Posts Tagged ‘brass’
Posted by glennled on January 8, 2017
It snowed on 9 December, so Skyview Jr. High School in Bothell, WA cancelled all its classes. That killed that morning’s holiday season concert which was to be presented by students from nearby Fernwood, Crystal Springs, and Canyon Creek elementary schools. Belatedly, on Friday, 6 January 2017, under the direction of Charlie Fix, the two beginning bands (5th and 6th grades) played a mix of Christmas and other music for the audience of about 150 parents, relatives, and friends.
The 1st-year band performed “Good King Wenceslas,” “Jolly Old St. Nicolas” (a duet), and “Jingle Bells.” The 2nd-year band performed “Spirit of the Stallion” by Brian Balmages and “Glorioso” by Robert W. Smith. The “Stallion” piece is noted for its challenging 26 time-signature changes! Each band also featured performances by the separate instrument sections. For example, the 1st-year brass section played “Mary Ann,” and the 2nd-year brass played “Home on the Range.” I teach beginning brass, Candice Palmberg teaches flutes, Matt Simmons teaches woodwinds, and Jane Lin teaches percussion and also is the music teacher at Crystal Springs Elementary.
Please click on any photo below to enlarge it.
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1st-Year elementary band
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2nd-Year (6th grade) elementary band
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Posted in School Concerts | Tagged: band, brass, Charlie Fix, concert, flutes, Home on the Range, Jingle Bells, music, percussion, Skyview Jr. High School, Spirit of the Stallion, teacher, woodwinds | Leave a Comment »
Posted by glennled on November 10, 2016
Skyline at First Hill is a Presbyterian retirement community in downtown Seattle near St. James Cathedral and Harborview Hospital. Between its two wings, one for independent living (Skyline Towers) and the other for assisted living (Skyline Terraces), is a courtyard. That’s where I stood in the rain on 2 November to sound “Taps” on my Getzen bugle after the responsive reading of “We Remember Them” by Sylvan Kamens and Rabbi Jack Riemer, which is found in the Jewish Prayer Book (please see http://hmd.org.uk/resources/poetry/we-remember-them-sylvan-kamens-rabbi-jack-riemer). Then “Taps” closed the second annual “Skyline Memorial Walk” ceremony hosted by Skyline’s chaplain, The Reverend Elizabeth Graham.
Earlier, the residents and staff of Skyline had been invited to submit the names of veterans and others whom they wished to be remembered in advance of Veterans Day, 11 November. Their names—about 200—were read aloud, interspersed with periodic bell ringing, before the audience. Twenty, mostly elderly people gathered in the Madrona Community Room: two men, 18 women, silent in their memories of their dear veterans of WWI, WWII, and every conflict since, and others.
The names were then written on individual placards staked into the fertile soil in the planters in the courtyard, where they remained for a week so that the residents, staff and guests could walk among them. 
Isn’t it amazing? In place after place across the nation, around the world, year after year, our veterans are honored. The lowest, the highest, it matters not. To paraphrase a famous saying, when you put on the military uniform, whether on active duty, retired, or national guard or reserve, you write a blank check at that point in your life, made payable to “The United States of America,” for an amount of “up to and including your life.” Engraved on my bugle is a citation of the Biblical verse, John 15:13. We honor such men and women.
Rev. Graham found me through my membership in Bugles Across America (please see http://www.buglesacrossamerica.org/ and my post of 4 May 2015). I’m glad she did. I’m glad I played cornet through high school and college. I’m glad I teach private trumpet lessons. I’m glad I teach beginning brass at Skyview Jr. High School in Bothell. I’m glad I play trumpet in the Husky Alumni Band. I’m glad I play in the Alderwood Community Church Orchestra in Lynnwood. I’m glad I’m the VFW Post 1040 Bugler. All these things enable me to sound “Taps” for veterans every chance I get—it’s my honor, and I’m grateful. Lucky me.
