Posts Tagged ‘trumpet’
Posted by glennled on May 5, 2015
Fernwood Elementary School, Bothell
For his first lesson at his home in Bothell on 26 February 2015 , my 24th trumpet student played for me from the instruction book, Progressive Beginner Trumpet by Peter Gelling. He’s a sixth-grader at Fernwood Elementary and in 2nd year band at Skyview Jr. High School. I asked him what first attracted him to trumpet. “It’s loud,” he said, so it stands out among the other band instruments as a leader, “and I like that.”
What does he like about playing in the band? He likes being amongst his friends, and he likes playing music, although it does not come easy for him. He wants lessons to improve his tone and play higher notes. He’d like to continue in band at least all the way through high school. He knows the music is only going to get more complicated, so he wants to be able to handle it.
His Dad is confident that his son will master the trumpet because he has determination—once he sets out to do something, he sticks with it and gets it done. Mom was a versatile musician in high school. She played tuba, trombone, saxophone, and oboe, and became a drum major in her school band.
That’s what I like—motivated trumpet students who are determined to become their best!
Posted in New Students - Intro Posts, Skyview Junior High | Tagged: band, Fernwood, lesson, music, musician, notes, Peter Gelling, Skyview, tone, trumpet | Leave a Comment »
Posted by glennled on April 27, 2015
HIMS 2014 Winter All Bands Concert concludes after Dan Rowe conducted “Sleigh Ride” by Leroy Anderson
One of the outstanding music programs in Seattle did it again—four Hamilton International Middle School bands gave a great “Winter All Bands Concert” at Lincoln High School Auditorium on 11 December 2014.
Each band performed four pieces. Among those by the 48-member Beginning Band, conducted by Angela Babbitt, was “March Miniature” by Dan Rowe. The other three bands were conducted by Mr. Rowe himself. The 72-member Cadet Band was next, and two of its pieces were by Mark Williams, “Drive” and “Bryce Canyon Overture.”
Beginning with the 66-member Concert Band, some soloists and an ensemble started to emerge from the two remaining bands. The ensemble was featured in “Drums A-Plenty,” arranged by Lew Pollack. And finally, when the 70-member Symphonic Band took the stage, the spotlight fell on an accomplished xylophone soloist, playing “Galop” by Dimitri Kabalevsky.
A gallery of photos of the four bands follows (below). Please click on any photo to enlarge it.
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HIMS Beginning Band, Angela Babbitt, Director
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HIMS Cadet Band, Dan Rowe, Director
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Friends of Music at Hamilton International (FOMAHI)
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HIMS Concert Band, Dan Rowe, Director
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“Drums A-Plenty”
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HIMS Symphonic Band, Dan Rowe, Director
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Xylophone soloist performs “Galop” by Dimitri Kabalevsky
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Trumpeters love to “neigh” in “Sleigh Ride” by Leroy Anderson
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Posted in School Concerts | Tagged: Angela Babbitt, bands, concert, Dan Rowe, drums, ensemble, FOMAHI, Hamilton International Middle School, Leroy Anderson, Sleigh Ride, soloists, symphonic, trumpet, trumpeters, xylophone | Leave a Comment »
Posted by glennled on April 16, 2015
On 4 December 2014, the two elementary bands (1st year and 2nd year) which are affiliated with Skyview Jr. High School in Bothell played their first concert of the school year in front of an adoring, proud crowd of parents, relatives and friends in the cafeteria/auditorium. Below is a photo gallery of the concert, with an emphasis on the brass section, whom I teach. Shawn McGinn, Director of Instrumental Music, conducted the concert and graciously allowed me to conduct the final piece by the 2nd-year band. Please click on any photo to enlarge it.
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1st-year elementary band prepares for the 2014 holiday concert
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Featuring the 12 flutes
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Featuring the 18 clarinets
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Featuring the 6 trumpets and 6 trombones
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Featuring the 13 percussion
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2nd-year elementary band
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Mr. Shawn McGinn, Director of Instrumental Music, Skyview Jr. High, Bothell
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Posted in School Concerts, Skyview Junior High | Tagged: band, trumpet | Leave a Comment »
Posted by glennled on April 14, 2015
Shorewood Thunderbirds
Grandma knows best—that’s why she sent me an email on 10 November 2014, about starting trumpet lessons with her grandson, a freshman in the band at Shorewood High School in Shoreline, WA, just north of Seattle. “He seems to enjoy the school band,” she wrote, “but I would like him to be successful, and wonder if you would have time to schedule him for some lessons.” And so we began.
