Backstage Brass March 2010

We’ve been very busy doing countless great projects and events.  I’ll write about those exciting things in a moment….while not even mentioning the Olympic hockey events.  Firstly, I’d like to share an interesting part of an interview we recently gave.

The question was, “If you were, say 15, how would you go about joining or—better—forming a small brass ensemble with your friends??”

Here are some recommendations:

I would first create a reason to get together.  Though playing music for its own sake is enough of a reason to get musicians together, I’ve found having a performance goal is even more motivational…more successful!  Schedule a concert or a performance of one piece for “your ensemble”.  Yes, fearlessly schedule the performance before putting your group together.  Ask any local musician for ideas on finding a place that would host a 5-minute performance from a young group.  Some performance places to consider are churches, a friend’s home, your cafeteria, during the intermission of your band’s concert, or on the concert program of your local school or community band’s rehearsal or concert.

Now you can tell your friends you have a concert coming up, and ask them if they’d like to perform at it!  If they aren’t interested, they’re not for your group!  Be thankful they revealed that to you early in this process.  When you find people who are interested, schedule your first rehearsal!  Before the first rehearsal, get some sheet music together.  Canadian Brass offers endless repertoire choices, including some wonderful brass quintet books that work well for young groups.

http://www.canadianbrassstore.com/coll-instr1-diff1-begin.html

Get together and play through some music.  Have FUN!!  Talk about which music you’d like to perform for your event, and talk about when you can get together again!

Think of a cool name for your group.  Keep scheduling events for your group; schedule rehearsals, concerts, meetings about building your website, listening sessions, and social events. Decide which members are the most successful at speaking to your audience between pieces.  You want to create the type of group an audience will not only want to come see again and again, but also want to bring with them their friends and family.

If you stay busy and committed to excellence, the rest will take care of itself.  Go to concerts together, and talk about what you liked about other groups that are succeeding.  Keep learning how to get better.  Persist, and your audiences will not be able to resist!  Ok, not the best rhyme.  Here’s a much better quote:

Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence.

Talent will not; Nothing is more common than unsuccessful people with talent.

Genius will not; Unrewarded genius is almost a proverb.

Education will not; The world is full of educated derelicts.

Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.

Canadian Brass has been persisting in doing wonderful things in the music world.

Our 2010 performing schedule thus far has taken us to Canada (Sherwood Park – Alberta, Prince Albert – Saskatchewan, Guelph and Barrie – Ontario), Virginia (Newport News and Bridgewater), Washington DC (with US Air Force Academy Orchestra), Oklahoma (Edmond), Indiana (Wabash and Bloomington),

Performance at the Buskirk Chumley Theater in Bloomington, Indiana – Feb 24

Ohio (Oxford – with Miami University Choir, Van Wert, and Elyria),

Performance with the Miami University Choir in Oxford, Ohio – Feb 4

Missouri (St. Louis), Illinois (Cincinnati (Ohio Music Education Conference), Bloomington and Naperville),  and New York (Schenectady).

Canadian Brass’ educational activities have recently seen us at Indiana University Jacobs School of Music,

Post-Concert Pre-Master Class appearance at Indiana University’s WFIU Radio – Feb 24

Post-Concert Pre-Master Class appearance at Indiana University’s WFIU Radio – Feb 24

Post-Concert Pre-Master Class appearance at Indiana University’s WFIU Radio – Feb 24

Illinois State University, Miami University (Oxford, OH)

Chuck is speaking to an audience at Illinois State University – Jan 31.

…and a feature concert at the Ohio Music Educator’s Association Conference in Cincinnati.

Brandon and Gene lead the way to the stage at the OMEA Conference – Jan 28

Chris and Brandon Toccata-ing – Jan 28

Jeff’s Paganini from afar – Jan 28

Canadian Brass is excited about completing a new CD project titled, “Stars and Stripes – Canadian Brass Salute America”.    Our release is scheduled for May 18, 2010.

Stay tuned to www.canadianbrass.com for details!  Here are a few pictures from the recording session.

Maybe not the best way to march with a drum?

Heyyy…come back.  We were just kidding?!

Visuals of our guest instruments.  Wait until you hear what our performers did with them!

The team!!  Arranger Howard Cable on the left, Brandon, Chris, Producers Dixon VanWinkle & MB Daellenbach, Chuck, and recording engineer Philippe Fages.

Canadian Brass is looking forward to a busy summer filled with exciting international travel.  In late April, we’ll be performing in the Canadian Maritimes (Fredrickton and Saint John – New Brunswick).   In May we go to China.  In June and July we go to Holland,  Luxembourg, and Switzerland.  Mid July we go see all Gene’s friends and colleagues at the Trombone Association Convention in Austin Texas!  At the end of the summer we play with the Cleveland Orchestra in their summer home of Blossom.

Please take a look around our new “Fan Stuff” area on our website, and post some pictures of your own.  The older the better!

Take care everybody, and keep breathing!

All the best,

The BRASS