Please click on any photo to enlarge it.
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Westward view from the courtyard, Skyline Retirement Community, Seattle
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Skyline Towers from the courtyard
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Skyline Terraces from the courtyard
Posted in Ceremonies & Celebrations | Tagged: brass, bugle, bugler, Bugles Across America, cornet, Getzen, Husky Alumni Band, lessons, orchestra, Skyview Retirement Community, Taps, trumpet, veterans | Leave a Comment »
Posted by glennled on October 4, 2016
Lucky me! Under the guidance of Charlie Fix, Band and Orchestra Director, I get to teach beginning brass again to 5th and 6th graders in the two elementary bands that practice and perform at Skyview Jr. High School in Bothell. Classes for 2nd-year band members began on 12 September and for 1st-year band members, today, 4 October.
This year, I have about 35 trumpet students, 10 trombones, and one French Horn. Some years, I have baritone players, too. This is my sixth year as a para-professional teacher in the Northshore School District.
In addition, I give private lessons to other students in the North Seattle-to-Edmonds and Eastside areas.
Posted in Skyview Junior High | Tagged: band, baritone, brass, Charlie Fix, classes, French horn, lessons, orchestra, teacher, trombone, trumpet | Leave a Comment »
Posted by glennled on September 22, 2016
Last April, a family from Cherry Hill, New Jersey (just across the Delaware River from Philadelphia) moved cross-country when the Dad took a new job in Bothell, Washington. At Cherry Hill, the son attended Rosa International Middle School, which offers the International Baccalaureate (IB) program. He’s been playing trumpet since 4th grade and took private lessons back there, starting in the 6th grade. Now that he’s an 8th grader at Skyview Jr. High School in Bothell, he has become my 31st trumpet student. Our first private lesson was on 28 July.
Listening to music at a young age, he especially liked “Star Wars” and decided, “I can play an instrument, too.” He likes percussion—“rhythm is fun”—but so do lots of other kids. So his attention turned to saxophone, flute, and trumpet. Then he realized that the sound of the saxophone usually blends in with other sounds, and the flute isn’t very versatile. On the other hand, the trumpet can either blend in or stand out and often gets to play the melody. It can play all styles from classical to jazz—“It all works!” And it looks simple–only three buttons instead of all those keys. Only later did he learn how the embouchure complicates playing a brass instrument. So that’s how trumpet became his choice, and obviously, he’s happy with that decision.
He takes private lessons because he likes to excel at whatever he’s doing and wants to play in the lead group of the trumpet section. But he has no ambition to become a professional. He will eventually choose some other career. Meanwhile, being in the concert and jazz bands is fun, and he’s looking forward to playing in the marching and concert bands at the new North Creek High School. After that, he’d like to play in college, too.
That’s my privilege and challenge: to help him play well, be a leader, and enjoy doing it!
Posted in New Students - Intro Posts, Skyview Junior High | Tagged: band, brass, concert, embouchure, IB program, jazz, lesson, music, rhythm, Skyview Jr. High School, trumpet | Leave a Comment »
Posted by glennled on February 22, 2016
NSD 6th-grade Honors Orchestra and Choir, 2016
Three hundred and thirty-three students from the Northshore School District made the Honors Orchestra, Choir and Band this year and played a concert for their parents, relatives, teachers, and friends at Northshore Jr. High School in Bothell on 9 February. And among them, three (~1%) are my students in elementary band at Skyview Jr. High—one trumpeter, one baritonist, and one trombonist. I’m in my fifth year as a para-professional teacher of beginning brass for fifth and sixth graders who come to Skyview from Crystal Springs, Canyon Creek, and Fernwood elementary schools for classes each week.
