trumpetmike

There are times when you are teaching that you find yourself close to slashing your wrists, despairing of your students inability to practise.
There are times when you are close to tears when they fail miserably at a scales test, when all you ask them is C major, for the 4th week running.
There are times when they cause you to tear your hair out.

Then there are those times when one of your students causes a lump to rise in your throat and it is a good thing.

I work with a number of youth groups during the working week and have students in each of them. In the "top" ensemble (the Surrey County Youth Wind Orchestra) we tend to do quite challenging works that require the players to work in various different styles. One piece we are currently working on is The TV Detectives, by Nigel Hess, which requires one of the section to don the mantle of Philip McCann. The staff deciuded that the only fair way to find out who would be playing this solo (which is a very different style to that which most of our students are taught) would be to audition the whole section. We listened to everyone, got it down to the final three (all of which happen to be TM registered) and then got them playing it on a cornet, to get closer to the sound we were looking for.
Due to the fact that I teach two and know all three of these students it wasn't just going to be my decision. It was honestly a very difficult decision, each of the three had something that we all loved.
I was blown away when I heard the three of them, especially the person who will be doing the solo.

Having been up to see Manny at the Proms, our cornet soloist is well aware of how big the Albert Hall is and is now (hopefully) practising so that she can keep up the TM standard of excellence that he laid down - Manny, so kind of you to set the bar so high.

So, if anyone wants to hear Hannahthegreat88 playing a lovely little cornet solo, be at the Albert Hall on November 21st.


Normally it would be a student posting how pleased they are to be playing somewhere like that, but heck, I am allowed to be a proud teacher every now and then

ecarroll

Terrific, Mike. Congratulations to you both!

Best,
EC

trumpetmike

Ed - she did the work, not me - I had never heard her play like that

ecarroll

TM,

I understand. . .we should never take credit for our student's success or failure, but it's nice for you just the same. I get far more enjoyment from the success of one of my students than my own. Far more.

Cheers,
EC

rowuk

Could you YouTube the excerpt? I'll have a tough time getting to see it live!

__________________
Whenever I feel blue, I start breathing again.

trumpetmike

Now that is a lovely thought - the problem would be that it is with a youth band and and video would probably include pictures of players under 18, meaning that posting any picture/video online would have possible legal implications. Time to try and persuade Hannah to persuade her young colleagues that this should happen.

The fact that I only have a phone capable of recording video might mean that the quality is not the greatest, but we shall see.

Hannahthegreat88

Hello, yeah its me who has to play the solo at the albert hall! im very pleased that i got picked to play it but im just hoping i wont get too nervous, so if anyone has any advice about controlling nerves it would be very much appreciated and also anything about playing in a large place (especially seeing as im only a very small person!)

Alex Yates

CONGRATULATIONS!!! I am so very happy for you Hannah. Keep up the great work and enjoy the journey!

Eclipsehornplayer

Congratulations.....

Know that your TM friends support you and are cheering for you even if we're unable to be in the hall.

__________________
Eclipse MHY Bb Trumpet with interchangable leadpipes
Bach 229 25A C Trumpet
Getzen Capri Bb Cornet
GR & Monette mouthpieces

Liad Bar-EL

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hannahthegreat88 Hello, yeah its me who has to play the solo at the albert hall! im very pleased that i got picked to play it but im just hoping i wont get too nervous, so if anyone has any advice about controlling nerves it would be very much appreciated and also anything about playing in a large place (especially seeing as im only a very small person!)

From my experience, you do not need to look at the people when you're playing and it is kind of hard to do if the spot light is on you. Take your mind off the people. Feel the band/orchestra/group playing with you and enjoy it. This will come through your music. Take your mind off the people. You might want to look at the conductor now and then but take your mind............ It might help your nervousness if you take your mind off the people and put it on to your music. How does one put their mind on their music? One way is to take your mind off the people in the audience.

How do I know this? When in high school, I was chosen the best musician in a Michigan contest and was to make a solo performance in front of thousands of people with the Shriners Band I think of Grand Rapids, Michigan. As I walked out onto the stage I was floored and shocked to see all the people, the lights were burning my eyes to see them and then they went blurry when the spot light hit me. I missed my cue to come in but recovered after a few bars.

Once you start playing, your nervousness will calm down, you'll feel the music and will enjoy it. Did I mention to take your mind off the people and put it on to your music?

Good luck,

Liad