Glenn’s Trumpet Notes

News & Tips for Trumpet & Cornet Students

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Pacific Little League Day Ceremony Opens with “To the Color”

Posted by glennled on June 7, 2014

For the third consecutive year, I was privileged to sound the bugle call, “To the Color,” on Pacific Little League Day, 26 April, at Lynndale Park near Lynndale Elementary Schoool in Lynnwood. Boy Scout Troup 304 and Girl Scout Troup 42086 furnished the Color Guard. For more on the Pacific Little League (PLL), please see their website, http://www.pacificlittleleague.com. For more about similar, past ceremonies here, see my posts of 22 May 2012 and 26 May 2013:

Doug and Carol Sheldon

Doug and Carol Sheldon

Long-time leaders, Doug and Carol Sheldon, were honored at the ceremony. Doug is President of PLL, and Carol is PLL Day Chair. They are retiring from their service to the league after this baseball season.

Photos are courtesy of PLL. Unless otherwise marked, photos were taken by Marc Bryce, Designer Portrait Studio, http://www.thedesignerportraitstudio.com. Please click on any photo to enlarge it.

 

 

 

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“A Room With a View” Musical at Fifth Avenue Theater in Seattle

Posted by glennled on June 6, 2014

George and Lucy. Photo by Tracy Martin

George and Lucy. Photo by Tracy Martin

My wife and I “opened” our Christmas gift on the 19th of April—that’s when we went to see the musical, “A Room with a View,” at the 5th Avenue Theater in Seattle with tickets given to us by our daughter and son-in-law last December. We had great seats on the main floor, mid-way down toward the stage.

The musical is based on the 1908 novel by E. M. Forster, English author of novels, short stories, and essays. He was the author I probably would have concentrated on, had I gone for a post-graduate degree in English literature. To me, he was the academic, the professor, the critic, who tried to do what he studied, reviewed, and taught. That is, he tried to defy the adage, “Those who cannot do, teach.” To me, his novels are excellent but never literary masterpieces.

E. M. Forster, 1879-1970

E. M. Forster, 1879-1970

A Rome with a View, the third of sixth published novels, is said to be his lightest, most optimistic, and popular. Like most of his other works, this one explores the conflicts of propriety and class as Lucy Honeychurch faces the choice of a husband–the free-thinking, high spirited George Emerson or the repressed, snobbish aesthete, Cecil Vyse.

These characters sing all the way through this romantic musical comedy. But it’s a funny thing—none of the 20 songs is easily memorable. I like to come out of a musical humming a great tune. Not here, not this one. Where’s a song like “Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin'” (Oklahoma!), “Tomorrow” (Annie), “Ya Got Trouble” (The Music Man), “What Do the Simple Folk Do?” (Camelot), “Get Me to the Church on Time” (My Fair Lady), and many more? Come on, guys, write a nice melody for your lyrics!

The 5th Avenue Theatre is renowned for producing and developing new musicals. Nine of the 17 new works which have premiered at The 5th since 2001, have later opened on Broadway. Whether “A Room with a View” will do so is yet to be determined. The 5th has more than 25,000 season subscribers. More than 300,000 audience members attend performances there each year. Incidentally, in The 5th Avenue Theatre Orchestra, the principal trumpet is Brad Allison, and Trumpet 2 is Paul Baron.

The production photos in this post are courtesy of The 5th Avenue Theatre. Please click on any photo to enlarge it.

 

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Another Little Milestone–100 “Taps”

Posted by glennled on June 4, 2014

VFW Post 1040 Honor Guard, Acacia Cemetery, Seattle

VFW Post 1040 Honor Guard, Acacia Cemetery, Seattle

On 15 April, our federal income taxes came due. Yes, I made the deadline that afternoon, but only in the morning after I’d played “Taps” for the 100th time. Yes, I realize other buglers have sounded this call literally thousands of times, but I’m very glad to have done my little part for our veterans as bugler for VFW Post 1040 of Lynnwood.

On this occasion, the Post’s Honor Guard performed the flag ceremony with the Washington Army National Guard at Acacia Cemetery in Lake City as part of WAARNG’s Veterans Memorial Tribute Program (for more information on VMTP, please see my post of 5 January 2012). Jointly, we do this ceremony at Acacia, Evergreen-Washelli Cemetery in Seattle, and Edmonds Cemetery every month.

