Stage 1 California

Schwab · 06-10-2005, 01:23 PM

This is for those of you that don't visit the NYTC forum above, just thought I'd summarize a little:

I finally got my Stage 1 California from the NYTC last Sunday, the horns are fantastic. Felix arrived about an hour before the show in Newark and dropped them off and we decided they were so good we'd play them that afternoon.

Great sound and projection, excellent intonation through all the registers and a nice easy blow. They are going to make my life a lot easier, it was nice to know a note was going to be dead on in tune when you play it. The price is very reasonable too considering all the horn you get. I may have a L bore NY Bach for sale soon.

Just so this horn doesn't get pigeon-holed as strictly a commercial axe, I was down in D.C. visiting a friend last week and thought while I was there I'd take some auditions for experience, the Marine Band in D.C. and the Naval Academy Band in Annapolis.

I ended up coming in 2nd runner up at the Marine Band audition June 6-7, and I WON the Naval Academy Band audition June 8th (I declined the job).

I played the audition on my Stage 1 California.

dbacon · 06-10-2005, 02:52 PM

Where are those trumpets manufactured?

Thanks!!

trickg · 06-10-2005, 03:11 PM

Let me get this straight, you just decided that while you were in town you were going to audition for two of the military's premier bands? Did you send in any kind of audition packet prior to going down or did you just say "Aw shucks, let's see what's cooking over at the President's Own." Did you go down for the specific reason to audition or was it something that you just decided to do on a whim?

The reason that I ask is that having been part of that scene during my time with the Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps - which oddly enough is also considered to be one of the premier bands - you don't just swing by on a whim to audition. You have to send in a packet well in advance containing a recording of your playing, a resume and usually a photo of some sort, and you have to be invited. There are rare occasions where they will waive part of the process, but usually, you have to follow the steps:

1.) Become aware of the vacancy
2.) Prepare a pre-audition application/packet containing
--a.) Your resume detailing your education and experience
--b.) A recording of your playing - sometimes these pieces are prescribed
--c.) a full length photo of yourself - they don't want someone who is going to look bad in uniform or have a hard time passing physical fitness tests or meeting height/weight requirements.
3.) Get an invitation to audition for the slot
4.) Schedule a date for the audition

Most of the time, you MUST do steps 1-4 before you can audition, and it doesn't matter who you are - the military has their own way of doing things. Also, many times there are multiple rounds of auditions and most of the time you don't find out the day of the audition if you won the slot or even made it to the next round.

Question: What did you play for the Academy Band audition?

These are auditions that you don't just take for experience - there are world class players in both of those bands and the only reason they are there and not in some major symphony somewhere is because it allows them to have a steady playing gig with job security.

I'm not saying that you didn't audition and that you didn't win the Navy Academy band slot and your resume suggests that you do in fact have the ability to do it, but you sound so glib about the whole thing when I know for a fact how seriously those bands take the audition process.

I say this as someone who was in one of the premier bands, although I do have to admit that I didn't exactly go through those procedures to get there, I kinda snuck in the door when no one was watching.

Actually, it was 1992 and the Old Guard Fife and Drum corps was in need of multiple buglers and they needed them as fast as they could get them. I found out about the slots from a friend of mine, called them up and scheduled an audition over the phone. I was already an Army Bandsman though, and that helped, and I wasn't fantastic, but they knew that I could do the job and since they basically just needed a warm body, I was in.

Schwab · 06-10-2005, 05:43 PM

Well, what can I say, obviously you haven't auditioned for either of these bands. Send a resume and a fact sheet and show up on time. No photo or recording is necessary, the date of the audition is set and you don't get invited.

There were two auditions a day apart in a town where a friend of mine lived. Brandon Craswell (also 42nd St) and I thought, "Lets drive down and crash at Brad's place and take some auditions after the tour is over." It was mostly a drinking fest with our buddies from school who showed up anyway.

If you think I didn't drink from the open bar at the show's closing night party Sunday night, you best think again. We drove down from Newark, NJ Monday morning at 6:30 after getting 4 hours sleep TOPS, signed in at 11:45 and played. That night we went out drinking until 2:30 A.M. Those guys hit it much harder than I did as I made the next round, but I had my fair share. I was asleep with my head on the windowsill when the guy knocked on my practice room to play in the second round.

