The perfect gig

Dear Band Leader,

We look forward to your performance at our daughter's wedding. If you don't mind, we would like to request a few of our favorite songs. Please play these during the reception:

A Keith Jarrett composition from his solo series. Please arrange it for full ensemble in the key of B but nothing in 4/4 please.

Mahavishnu Orchestra, Dance of the Maya and please have the guitarist play John Mclaughlin's solo from the live performance Nov. 16, 1972 at Chrysler Arena. My wife and I were at that show and we liked his use of polyrhythms.

One of John Coltrane's duets with Pharaoh Sanders. Our guests love high register tenor saxes.

We thought a little Stravinsky right after the toast would be nice. So please play The Rite of Spring. We like a tempo of about 1/4 note = 93 and transpose it down 3 half-steps - it will be so much more appropriate for this occasion in the slightly lower register.

Then for the candle lighting ceremony, please play Frank Zappa's The Grand Wazoo. The original key of B flat, would be fine but my cousin Jeannie would like to sing the baritone sax solo in the key of D--she has kind of a high voice.

When my new son-in-law takes off the garter, please just a little of Varese's Ionization. It's such a funny piece, we think it would go over real well. Much better than The Stripper.

And for the bride & groom's first dance, please slow things down a bit by doing Barber's Adagio For Strings. It's so much better than We've Only Just Begun or the Anniversary Waltz.

When my wife and I join in the first dance, could you segue to Thelonius Monk's Ruby, My Dear - it's in honor of my wife's grandmother whose name was Ruby. It would mean so much to the family.

Thanks for all your help. Depending on the outcome we'll certainly be happy to recommend your band to our friends. We'll have your check for the fee of $250 (minus our expenses in contacting you of $12.50) by the end of next month: we're a little short as the young lady doing the balloon arch wanted her $1,850 in advance and the DJ had to be paid up front his $2,500 as normal. Our daughter assured us that your love of music was greater than your need for money, and that you would welcome the exposure you would get from playing this wedding.

Before you leave, please feel free to ask the caterer for a snack sandwich and a soda (the bottles are returnable or you can pay the deposit to the butler). Please use the back entrance to avoid disturbing the guests.

JOHN AND ROSE

Jonny Briggs remembered

The inspiration for a generation of trombone players was the fantastic theme tune to the BBC childrens series "Jonny Briggs". Well, J A Greenwood's Acrobat has surfaced on a cult TV website, so we can all enjoy it.

Jonny Briggs opening titles MP3
Jonny Briggs closing titles MP3

If anyone can tell us who was playing on this recording then I'd love to know!

Dodgy joke of the day

Question: How many trombonists does it take to change a lightbulb?
Answer: Five. One to change it, and four to make ludicrous sexual comments.

Ancient trumpet concert in Cambridge

Some of the greatest composers that wrote for the trumpet are long dead, but their music is being revived in a special series of concerts next month, including one in Cambridge. All trumpet fans, don't miss out on this rare opportunity to hear the best in baroque playing with the Academy of Ancient Music.

Thursday 17 June 2004 - Soissons, France
Thursday 24 June 2004 - Shoreditch Church, London, England
Friday 25 June 2004 - Sheldonian Theatre, Oxford, England
Saturday 26 June 2004 - Boughton Aluph, Stour (Kent), England
Saturday 3 July 2004 - Ucheldre Centre, Holyhead, Wales
Tuesday 13 July 2004 - Lichfield Cathedral, Lichfield, England

Friday 23 July 2004 at 20.00
King’s College Chapel, Cambridge, England
The Academy of Ancient Music
Directors: Pavlo Beznosiuk (violin), David Blackadder (trumpet)

Zelenka Cavalry Fanfares
Alberti Sinfonia Teatrale
Biber Battalia
Biber Sonatas from Sonatae tam aris, quam aulis servientes
Biber Sonata à 7 (for six trumpets)
Biber Sonata Sancti Polycarpi (for eight trumpets)
Vivaldi Concerto in C major for two trumpets RV537
Vivaldi Concerto in E flat major for violin La Tempesta di Mare Op.8 No.5 RV253
Vivaldi ‘Summer’ from The Four Seasons

More info at the AAM's website

Lindberg brings Mozart and Turnage to UK

It's great to see Christian Lindberg is back in the UK this Autumn playing the Leopold Mozart concerto and Mozart 4th horn concerto with the London Mozart Players. He's also bringing a recent Turnage concerto to the Royal Festival Hall with the LPO in March 2005.

