Re: Low C on the Flute

I know this may sound fairly basic, but when I was working on learning flute it helped me to make sure that I had all keys completely down.  I think that this is a common problem for younger players especially since they are working with smaller hands.

What will happen on Monday Oct 5th?

Could this be a day that ends in mass rioting and ??????  Could get crazy or it could end as a egg on all of the Birthers' faces.  Interesting development though.

Birthers get their day in court - Obama must prove his citizenship

OBAMA'S COURT DATES AS TO HIS ELIGIBILITY AS PRESIDENT

Discovery Hearing, October 5, 2009

Pre-Trial Hearing, January 11, 2010

Trial, January 26, 2010

Re: TMEA

2010 TMEA Convention.
 
February 10-13

San Antonio, Texas

Interesting: Phil Collins may never play drums again (because of posture)

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/music-news/6167398/Phil-Collins-may-never-play-drums-again.html

Phil Collins may never play drums again

Phil Collins may never be able to play the drums again after a back injury.

The Genesis drummer said an operation to repair dislocated vertebrae in his neck had left him unable to hold drumsticks properly or play the piano.
But Collins, 58, took a philosophical view of the injury, which he originally suffered during the last Genesis tour, in 2007, saying ''stuff happens in life''.
''There isn't any drama regarding my 'disability' and playing drums,'' he said.
''Somehow during the last Genesis tour I dislocated some vertebrae in my upper neck and that affected my hands.
''After a successful operation on my neck, my hands still can't function normally.
''Maybe in a year or so it will change, but for now it is impossible for me to play drums or piano.
''I am not in any 'distressed' state - stuff happens in life.''
At a Prince's Trust garden party earlier this week, he said the problem had come about because of his drumming posture, which meant his vertebrae had been crushing his spinal cord and he was now unable to hold his sticks without pain.

Re: All Region Orchestra Contests

Is Region 16 an isolated region?  Is there a pre-Area Orchestra audition or a contest that certifies auditioners to compete at the Area level against students who have taken the band track?

Guitar Hero Bad for kids?

Interesting article.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2009/sep/08/guitar-hero-bill-wyman-stones

Bill Wyman, the former Rolling Stones bass player, has criticised music video games like Rock Band and Guitar Hero, claiming they will lead to fewer young people taking up real instruments.
"It encourages kids not to learn, that's the trouble. It makes less and less people dedicated to really get down and learn an instrument".
"I think it's a pity," he said, speaking at Abbey Road studios while recording a charity Beatles song for Children in Need.

His concerns were echoed by Pink Floyd's Nick Mason, who described the games as "an interesting new development".
Pink Floyd had not ruled out working on one in the future as a new way of selling music. But, he added: "It irritates me having watched my kids do it. If they spend as much time practising the guitar as learning how to press the buttons, they'd be damn good by now".
The news comes on the eve of the release of The Beatles: Rock Band game, which allows players to play along as The Beatles through their career in environments such as The Cavern Club in Liverpool, and Shea Stadium, the home of the New York Mets.
But Alex Rigopulos, co-founder of Harmonix Music Systems, which created the Rock Band series, refuted the musicians' claims.
"We're constantly hearing from fans who were inspired by Rock Band to start studying a real instrument," he said.

Re: Getzen records

I have heard that to but am unsure of the dates and which years were affected.  Funny thing,  I am actually trying to sell a Tone Delux trombone.

Re: TMEA 2009-2010 All-State Audition Etudes

.

Re: Certification Test

I took it years ago when SBEC was still offering all-level music certificates that were good for life.  Not very hard at that time, but I have heard that the test has become harder.  I have had several of my former students take it since the test was updated and they have struggled with it.

Re: Stainless Steel Mouthpieces

I am currently reading an older Brass Anthology of articles from the Instrumentalist Magazine.  Interesting article by Ted Evans in '52 titled " Materials for Mouthpieces ".

In it he discussing the experimentation of using various materials like:  plastic, sterling silver, german silver, gold, cadmium and stainless steel.

So stainless steel had been tried many years ago and apparrently did not find wide favor amongst the professional players at the time.

Evans describes the sound of stainless steel as " producing a hard sound "

Maybe this shows that the tonal concept of brass instruments is shifting to a more strident sound?  Or could it be that many players never developed the ear for a warm dark sound?

Re: Double Tonguing

I use syllables that start with " Th " for the tip of the tongue and "Ga" for the back. 

-maestro

Agree!!!!

One of the major problems concerning double tonguing on low brass instruments is clarity of the frontal attack behind the teeth.  To high and clarity and tone quality will suffer.  The goal is to choose a syllable that will allow articulation to take place as normal. 

Why change just because you are double tonguing?