Posted in Ceremonies & Celebrations, Status, Milestones, Summaries | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments »

Four-Band Concert, “Skyview Spring with Tunes and Swing,” in Bothell

Posted by glennled on June 3, 2014

On 1 April, four bands from Skyview Jr. High School in Bothell gathered before a gym-full of parents, relatives, and friends to present  their “Skyview Spring with Tunes and Swing” concert in the SJHS gymnasium.

Glenn Ledbetter prepares to conduct Skyview Jr. High School's second-year band, 1 April 2014

Glenn Ledbetter prepares to conduct Skyview Jr. High School’s second-year band, 1 April 2014

On Fridays, I rehearse the second-year band, and Mr. Shawn McGinn, Director of Instrumental Music, graciously let me conduct one piece (“Front and Center”) that night. It was the first time I ever conducted a band in public–what fun! The feeling was kind of like playing with a wind-up toy–first you practice, practice, practice to acquire the skill, and then on concert night, you just let it go and it does its own thing, automatically, perfectly! I was so proud of the kids.

The first-year elementary band (mostly 5th graders) played “When the Saints Go Marching In” and “Eye of the Tiger.” The second-year elementary band (mostly 6th graders) played “Front and Center,” “Clarinet Boogie,” and “I’m a Believer.” Then came the 7th-grade band from SJHS, playing “The Tempest,” “A Song for Friends,” and “Furioso.” And finally, the Skyview Jazz Band played “Dorian Journey,” “Moanin’,” “Work Song,” and “Mr. PC.”

Please click on any photo to enlarge it.

 

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“Ariadne Auf Naxos” by Strauss at Pacific Opera Victoria, in B.C., Canada

Posted by glennled on June 2, 2014

Royal Theatre, Victoria, B.C., Canada, from a loge in the balcony

Royal Theatre, Victoria, B.C., Canada, from a loge in the balcony

On Saturday, 15 February, the weather in Victoria, B.C., Canada was shivery cold and windy. Clipper Navigation, operators of the large, 300-passenger catamarns that speedily ferry people back and forth between Seattle and Victoria, cancelled our 5 p.m. trip home due to the rough crossing that day of the Strait of Juan de Fuca, Admiralty Inlet, and Puget Sound. My wife and I had a choice–go home early at 3 p.m. Saturday or wait till the Sunday, 5 p.m. sailing. So, what did we do? Naturally, we stayed in town and went to the opera!DBPB_1954_124_Richard_Strauss

At the Royal Theatre in downtown Victoria, B.C., Canada, the Pacific Opera Victoria company performed Ariadne Auf Naxos by Richard Strauss. As opera novices, of course, we’d never seen it or even heard of it, although the second (revised) version premiered in Vienna on 4 October 1916–almost 98 years ago.

According to the Artistic Director and Conductor, Timothy Vernon, it’s an opera about an opera, and in it, Strauss created “the greatest coloatura [soprano] part in all opera.” Two troupes of performers, one a serious opera company and the other a burlesque group, arrive one evening to entertain the dinner guests of the richest man in Vienna, expecting to present separate performances. They are ordered to present both performances at once, finishing not one minute longer than nine o’clock when there would be fireworks in the garden.

Ariadne (opera) has been abandoned by her lost love and longs to die. Zerbinetta (burlesque) intervenes with her advice that finding another man is the easiest and simplest way to get over a broken heart and that when a new love arrives, the only choice is to yield to it. These conflicting views make the opera.

And this opera made our trip–our fifth to Victoria in the previous 14 months.

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My First Trumpet Sectionals at Inglemoor High School in Kenmore

Posted by glennled on June 1, 2014

IHSbandOn 31 January 2014, as a para-professional, I taught my first music classes at Inglemoor High School. Several trumpet ensembles from two IHS bands, the Wind Ensemble and Symphonic Band, were in the final week of practice for the regional competition to be held on Saturday, 8 February. Winners advanced to the state competition.

On my first day, I critiqued their practice sessions, and for the remainder of this school year, I will continue to teach their sectional sessions. I work with the Symphonic Band trumpeters (8) on Mondays and the Wind Ensemble trumpeters (7) on Fridays. Mr. Ted Christensen is IHS Band Director and Northshore School District Music Coordinator. He conducts the Wind Ensemble. Mr. Jim Rice is Director of the IHS Orchestra, Symphonic Band, and Jazz Band.