What I found during our first session at his home was that some of his fundamentals were weak. His embouchure formation was fine and his tone decent, but his note recognition was not yet automatic and his upper range was too low. Developing embouchure strength and increasing range is pretty straightforward. However, developing automatic note recognition, reflexive fingering, and embouchure slotting can be very problematic for some students. I selected two instruction books for him: I Recommend by James D. Ployhar and Exercises for Ensemble Drill by Raymond C. Fussell. Other books will follow if he wants to develop further.
What does it mean to him to play trumpet well? He will have more confidence, enjoy playing music more, develop closer friendships, and have more fun in band. He’s on his way to becoming Grandma’s success story!
Posted in New Students - Intro Posts | Tagged: band, Exercises for Ensemble Drill, fingering, I Recommend, James D. Ployhar, lessons, music, note, Raymond C. Fussell, Shorewood High School, slotting, Thunderbirds, trumpet | Leave a Comment »
Posted by glennled on April 13, 2015
Chris Botti, trumpeter
Natalie Dungey. trumpeter
“We’re a musical family!” says the Mom of my 22nd trumpet student, a 7th grade student at Skyview Jr. High School in Bothell. His first lesson with me was on 1 July. He plays his Mom’s trumpet, the one her parents bought for her when she was in 10th grade at age 16. (Her Dad played cornet.) She made All-State Band in Texas, and now her son (13), has an even loftier ambition–to become a professional musician and play “awesome” trumpet. His favorite trumpeter is Chris Botti (www.chrisbotti.com/us), and he’s a great admirer of Natalie Dungey (www.nataliedungey.com).
He likes classical music but also plays in the school jazz band, which he says helps him make different sounds and improves his ability to read music. Within the past year, he’s taken up drums (his Dad plays drums) and tinkers around on the piano. He’s started a composition for an ensemble of 2 trumpets, 2 violas, 1 tuba, 1 snare drum, 1 alto sax, and 1 flute. Meanwhile, he also wrestles and plays soccer. And his older sister sings and plays piano, guitar, and clarinet, while his younger sister “sings like a mocking bird,” says her Mom.
Why did he choose trumpet? Because it has such a “powerful sound that it hits you in the face, but at the same time it can make soft sounds that are pure beauty.” Right on!
Posted in New Students - Intro Posts, Skyview Junior High | Tagged: band, Chris Botti, classical, drums, ensemble, jazz, lesson, musical, Natalie Dungey, piano, trumpet, trumpeter | Leave a Comment »
Posted by glennled on June 29, 2014
Two great leaders and positive thinkers who excel, Russell Wilson and Daniel Rowe
The “Year-End Band Concert” by the outstanding four bands from Hamilton International Middle School in Seattle on 12 June brought the audience to its feet for two standing ovations, as the director, Mr. Daniel Rowe, made the stunning announcement that he would be retiring after 35 years of teaching music in public schools. But four days later, after the weekend, he said he had re-thought his plans and announced that he would teach another two years—whew!–the band students and parents must have heaved a huge sigh of relief.
No doubt, three other people did, too: Cindy Waters, HIMS Principal; Angela Babbitt, Director, Beginning Band; and Zari Magness. President, FOMAHI (Friends of Music at Hamilton International), the booster club. They all participated in the concert, held at Lincoln High School Auditorium in the Wallingford neighborhood.
The 49-member Beginning Band played five pieces, including the crowd-pleasing “Slidin’ and Glidin’,” featuring the trombone section. The 93-member Cadet Band played four pieces, concluding with “Fiero.” And the 91-member Concert Band played three pieces, “Into the Storm,” “Shenandoah,” and “Highlights from ‘Frozen.'”
Trumpet trio, Juliana, Aadi, and Colin play “Bugler’s Holiday”
The Symphonic Band began its four-piece set with “Bugler’s Holiday,” by Leroy Anderson, featuring a trio of double-tonguing trumpeters. [Recall from my post of 21 June that a trumpet trio from the Wind Ensemble from Inglemoor High School had played the same piece just one week earlier. And I recall that I’d played it in a college band concert long ago.]
Mr. Rowe has each band vote for three annual awards: Most Inspirational, Most Improved, and Outstanding Musician of the Year. Two trumpeters won such awards: in the Cadet Band, Corinna Sanger was voted Most Inspriational, and in the Symphonic Band, Colin Ovens was voted Outstanding Musician.
After Mr. Rowe made his shocking announcement, he led the band in what he had planned to be his final concert piece–the “Overture to Candide” by Leonard Bernstein, arranged by Clare Grundman. Later, I asked him about the signicance of this music to him. He said that during his first year at HIMS, he’d had his Symphonic Band play it. That was five years ago, and the band had 41 members. He wanted to conclude his career by having his current 88-member band play it, too. Whoever succeeds him in 2016, will inherit a very strong band program.