• St John's Smith Square, London - Thursday, December 02, 2004
• The Anvil, Basingstoke - Friday, December 03, 2004
• Fairfield Hall, Croydon - Saturday, December 04, 2004

MOERAN Sinfonietta
MOZART Horn Concerto No 4
LEOPOLD MOZART Trombone Concerto
BEETHOVEN Symphony No.3 in Eb 'Eroica'

Christian Lindberg
Vernon Handley
London Mozart Players

Royal Festival Hall
Saturday 19 March 2005

BARBER Adagio
TURNAGE Another Set To for trombone and orchestra
BRAHMS Symphony 2

Christian Lindberg
Marin Alsop
London Philharmonic Orchestra

Bone-lab shaping up

Those keen to indulge in playing their trombone with many others under the guidance of some amazing teachers should look into Bone-Lab this August. It's a week in the beautiful buildings and grounds of a Devon mansion, coached by the finest tutors from the Guildhall, Royal Northern and Trinity College of Music.

I went on this a couple of years back and had a fantastic time. There's a good mix of people there, from keen school aged bonists, through a good number of music college students, a few young pros, a few people who play in military bands and several older enthusiasts. We did some pieces with all of us, including a memorable finale from Saint-Saens' Organ Symphony and a couple of jazzy pieces commissioned and rehearsed by Mark Nightingale. There were seminars on different aspects of performance, audition coaching, quartet coaching, individual lessons, oh and a lot of quality time in the bar in the evenings! It's great for your playing and meeting loads of great people.

Find out more at the Dartington Festival website

BONELAB

Director Roger Argente
Facilitator and Animateur Paul Griffiths

Guest Professors and Performers - Eric Crees, Richard Edwards, Chris Houlding, John Kenny, Graham Lee, Dennis Rollins and Simon Wills.

Due to the overwhelming success of the initial BONELAB residencies at Summer School in 2001 & 2002, we are extremely pleased to welcome back director Roger Argente and his world-class team of trombone teachers and performers. Trombonists young and old travelled from all over Europe and the UK to attend the last two Bonelab courses (out of which sprang Youth Music’s Endangered Species programme) where young professionals, teachers, students, military bandsmen, school children and amateur music lovers all benefited from the special atmosphere that is Dartington. Participants will have a wide range of activities to choose from, including lessons, masterclasses, recitals, trombone ensembles large and small, repertoire classes, improvisation classes, art of teaching and discussion groups, and the opportunity to take part in a very special collaboration and performance with composer Orlando Gough, ensemblebash, John Kenny and Alphorns.

Additional BONELAB course information from: roger@argente.demon.co.uk

Dutch trombone fest Feb 2005

I'm very excited to hear about a new trombone festival in Rotterdam 2nd and 3rd April 2005. It seems to be organised by the superb New Trombone Collective - 8 of the best players from Dutch orchestras who are playing and commissioning great modern music.

They are joined by Christian Lindberg, Bart van Lier, Ilja Reijngoud, Ben van Dijk and Jos Jansen. They have a website but that's about all they know so far. Looks cool!

Thanks to trombones.nl for the tip-off on this one.

Music college is a waste of time

Don't go and study at traditional institutions like the Guildhall, Royal Academy or the Northern. You should invest in one of these instead.

Travelsphere Band in London

Want to hear lots of crazy brass band music? A mix of 80's pop, 19th century classical, English folk and maybe even a good old march - something to suit all ears. Well, come and here my band, Travelsphere Holidays band in a selection of FREE concerts in London in July.

3rd July - Leicester Square, 11am-1pm and 3-5pm
4th July - St. James Park, 2.30-3.30pm and 4-5pm

Travelsphere Holidays Band

Wagner more dangerous than Metallica

NBC, April 15, 2004

Head-banging heavy metal music may be OK to listen to while driving -- but stay away from some of the older classical stuff.

Britain's RAC Foundation has named Richard Wagner's fast-paced "Ride of the Valkyries" as the top tune not to listen to while behind the wheel. The group says Canadian research shows loud music can cause accidents by delaying reaction times up to 20 percent.

The RAC found that drivers who were listening to music with a fast beat were twice as likely to go through a red light and have twice as many accidents.

Three modern songs also made the top five most-dangerous list:

1. Wagner, "The Ride of the Valkyries"
2. Prodigy, "Firestarter"
3. Basement Jaxx, "Red Alert"
4. Faithless, "Insomnia"
5. Verdi, "Dies Irae (Requiem)"

more

Name that tune

Dear all,

had to share this one with you, as it's excellent. If like me you are constantly ringing parents to hum tunes down the phone at them until they identify them correctly, use the link below to avoid ever bothering them again. (My parents have got quite fed up of saying "Beethoven 7, second movement" as it's the one I always forget. Most boring tune ever, but strangely addictive). You merely inform the site of whether each successive note goes up, down or stays the same, and it will identify it from a surprisingly short string.

http://www.name-this-tune.com/

It's not faultless, and for example when subjected to the main theme from "Tubby the Tuba" informs you it is the national anthem of Portugal. But then maybe it is. I couldn't say for certain it's not.