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“Sounds of Winter”—Inglemoor High School Music Concert in Kenmore

Posted by glennled on May 31, 2014

IHS LogoOn 19 December 2013, the music program presented its “Sounds of Winter” concert in the Inglemoor High School Gymnasium. The Orchestra,  Symphonic Band, Jazz Band, Concert Choir, Belle Voci, Chamber Choir, Mass Choir, and Wind Ensemble all performed for the large crowd. There are 8 trumpeters in the Wind Ensemble and 7 in the Symphonic Band. The Wind Ensemble is directed by Ted Christensen, who also is the Northshore School District Music Coordinator. Jim Rice directs the Symphonic Band and Jazz Band. At this concert several pieces were conducted by Megan Webster, Student Intern, Central Washington University.

The 45-member Symphonic Band performed “On This Day Earth Shall Ring,” “Wishing You a Merry Christmas,” and “The Bells of Christmas.” The Wind Ensemble (66 members) performed “Stars,” “Jesus, Jesus Rest Your Head,” and “Christmas Festival.” The Orchestra performed “Dances from the Nutcracker.” The music program enjoys the support of the Inglemoor High School Music Boosters.

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Elementary Bands Concert at Skyview Jr. High in Bothell

Posted by glennled on May 30, 2014

Skyview Eagles

On 6 December 2013, two elementary school bands performed their Winter Concert for parents, relatives and friends at Skyview Jr. High School in Bothell. The first-year (5th grade) band and the second-year (6th grade) band are quite a contrast in size but not in quality–both are developing very well at their respective levels. Shawn McGinn, Director of Instrumental Music, was on materity leave at the time, so Sarah Lawson, his substitute, conducted the concert.

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High School Cheerleaders Day at Husky Stadium—UW Defeats U of Colorado, 59-7

Posted by glennled on May 29, 2014

High School Cheerleaders Day, UW Husky Stadium, 11-9-'13

High School Cheerleaders Day, UW Husky Stadium, 11-9-’13

 

At a night game in Seattle on 9 November 2013, the University of Washington Huskies drubbed the University of Colorado Buffaloes, 59-7. Quarterback Keith Price was 22 of 29 in passing for 312 yards and had two passing TDs and two rushing TDs. Running Back Bishop Sankey rushed for 143 yards.

All that’s very well indeed, but credit must be given where credit is due–it was High School Cheerleaders Day, so with that much support, it was impossible for the Huskies to lose!

As a member of the Husky Alumni Band, I got to play my cornet again for the tail-gaters. I asked the band director if we could play “Hey Baby” which came out in 1961. We did, entertaining fans down on the boats moored to the docks at the shoreline of Lake Washington. Everybody loves to sing along and dance to those lyrics–“Hey, hey hey baby! I want to know if you’ll be my girl.” With a thousand cheerleaders at the game and the Huskies winning so easily, who wouldn’t be happy?!

Here is a photo gallery of the game, focused on the UW Husky Marching Band (especially the trumpets) and Cheerleaders, plus all the high school cheerleaders. Field-level shots are by Louis Figueroa, and press-box shots are by Garry Nakayama. Please click on any photo to enlarge it.

 

 

 

 

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No School Band? New Trumpet Student in Seattle Starts Lessons Anyway

Posted by glennled on May 28, 2014

TrumpetOn 6 November 2013, at his home, my 21st trumpet student had his first lesson with me. He’s a fifth grader who recently turned 11 years old. He attends the Morningside Academy, a private, non-profit school founded in 1980. It’s located in Seattle and has a typical enrollment of 70-100 students. However, the school has no music program. His parents play the piano and flute, so they encouraged him to choose an instrument, too. Like most of us trumpeters, he likes the strong sound of the trumpet.

For our instruction book, we’re using “Standard of Excellence” by Bruce Pearson–the same book used by my brass students in the 5th and 6th grade elementary school bands which meet for practice at Skyview Jr. High School in Bothell. The plan is to have him ready to transition into band classes once he transfers into a school that offers music instruction. Meanwhile, he’s memorized “Happy Birthday” and plays it for his family members on their birthdays.

Posted in New Students - Intro Posts | Tagged: , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments »

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