If you've ever been on the road you know how hard it is to practice, half the time you can't find a place to play and the other half the time you can't practice anyway because the show hard enough to get through when you're fresh.

Marine Band, sent resume and got the packet, I had taken the Marine Band audition before and knew the list, maybe I ran through it a few times to make sure I had the notes under my fingers, but I sure didn't prepare for the audition. I was #96 at the audition, the last one to play, so they probably had a pretty decent idea of what they were looking for by the time I went in at 5:45 in the afternoon.

Navy Band, sent resume and got packet, looked over the packet during our week off before the last week of the tour, played the last eight 42nd St. shows in Newark without looking at the list and drove to D.C. There you have it.

I guess that makes me a world class player according to you. If for some reason you don't believe me call up the Marines and the Naval Academy band and ask.

Schwab · 06-10-2005, 05:51 PM

P.S. Sorry dbacon, almost forgot about you there. The horns are designed by Felix Vayser in Brooklyn and assembled by First Class Brass Ltd. in England (Eclipse trumpets).

trickg · 06-10-2005, 11:21 PM

Ok, that sounds more like it - you did send in resumes at the very least, and you are right, I have never auditioned for either one of those groups for a couple of reasons. One, I've done as much military time as I care to - 10 years active duty and about 4 in the National Guard, and that ends this July. The second reason is that I really don't think that I would have a prayer auditioning for a groups like those - I'm just not good enough. I might get close, but to actually make it....probably not.

I know that the Fife and Drum requires a recording and a photo, and Pershing's Own requires them as well. It serves to make sure that no one is wasting anyone else's time and it gives them an idea of your current state of physical fitness - if you weigh 300 pounds, you probably wouldn't even be considered because there is little chance that you could actually get your weight down to the point where you wouldn't constantly be on the fat-boy program.

Anyway, sorry to hijack the thread - I've been looking pretty closely at the trumpets coming out of the NYTC for a while and I'm on the list to try out the Phaeton. I think it's cool that there are so many "one-off" companies these days making such good trumpets. It's also good to hear that some of the newer trumpets are making a dent in the "Bach only" mentality that seems to be so prevalent in legit settings.

Congrats on the Navy Band audition - there are worse things you could do with your playing career than taking a slot in a premier military band, especially one in this area. Annapolis is a 30 minute drive from DC and there are a lot of playing opportunities to be had here, and most of those bands get a quite a bit of time off so you could actually be career Navy band AND do lots of gigging and playing on the side. Something to think about anyway.

dbacon · 06-11-2005, 12:15 AM

Some military bandsmen on this web site might remind you of the time they've spent in Iraq.

trickg · 06-11-2005, 08:32 AM

My first day of the Army was August 17th, 1989 and graduated from the School of Music the following year - I have a lot of friends who spent time in Iraq, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia long before the current conflict and I probably could have gone too. I got lucky and got stationed in a band that wasn't attached to a unit that got deployed.

However, with the bands that we are talking about in Annapolis and DC, there is very little chance of getting deployed. If I was still at the Fife and Drum, there would be virtually zero chance of getting deployed - of course the chance is always there and I would have done it had that decision been made. If Dylan changes his mind and decides to accept the job in Annapolis, he'll be stationed permanently with the Annapolis Academy band if I'm not mistaken. I know for a fact that's the way it is with the DC bands and because of their duties in and around the Military District of Washington, they just don't get deployed like some of the division bands or fleet bands do.

Anyhoo....

Dylan, how does that trumpet compare to Bachs and Benges? Schilkes? I see on your website that you own a fair number of Bachs so you probably have a good idea in your mind how it compares in terms of blow, slotting and sound. From your descriptions, it sounds like the Stage 1 California plays and sounds a lot like Schilkes or maybe Calicchios.

NYTC · 06-11-2005, 10:23 AM

Hi Patrick.
A question for you.
What trumpet do you play right now?Your main trumpet.
Thanks,

Felix

Schwab · 06-11-2005, 11:01 AM

The horn plays better than Schilkes, I played a B3 for a while and have tried B5s and B1s. It has an easy blow and great intonation like Schilkes but a better sound. More meat and depth. I never thought the Schilke big horns sounded right, that is why you don't see them everywhere.