Guest conductors were Eileen Treusch (orchestra), Darcy Morrissey (choir), and Frank Halferty (band). The program allotted four pieces to the orchestra, five to the choir, and three to the band. If this were a contest instead of a concert and if I were an adjudicator, I would give the “Best Performance Award” to Darcy Morrissey and her choir. The orchestra was 111 members strong, but the choir was even larger: 128! And the band was 96; that’s a big band, too. I wonder what percentage of the band students are taking private lessons—20%, 10%, 5%? That’s how you “Become your Best” (my motto). And that’s how you eventually make Washington State Band in high school.
Please click on any photo to enlarge it.
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Honors Orchestra (L)
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Honors Orchestra (R)
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Honors Choir
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Ted Christensen (R), NSD Music Coordinator
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Music Directors from five NSD junior high schools
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Honors Band
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Honors Band (L)
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Honors Band (R)
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Trumpeters
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Trumpeters
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Trumpeters
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Trumpeters and Baritonists
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Baritonist from Canyon Creek Elementary School
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Baritonist from Canyon Creek Elem School
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Trombonists
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Trombonist from Crystal Springs Elementary School
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Trombonist from Crystal Springs Elem School
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Trumpeter from Crystal Springs Elementary School
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Trumpeter (R) from Crystal Springs Elem School
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Tenor Saxophonist from Canyon Creek Elementary School
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Charlie Fix, Orchestra and Band Director, Skyview Jr. High School
Posted in School Concerts, Skyview Junior High, Student Competitions, Honors & Awards | Tagged: band, baritonist, brass, choir, honors, lessons, Northshore School District, orchestra, Skyview Jr. High, teacher, trombonist, trumpet, trumpeter | Leave a Comment »
Posted by glennled on September 22, 2015
When school started this fall at Skyview Jr. High School in Bothell, there was a new faculty member in the music department for the first time in 15 years. Welcome to Mr. Charlie Fix, Band and Orchestra Director. Mr. Fix has a Masters Degree in Music Education from Florida State University and a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education from the University of Wisconsin. Like his predecessor at Skyview, Mr. Fix is a trumpeter!
Mr. Fix has previously taught at Prince George’s County Public Schools in Maryland, Carlsbad Unified School District in California, and Mount Vernon Community Schools in Iowa. He has taught music at all levels, elementary, junior high, and high school, in addition to teaching as a graduate assistant at Florida State.
Here at SJHS, he has three para-professional assistants to help with the 1st and 2nd year elementary bands. One teaches flutes, one teaches clarinets and saxes, and the other teaches brass–that’s me!
Posted in Skyview Junior High | Tagged: band, brass, Charlie Fix, orchestra, Skyview Jr. High School, trumpeter | Leave a Comment »
Posted by glennled on April 10, 2015
I’m back! Lucky me, commencing on 8 September 2014, with the first class of this school year, I get to continue teaching beginning brass students at Skyline Jr. High School in Bothell. Fifth and sixth grade band students arrive early in the morning at Skyline for band classes, and afterwards, they go to their respective schools, Fernwood, Crystal Springs, and Canyon Creek elementary schools for regular classes. Shawn McGinn is the Director of Instrumental Music at Skyline.
I teach brass sectionals on Mondays-Thursdays, including trumpets, trombones, French horns, and baritones. On Fridays, I teach the full 2nd year elementary band, comprised of 6th graders. We present three concerts by the fifth and sixth grade bands each year. It’s fun!
Posted in Skyview Junior High | Tagged: band, brass, concerts, instrumental, music, Shawn McGinn, trumpets | Leave a Comment »
Posted by glennled on June 22, 2014
Sarah, Robert, Finn, Glenn Ledbetter, Erik, and Vaughan
Fanfare for the Common Man by Aaron Copland was the featured piece on the program on Sunday, 8 June, when my wife and I hosted our fifth annual trumpet recital in our home in Edmonds. Coincidentally, on 25 May, I played the same powerful, dignified piece with the 13-person, brass and percussion ensemble at Alderwood Community Church in Lynnwood (see my post of 18 June 2014).