I reckon that once I have found a website that will solve the times crossword for me, I will never phone home again............

Marcus

How to get back at your enemies

Thursday, April 22, 2004
Soccer Team Told to Win or Face the Music

BUCHAREST (Reuters) - A top Romanian soccer club owner said on Thursday he would send the whole squad to listen to a classical music concert as a punishment if they lose their next match.

With eight games left, Universitatea Craiova, fourth in the first division with 33 points, need to make ground on third-placed Rapid Bucharest on 37 to have a chance of European soccer next season.

"Attending a classical music concert is a hard task for a soccer player," Craiova's main shareholder Dinel Staicu said. "If they (the players) don't like the fiery atmosphere of
the arena, then they must put up with the calm of a concert for two hours," Staicu told Reuters by telephone from Craiova. Craiova are at home this weekend to 12th placed Petrolul Ploiesti and defeat would drastically undermine hopes for a place in next season's UEFA Cup preliminary rounds.

"I will buy tickets for a concert at the local Philharmonic hall if they lose the match, as a punishment," Staicu said.

Holy flying mouthpieces!

Here's a really cool trombone-featuring Flash animation:
http://mapage.noos.fr/nicotrb/trbflash.htm

How's your French? Once you're into the website you'll find a great deal of interesting info about trombone repertoire, particularly French pieces. There are lots of good music clips too. The French trombonists don't get a lot of press, but I believe they have a lot to teach the world about solo playing and they provide a huge tranche of our modern reportoire.

Here's some info about French trombonists. Go listen to the likes of Michel Becquet, Gilles Millière and Jacques Mauger.

Dancing trombonist

Hello everyone.

We trombonists have been waiting quite some time for our own messiah: Someone who can take the trombone and transport it to levels heretofore unknown; someone we can look up to an aspire to; someone who will break all the conventional rules of trombone playing in order to create a bold new world for us.

We have been duped by the false prophets too often. Alessi, Lindberg, Trudel, Taylor....

Step aside and behold the future of the trombone.

Our savior is just one click away, thanks to Steve Harvey's "Big Time" show.

Matt Guilford

Matt Guilford is a bass trombone with the National Symphony Orchestra (in Washington) and has a really interesting blog. He's also mad on trombones like me...

Alessi's high notes tips

Joe Alessi is THE man to talk about high register. He must have the premier job in America, Principal Trombone for the New York Philharmonic, but his solo CDs are well worth listening to. He is a celebrated teacher, but if like me you can't afford to learn at Julliard you have to pick up his thoughts elsewhere, such as at this link. He has a really consistent tone throughout his range, so listen hard everyone!

Developing your High Register and Thoughts about Embouchure
by Joe Alessi

I'd like to shed some light on this much-discussed subject. Putting together a solid embouchure is a little like building a house. Think of your instrument and mouthpiece as the building that sits on the foundation, or in this case, the embouchure. In order for your tone to be absolutely centered and focused, this muscular foundation must be firm (like a cement foundation) thus promoting an embouchure that is consistent from the top to the bottom register and which will produce a consistent sound. The aperture can then be thought of as the basement or cellar. Any weak muscles around the aperture will cause the embouchure to be inconsistent from day to day.

I encourage my students to think of a puckered formation. (Think of kissing and smiling at the same time, with the emphasis on the kissing muscles). This formation is necessary especially in the high register where there can be a bit more pressure directed toward the upper lip, promoting a solid buzz. This moderate pressure works very well for the puckered system as I mentioned above, but I do not recommend it for the "smiling embouchure" type of player who has little or no cushion. In the low register I tend to direct any noticeable pressure to the lower lip, thus giving room for the upper lip to vibrate freely.

One crucial component of a successful high register is to increase your speed of air. Try using the syllable "tee" which will cause the air to spin faster over the arched tongue. It is exactly like whistling. Work on this with the use of natural slurs whenever possible. This promotes the true understanding of constant air flow and builds embouchure strength quickly. The other critical area in regard to the embouchure is the region from below the bottom lip down to your chin. Try to form the much needed "valley" in the chin area in all registers. You will be amazed at how consistent the sound will be when these muscles maintain the same look and feel regardless of what pitches are being played.