The California has slightly less edge than the NY Bach L bore 25 I was playing and slightly less than the Bach ML 72 Brandon was playing as well. That is nice for when you put a small mouthpiece in and go to town, the sound doesn't get overly edgy/bright but instead has a nice fat sound all across the registers.

06-10-2005, 01:23 PM	#1 (permalink)
Schwab Moderator Forte User Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: the road Posts: 1,049	Stage 1 California This is for those of you that don't visit the NYTC forum above, just thought I'd summarize a little: I finally got my Stage 1 California from the NYTC last Sunday, the horns are fantastic. Felix arrived about an hour before the show in Newark and dropped them off and we decided they were so good we'd play them that afternoon. Great sound and projection, excellent intonation through all the registers and a nice easy blow. They are going to make my life a lot easier, it was nice to know a note was going to be dead on in tune when you play it. The price is very reasonable too considering all the horn you get. I may have a L bore NY Bach for sale soon. Just so this horn doesn't get pigeon-holed as strictly a commercial axe, I was down in D.C. visiting a friend last week and thought while I was there I'd take some auditions for experience, the Marine Band in D.C. and the Naval Academy Band in Annapolis. I ended up coming in 2nd runner up at the Marine Band audition June 6-7, and I WON the Naval Academy Band audition June 8th (I declined the job). I played the audition on my Stage 1 California. __________________ Dylan Schwab Stage 1 New York

06-10-2005, 02:52 PM	#2 (permalink)
dbacon Mezzo Piano User Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Scottsdale, AZ. Posts: 579	Where are those trumpets manufactured? Thanks!! __________________ Dave Bacon

06-10-2005, 03:11 PM	#3 (permalink)
trickg Forte User Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Glen Burnie, Maryland Posts: 2,054	Let me get this straight, you just decided that while you were in town you were going to audition for two of the military's premier bands? Did you send in any kind of audition packet prior to going down or did you just say "Aw shucks, let's see what's cooking over at the President's Own." Did you go down for the specific reason to audition or was it something that you just decided to do on a whim? The reason that I ask is that having been part of that scene during my time with the Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps - which oddly enough is also considered to be one of the premier bands - you don't just swing by on a whim to audition. You have to send in a packet well in advance containing a recording of your playing, a resume and usually a photo of some sort, and you have to be invited. There are rare occasions where they will waive part of the process, but usually, you have to follow the steps: 1.) Become aware of the vacancy 2.) Prepare a pre-audition application/packet containing --a.) Your resume detailing your education and experience --b.) A recording of your playing - sometimes these pieces are prescribed --c.) a full length photo of yourself - they don't want someone who is going to look bad in uniform or have a hard time passing physical fitness tests or meeting height/weight requirements. 3.) Get an invitation to audition for the slot 4.) Schedule a date for the audition Most of the time, you MUST do steps 1-4 before you can audition, and it doesn't matter who you are - the military has their own way of doing things. Also, many times there are multiple rounds of auditions and most of the time you don't find out the day of the audition if you won the slot or even made it to the next round. Question: What did you play for the Academy Band audition? These are auditions that you don't just take for experience - there are world class players in both of those bands and the only reason they are there and not in some major symphony somewhere is because it allows them to have a steady playing gig with job security. I'm not saying that you didn't audition and that you didn't win the Navy Academy band slot and your resume suggests that you do in fact have the ability to do it, but you sound so glib about the whole thing when I know for a fact how seriously those bands take the audition process. I say this as someone who was in one of the premier bands, although I do have to admit that I didn't exactly go through those procedures to get there, I kinda snuck in the door when no one was watching. Actually, it was 1992 and the Old Guard Fife and Drum corps was in need of multiple buglers and they needed them as fast as they could get them. I found out about the slots from a friend of mine, called them up and scheduled an audition over the phone. I was already an Army Bandsman though, and that helped, and I wasn't fantastic, but they knew that I could do the job and since they basically just needed a warm body, I was in. __________________ Patrick Gleason email me at: trickg1@hotmail.com "What we do in life echoes in eternity" "At my signal, unleash hell." - Maximus Decimus Meridius