Copland wrote Fanfare for the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra in 1942, shortly after America entered World War II, and it premiered on income tax day, 12 March 1943. As America built up its war effort, the Vice President of the USA called the 20th century the “Century of the Common Man.” Copland borrowed that phrase to entitle his brass ensemble piece.
Aaron Copland, 1900-1990
At the recital, however, we had only the three trumpet parts—no French horns, trombones, tuba, timpany, tam-tam, or bass drum. And the three trumpeters come from different high schools—one at Bothell, one at Juanita, and one at Inglemoor. Later in the program, each played a solo piece. The Bothell High sophomore played “Aire” by Johann Sebastian Bach. The sophomore at Juanita played “Le Tambourin” by Jean Philippe Rameau. And the Inglemoor High junior played “Etude 1” by Sigmund Hering.
In between Fanfare and the older students’ solos, my fifth grader from Morningside Academy played “Ode to Joy” and “Sawmill Creek.” Next came my seventh grader from Hamilton International Middle School, playing “The Victor” by R.M. Endresen and “Riqui Ran,” a Latin-American folk song arranged by James Curnow.
Recitals give parents, relatives and friends proof that private lessons work in helping build musicianship and character.
Various photos were taken by Ping Qian, Leslie Lowell, Nancy MacDonald and Glenn Ledbetter. Please click on any photo to enlarge it.
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The enthusiastic, proud audience
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More of the proud, enthusiastic audience
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Warm-ups downstairs–Finn and Vaughan
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Warm-ups in the rec room–Erik and Robert
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Warm-ups down in the rec room–Sarah and Robert
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Waiting during the welcoming
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Opening performance–“Fanfare for the Common Man,” Copland
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“Fanfare for the Common Man”
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High schoolers play Copland’s “Fanfare for the Common Man”
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Finn
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Dr. Sean Stitham
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Finn
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Erik
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Erik
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Erik
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Erik
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Sarah
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Sarah
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Vaughan
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Vaughan
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Vaughan
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Robert
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Robert
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Five-Star Trumpeters–Sarah, Robert, Finn, Erik, and Vaughan
Posted in Musical Events at Home | Tagged: Aaron Copland, Alderwood Community Church, brass, Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, ensemble, Fanfare for the Common Man, Jean Philippe Rameau, Johnann Sebastian Bach, lessons, Sigmund Hering, trumpet, trumpeters | Leave a Comment »
Posted by glennled on June 18, 2014
Aaron Copland, composer, teacher, writer, conductor, 1900-1990
On Sunday, 25 May, I played trumpet in the Brass Ensemble, conducted by Linda Collins, at Alderwood Community Church in Lynnwood. During the worship service, recognition was given to Memorial Day, which was to be celebrated across the nation the next day.
Our featured piece was the thrilling Fanfare for the Common Man by Aaron Copland, written in 1942 and first performed in 1943 during World War II. It’s powerful and brings dignity to every event at which it is played. In America, regardless of status, we are all common—“All men are created equal,” and it’s “One man, one vote.”
Here are some videos of performances by others which pay tribute to the USA and its military men and women: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXytluK9QVk and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GGu5Iz_h7Yo.
In the gallery of caricatures below, credit is given where the artist is known to me. Please click on any image to enlarge it.
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Copland by Lenoard Bernstein (1936)
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Copland by Leonard Bernstein (1943)
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Copland by Al Hirschfeld
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Copland by John Minnion
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Copland
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Copland
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Copland
Posted in Ceremonies & Celebrations, Church Music | Tagged: Aaron Copland, Alderwood Community Church, brass, composer, conductor, ensemble, Fanfare for the Common Man, Leonard Bernstein, Linda Collins, trumpet | 2 Comments »
Posted by glennled on May 28, 2014
On 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: band, brass, Bruce Pearson, lesson, Morningstar Academy, music, Standard of Excellence, trumpet, trumpeters | 2 Comments »
Glenn's Trumpet Notes 