalachian Spring

November 13 at KSU
3:30 Sam / 4:30 Trombone Choir / 5:30 Breon

November 13, 14, & 16 with ASO
Gershwin A Cuban Overture / Dvorak Symphony No. 9

November 20 at KSU
3:30 Sam / 4:30 Trombone Choir / 5:30 Breon

November 21 & 23 with ASO
John Adams's Doctor Atomic opera in concert

November 28 & 29 with ASO
Pops: Cirque de la Symphonie

TBA: Thanksgiving week trombone choir rehearsal and lessons at KSU

KSU Events for October

Oct. 2
3:30-4:30 Sam Lesson
4:30-5:30 Trombone Ensemble
5:30-6:30 Breon Lesson

Oct. 9
3:30-4:30 Sam Lesson
4:30-5:30 Trombone Ensemble
5:30-6:30 Breon Lesson

Oct. 23
3:30-4:30 Sam Lesson
4:30-5:30 Trombone Ensemble
5:30-6:30 Breon Lesson

Oct. 29
8 pm: Recital with Bernard Flythe at Bailey Performing Arts Center (Free, but required)

Oct. 30
3:30-4:30 Sam Lesson
4:30-5:30 Trombone Ensemble
5:30-6:30 Breon Lesson

KSU Schedule, September

Sept. 4
3:30-4:30 Lesson with Sam
4:30-5:30 Trombone Ensemble
5:30-6:30 Lesson with Breon

Sept. 11
**Change!
No lessons or rehearsal today. I will be in Alabama for the entire week. I will make up the times ASAP!

Sept. 18
1:00-2:00 Lesson with Breon
3:30-4:30 Lesson with Sam
4:30-5:30 Trombone Ensemble with special guest Andrew Miller. He is the tubist with the Alabama Symphony and will be playing a mock audition that day for us. Attendance is required.

Sept. 25
3:30-4:30 Lesson with Sam
4:30-5:30 Trombone Ensemble
5:30-6:30 Lesson with Breon

Summer Stuff

Kate & I have been having a relaxing summer, catching up on all the chores we let fall by the wayside during the end of the season. It's been great having Bill Thomas in town - he's been a real addition to the orchestra, as well as have his wife Jenn and son Luke. The ASO's new summer venue, Verizon Amphitheater in Alpharetta, has been a great success. We topped out at nearly 7,500 people in attendance at the opening show, and have been over 3,000 for all of our others. Who says the arts are dying?! Last week we performed La Boheme up there, and the other day performed at Ebenezer Baptist Church (MLK's old church). That's a special show every year. Teaching students from around (and not so near) has been nice over the summer. Last year everything pretty much dried up. The rest of the summer is similarly hectic and without any rhyme or reason:

Aug 3: ASO performance at the Woodruff Arts Center Piazza at 7:30 pm, with Mei Ann Chen conducting (she's great by the way. You should watch her at some point). I think this is a free concert. We'll be performing a lot of music including selections from West Side Story, Carmen, Bartered Bride, Eugene Onegin, Hungarian Dances and music of Gould and Ginastera.

Aug. 5-7: Residency at Brevard. The Brevard Music Center is welcoming me back for a masterclass, mini-recital and lessons for the trombone students. Kate and I look forward to going back as alumni!

Aug. 8: ASO performance of Sheherazade and Rachmaninov's Piano Concerto No. 3 at Verizon. Spano will conduct and Garrick Ohlsson will be the soloist. 8 pm.

Aug. 13: ASO plays with the Beach Boys at Chastain Park at 8 pm.

Aug. 14: ASO Parks 4 concert with Mei Ann Chen conducting. Location TBA - ask me if you are interested. Rep includes Olympic Fanfare, Orpheus in the Underworld, Les Preludes, My Fair Lady, E.T., and more.

Aug. 16: ASO plays Turner Movie tunes at Verizon at 8 pm.

School starts after that and the ASO has a little hiatus as well. I should have a few freelance performances in late August and early September before the ASO gets back in session. The opening show in September for the ASO is on September 25, though there are performances on the 12th and 13th as we get warmed up. Get your tickets early!

May Events

So you missed the first event in May, which was actually huge....Janacek's Sinfonietta and Berlioz's Requiem on the same concerts!