The most valuable guiding principle of upper register playing is always to practice in the most musical way possible. A great way to develop this confidence is for a performer to write out his or her favourite tune or ballad in a register where the highest note is in the "comfort zone" and may be played with complete control. By "comfort zone" I mean that the sound, pitch, embouchure strength and pucker are all occurring with ease. When a tune in that one register is mastered, transpose the entire melody up a half-step and continue playing in this comfortable manner until you have the right feel at this new pitch. Above all, make sure you make it sound easy and effortless.

Join Dennis Rollins' trombone shout band

Dennis Rollins is a hot UK jazz trombonist and he's definitely a good person to attract new young players, so do support this event! I've never come across these trombone shout bands he's talking about and am intrigued. I can't make this event, but hope to find out more when he comes to Bone Lab.

Dave

Festival invites trombonists to create world’s biggest trombone band

With the trombone now recognised as an endangered species and government ministers and music organisations lining up to encourage children to take up neglected brass instruments, any substantial number of these together must qualify as the musical equivalent of a wildlife reserve. With the trombone in particular it is very rare to see more than a couple in the same place – even the average brass band can only lay claim to three or four.

Consequently it’s remarkable that top UK trombonist Dennis Rollins, currently leader of a new band that includes no less than ten trombones and a sousaphone is about to take part in a project that aims to bring the mythical 76 trombones together in a huge participatory brass project. Dennis, the National Foundation for Youth Music’s ambassador for the trombone, currently runs BoneYard, a trombone band modelled on the spiritual ‘shout’ bands of North Carolina.

Featured as part of the Out There arts and music festival at South Hill Park on 3^rd July, the ‘76 Trombones’ project will see Dennis’ BoneYard band augmented by professional and amateur trombone players of every musical background and ability, joining Dennis to create one almighty sound. The festival has a tradition of focusing on unusual performances and 76 Trombones is one of several new projects at the festival.

A mammoth trombone workshop will lead on to a full set by BoneYard on the festival’s main stage in the grounds of South Hill Park’s 18^th century mansion. At the end of this set trombonists within the audience will spontaneously join in the band’s final number. Festival Director Simon Chatterton said “This is a fantastic opportunity to create the biggest trombone band ever – we hope that trombonists young and old will want to join us for this very special and unusual event.”

The project will be free to participants. The workshop will take place at 2pm and the final concert between about 7.15pm. Trombonists interested in taking part should send their details to 76 Trombones, Out There festival South Hill Park, Ringmead, Bracknell, Berkshire, RG12 7PA, email festival@southhillpark.org.uk or call 01344 484123 for more details.

Dear Trombonist

Thanks very much for your enquiry regarding the 76 Trombones project with Dennis Rollins' BoneYard jazz and gospel trombone band. We would love to have you involved and hope you will be able to make it along to South Hill Park, Bracknell, UK on Sat 3rd July 2004.

Please email us at enquiries@southhillpark.org.uk with "sign me up" in the subject line of your email to confirm your involvement. Please include your full contact details in the body of the email. If for any reason you are unable to take part please notify us as soon as possible by emailing enquiries@southhillpark.org.uk with "One less trombone" in the subject line! I am sorry that it is not possible for us to deal with phone calls easily due to the busy nature of the pre-festival period.

There will be two parts to the day - an hour long workshop at 2pm and a short 5 minute performance at the end of BoneYard's set at approximately 7.15pm - see the attached info sheet for more details. There has been huge interest from all over the country in the project so do let anyone else who might be interested know as soon as possible since workshop capacity will be unavoidably limited! If you can spread the word via any trombone or brass networks you know then please feel free. Attached is a press release that can be distributed.

You are very welcome to come to both the workshop and the whole of Saturday at the festival free of charge - if you would like to stay for other days there is free camping and a number of hotels within easy travelling. The programme includes music, circus, theatre, puppetry and more - details are on our website www.outtherefestival.co.uk. South Hill Park is a large and established arts centre that runs a year-round programme of arts - see www.southhillpark.org.uk for details.

The Dennis Rollins' BoneYard will be touring festivals throughout the summer - see www.dennisrollins.com for more info. For anyone interested Dennis can organise additional workshop sessions for groups of brass players .

Look forward to seeing you at the festival

Best regards

Simon Chatterton
Festival Director

New Fitkin brass quartet

I'm looking forward to hearing Trillium Brass play their new commission from Graham Fitkin called Habit. They'll be in Cambridge on Tuesday 20th July but they are playing it in other venues in the south of England.

Trillium is an interesting new ensemble formed out of the Royal Academy I think, using a soprano sax, trumpet, trombone and tuba. They are on the Breakout scheme run by the Arts Council which is a three year initiative to promote modern music in the East of England. Lets hope they get a good reception!

Dave