Please click on any photo to enlarge it.
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Angela Babbitt, Director, HIMS Beginning Band
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Angela Babbitt
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Trumpeters (12), Beginning Band
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Angela Babbitt features her band’s trombonists
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Trombones are “Slidin’ and Glidin'”
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Zari Magness, FOMAHI President, thanks key supporters and volunteers
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Cindy Watters, HMIS Principal, thanks Zari Magness, FOMAHI President
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Daniel Rowe conducts the Cadet Band
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Trumpeters (18), Cadet Band
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The HIMS Concert Band
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Trumpeters (16), HIMS Concert Band
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HIMS Concert Band plays “Highlights from ‘Frozen,'” the Disney movie
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Russell Wilson, QB, Seattle Seahawks, Super Bowl 48 Champions–one of several gifts to Daniel Rowe
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Symphonic Band (88 members) accompanies the trumpet trio in “Bugler’s Holiday”
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Trumpeters (8) in HIMS Symphonic Band
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Stunning retirement announcement–coming in two years
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Benjamin, my first trumpet student, switched to tuba–oh, no, how could he?!
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Trumpet soloist
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Standing ovation for Mr. Daniel Rowe and HIMS Symphonic Band after the “Overture to Candide”
Posted in School Concerts | Tagged: band, beginning, Bugler's Holiday, cadet, concert, Daniel Rowe, Hamilton International Middle School, symphonic, trumpet, trumpeter | 4 Comments »
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 21, 2014
On 5 June, the Choral and Instrumental Music Department of Inglemoor High School in Kenmore presented “Pops 2014,” its Grand Finale Concert of the school year, at the nearby Northshore Baptist Church in Kirkland. It was a splendid, fun concert, played to a full house of parents, relatives, and friends. Ted Christensen is Director of Bands, and Jim Rice is Director of the Orchestra, Symphonic Band, and Jazz Band. Both are members of the Hall of Fame of the Washington Music Educators Association (WMEA) and Northwest Bandmasters Association. Teresa (Terry) Sullivan is Choir Director and Music Department Chair. This spring, I was the coach of the trumpeters in the Symphonic Band and Wind Ensemble.
Please click on any photo in the gallery below to enlarge it.
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IHS Jazz Ensemble, as concert audience arrives
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Chris Dymek, Flugelhorn Soloist, “I Remember Clifford”
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Chris Dymek
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Jim Rice, IHS Jazz Ensemble Director
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IHS Jazz Ensemble, with Orchestra seated behind and audience members at tables
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Ted Christensen conducts IHS Orchestra, “West Side Story”
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Student Guest Conductor, IHS Orchestra, “Molly On the Shore”
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Ted Christensen, IHS Director of Bands and NSD Music Coordinator
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Jim Rice, IHS Orchestra Director, conducts “Fiddler’s Fury”
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Jim Rice receives gift
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Gifts
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IHS Symphonic Band
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Jim Rice conducts IHS Symphonic Band, “The Eighties (A Decade of Hits)”
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IHS Wind Ensemble, Pops 2014 Concert, Ted Christensen conducting “Buglers Holiday”
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Daniel Briggs, Paul-Henry Flynn, and Chris Dymek play “Buglers Holiday” by Leroy Anderson
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Ted Christensen receives gift
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Concert Choir, under direction of Teresa Sullivan, IHS Choir Director and Music Department Chair
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IHS Bella Voci
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IHS Chamber Choir, Men’s Group, “Always Look on the Bright Side of Life”
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Terry Sullivan, IHS Choir Director, presents the full Chamber Choir
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IHS Combined Choirs sing “Jump”
Posted in School Concerts | Tagged: Always Look on the Bright Side of Life, band, Bugler's Holiday, Inglemoor High School, Jim Rice, Leroy Anderson, Northwest Bandmasters Association, symphonic, Ted Christensen, Teresa (Terry) Sullivan, trumpet, trumpeters, Washington Music Educators Association, wind ensemble, WMEA | 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 June 6, 2014
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
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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Lucy and George. Photo by Tracy Martin.
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The skinny-dip scene for comic relief. Photo by Mark Kitaoka.
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Lucy Honeychurch (Laura Griffith). Photo by Mark Kitaoka.
Posted in Professional Concerts | Tagged: 5th, A Room With a View, Brad Allison, E.M. Forster, Fifth Avenue Theatre, Laura Griffith, lyrics, melody, musical, Paul Baron, song, trumpet, tune | Leave a Comment »
Glenn's Trumpet Notes 