Re: TMEA 2010

Per the discussion, here are the dates for this year's TMEA Convention.
 
February 10-13, 2010
Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center
San Antonio, Texas

Re: Auditioning to teach lessons

I played an audition one time.  That was for a band program on the south side of Dallas some years ago, but I decided not to teach there.

Yes it is becoming common.  Standard practice - not yet.

Re: Antiqua Winds

Re: Masterclass Payments

It has been $25 for some years now.  With lesson now paying $16 to $18 a lesson who wants to do a masterclass for $25? 

-elwood

Excellent point.  I almost always passed on the masterclasses for that very reason even when lessons were $13-$15.

!Seeking Musicians for Stilt Band!

Saw this add on Portland Oregon Craigslist:

Hello! I am creating a band of people playing music on stilts, and I am looking for some more quirky creatives to join the group. We play primarily Balkan, Klezmer, and folk-ish tunes, with an emphasis on traditional instruments. Thus far we have a wonderful violin player and a second violin, an accordion player, a vocalist, and a clarinetist. I am looking for brass - trumpet, trombone, dare I say tuba?, more reeds - clarinet, saxophone, and more percussion (and others like Jew's Harp, banjo, or your very own creation). We have a tupan (large Balkan bass drum) but no player, and would welcome a snare and other traditional drums (djembe, doumbek). NO STILT EXPERIENCE NECESSARY! We can teach you! Intermediate to advanced musicianship is needed though, as we can't teach you to play your instrument. I am looking for people committed to a weekly practice, who want to have fun, and inspire awe and wonder in our audience! Street performance is how we'll do it, and we haven't a desire for egos who want to be on a stage. Oh! And I am also seeking a keyboard/electronic person who knows how to create some electronic bass and beats to spice dis stuff up (you don't need to be on stilts).

See attached photo -

Here is the # if you are interested:  JennB at 503-290-4730

Re: Single Valve Bass Trombones

Single valve bass bones are a dying breed.  I still like them and prefer them in some cases over the double valve.  A double valve is almost a must when considering All-State audition music tends to have low c and b naturals.

On a side note, I absolutely hate to see a middle school kid playing on a double valve bass bone with a 1G mouthpiece. 

JMO.

TMEA 2009-2010 All-State Audition Etudes

Re: 2009-2010 All State Trumpet

Have you looked in a Crystal Records catalog? 
 
Clyde Hunt has a number of cd's available.  
 
I am almost certain that I remember hearing a recording of Arban Studies at some point.
 
Let us know what you find.

Re: One-stop access to U.S. Government H1N1, avian and pandemic flu information.

Much in the news about the Swine Flu.  I am curious to see how all of it will affect schools and all of the various regulatory admin. bs that is sure to follow and really throw a monkey wrench into the music lesson profession.

Texas has report 17 Swine Flu deaths as of late and Hong Kong is stating that there is a case of Tamiflu resistance.  Also England Health Minister is predicting somewhere up to 40 deaths a day possible by the end of the Summer.

Maestro:

Don't worry,  I am not drinking my urine yet! 

Re: What other boards do you look at for information?

Hi, I'm new here and this old post caught my attention.
I have taught clarinet privately for over 20 years, and I am a regular reader of [url]  (the Clarinet B Board).  I have learned so much more from that forum than I ever learned in 14 years of private lessons .  (Excluding actual technique, performance practice, and the like, of course........)  It has broadened my horizons tremendously and helped me stay on top of new information and developments in the clarinet world.
Nice to meet you all,
Pixie

-bandaddict

     Thanks for the link.  I have visited that sight before.  Do me a favor and post that sight and others that you have benefited from on the following thread. http://texasprivateteachers.lefora.com/2009/06/04/web-links-to-instrument-societies/page1/#post13713000

Hope to see more of your posts on this forum.

Re: Any comments about this?

There was a band director in Mansfield that told his students not to take from this person or that person.  A real piece of work he was.  Caused a lot of problems.  Wouldn't let kids move up to higher bands unless they took from such and such teacher.  He was a real ass.  Last I heard he was in Wylie on the NE side of Dallas. 

If you are on that side of the Metroplex, watch out.  I will take a look around and see where he is and maybe drop a note here on this board as a warning.

Re: Recession

Warren Buffett in a recent interview said that we still have a ways to go.  I will listen to Buffet before Obama, Geithner or any others in the cabinet or on staff.

Re: Poll: Metronome use in your lessons?

Ever noticed how a lot of the directors that pump the metronome through the speakers talk really obnoxiously loud?  There is one up in Southlake that is like that.  During a normal conversation it is as if he is yelling at you.  Give it a few more years and he probably could be classified as being legally deaf.

Burnout

What part of the year are you most susceptible to burnout.  Also what contributes most to your burnout?