...but on with the show:

May 8-9: ASO concerts with Donald Runnicles conducting. We'll be performing Brahms's Symphony No. 3 and Gorecki's Symphony No. 3. Brahms wrote some nice passages in his piece, though not too much. The Gorecki has about 10 notes, but the soprano soloist is amazing!
May 10: ASO opens Verizon Wireless Amphitheater at 8 pm. On the program inludes 1812 Overture, the finales to Beethoven 9, Appalachian Spring, and more blockbusters. We'll have the chorus with us as well as the ASYO.
May 15-17: ASO performs Dvorak's Symphony No. 6 with Laura Jackson. Not too much for the bones here.
May 18: ASO Family concerts at 1:30 and 3:30. Included on the program is Prokofiev's Cinderella, which has some fun spots.
May 22-24: ASO does Shakespeare. Program includes Berlioz's Beatrice et Benedict, Cole Porter's Kiss Me Kate, Walton's As You Like It, Sibelius's Tempest, and Mendelssohn's Midsummer Night's Dream. It should be a pretty diverse and fun show.
May 30-31: ASO performs Hair and music of Galt MacDermott. I assume nobody will be naked, though I've been wrong before...

April Events

Apr. 1: Emory Trombone Choir performs on Emory's Chamber Concert at 8 pm
Apr. 5: ASO performs in Carnegie Hall in NYC at 8 pm! Maestro Spano will conduct. The program is Sibelius's Tapiola, Theofanidis's The Here & Now, and Ravel's Daphnis et Chloe. The chorus will sing on the last two pieces. In the low brass, our parts a a bit hit and miss, but I do have a solo scale in the Theofanidis...
Apr. 11-12: Change of pace... ASO Pops concerts with Debbie Reynolds at 8 pm
Apr. 24: ASO concert at 8 pm with Hans Graf (Houston Symphony) conducting. Low brass play on Tchaikovksy's The Voyevode and Rachmaninov's Symphony No. 2. Some good writing in both pieces, but not too crazy.
Apr. 25: ASO runout at Callaway Gardens at 8 pm. Repertoire includes Verdi's Overture to La Forza del Destino, three of Dvorak's Slavonic Dances, Tchaikovsky's Capriccio Italien, Gould's American Salute, the 'Shaker tune' from Copland's Appalachian Spring, and a suite from Gershwin's Porgy & Bess.
Apr. 26: Same as Apr. 24
Apr. 27: Same repertoire as Apr. 24, but the concert starts at 3 pm

March Events, So Late!

Well, here's a quick summary of what you missed....

March 1: ASO played Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition and Rimsky-Korsakov's Russian Easter Overture
March 2-4: ASO had a second trombone audition. There are two finalists who will each play with the orchestra in May: Weston Sprott (Met Orchestra) and Bill Thomas (Jacksonville Symphony)
March 6-8: ASO performed a world premier and a commission by Grau, and Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 4
March 9: ASO Family concerts
March 11-12: ASO Young People's concerts

...and this is coming up...
March 13: ASO Brass Quintet at Clayton State University performs a children's concert at 11:15 am
March 14-15: 8 pm, ASO pops do Motown - memories of my hometown!
March 15: 3 pm, ASO Brass Quintet performs an organ and brass concert with Richard Morris at Clayton State University, I'll be on tenor trombone for the shows with the quintet this week...it's good for me!!
March 16: Service at Church of the Apostles
March 17: Recital and masterclass at the University of South Carolina in Columbia. Masterclass at 1:25 and recital at 6 pm
March 18: ASO Young People's concerts
March 20-22: 8 pm, ASO performs Shostakovich's Symphony No. 5 and Barber's Overture to the School for Scandal, Hugh Wolff conducts
March 23: Easter services
March 27-29: Carnegie preview...ASO performs with Robert Spano at 8 pm, Sibelius's Tapiola, Theofanidis's The Here and Now, and Ravel's Daphnis et Chloe. The repertoire is hit and miss for the trombones, especially in the last two pieces. The Sibelius is pretty unimportant...
March 30: ASO 3 pm runout concert in Savannah. Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 4 and Rachmaninov's Piano Concerto No. 3 (with Garrick Ohlssohn) will be conducted by Robert Spano