06-10-2005, 05:43 PM	#4 (permalink)
Schwab Moderator Forte User Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: the road Posts: 1,049	Well, what can I say, obviously you haven't auditioned for either of these bands. Send a resume and a fact sheet and show up on time. No photo or recording is necessary, the date of the audition is set and you don't get invited. There were two auditions a day apart in a town where a friend of mine lived. Brandon Craswell (also 42nd St) and I thought, "Lets drive down and crash at Brad's place and take some auditions after the tour is over." It was mostly a drinking fest with our buddies from school who showed up anyway. If you think I didn't drink from the open bar at the show's closing night party Sunday night, you best think again. We drove down from Newark, NJ Monday morning at 6:30 after getting 4 hours sleep TOPS, signed in at 11:45 and played. That night we went out drinking until 2:30 A.M. Those guys hit it much harder than I did as I made the next round, but I had my fair share. I was asleep with my head on the windowsill when the guy knocked on my practice room to play in the second round. If you've ever been on the road you know how hard it is to practice, half the time you can't find a place to play and the other half the time you can't practice anyway because the show hard enough to get through when you're fresh. Marine Band, sent resume and got the packet, I had taken the Marine Band audition before and knew the list, maybe I ran through it a few times to make sure I had the notes under my fingers, but I sure didn't prepare for the audition. I was #96 at the audition, the last one to play, so they probably had a pretty decent idea of what they were looking for by the time I went in at 5:45 in the afternoon. Navy Band, sent resume and got packet, looked over the packet during our week off before the last week of the tour, played the last eight 42nd St. shows in Newark without looking at the list and drove to D.C. There you have it. I guess that makes me a world class player according to you. If for some reason you don't believe me call up the Marines and the Naval Academy band and ask. __________________ Dylan Schwab Stage 1 New York

06-10-2005, 05:51 PM	#5 (permalink)
Schwab Moderator Forte User Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: the road Posts: 1,049	P.S. Sorry dbacon, almost forgot about you there. The horns are designed by Felix Vayser in Brooklyn and assembled by First Class Brass Ltd. in England (Eclipse trumpets). __________________ Dylan Schwab Stage 1 New York

06-10-2005, 11:21 PM	#6 (permalink)
trickg Forte User Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Glen Burnie, Maryland Posts: 2,054	Ok, that sounds more like it - you did send in resumes at the very least, and you are right, I have never auditioned for either one of those groups for a couple of reasons. One, I've done as much military time as I care to - 10 years active duty and about 4 in the National Guard, and that ends this July. The second reason is that I really don't think that I would have a prayer auditioning for a groups like those - I'm just not good enough. I might get close, but to actually make it....probably not. I know that the Fife and Drum requires a recording and a photo, and Pershing's Own requires them as well. It serves to make sure that no one is wasting anyone else's time and it gives them an idea of your current state of physical fitness - if you weigh 300 pounds, you probably wouldn't even be considered because there is little chance that you could actually get your weight down to the point where you wouldn't constantly be on the fat-boy program. Anyway, sorry to hijack the thread - I've been looking pretty closely at the trumpets coming out of the NYTC for a while and I'm on the list to try out the Phaeton. I think it's cool that there are so many "one-off" companies these days making such good trumpets. It's also good to hear that some of the newer trumpets are making a dent in the "Bach only" mentality that seems to be so prevalent in legit settings. Congrats on the Navy Band audition - there are worse things you could do with your playing career than taking a slot in a premier military band, especially one in this area. Annapolis is a 30 minute drive from DC and there are a lot of playing opportunities to be had here, and most of those bands get a quite a bit of time off so you could actually be career Navy band AND do lots of gigging and playing on the side. Something to think about anyway. __________________ Patrick Gleason email me at: trickg1@hotmail.com "What we do in life echoes in eternity" "At my signal, unleash hell." - Maximus Decimus Meridius

06-11-2005, 12:15 AM	#7 (permalink)
dbacon Mezzo Piano User Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Scottsdale, AZ. Posts: 579	Some military bandsmen on this web site might remind you of the time they've spent in Iraq. __________________ Dave Bacon

06-11-2005, 08:32 AM	#8 (permalink)
trickg Forte User Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Glen Burnie, Maryland Posts: 2,054	My first day of the Army was August 17th, 1989 and graduated from the School of Music the following year - I have a lot of friends who spent time in Iraq, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia long before the current conflict and I probably could have gone too. I got lucky and got stationed in a band that wasn't attached to a unit that got deployed. However, with the bands that we are talking about in Annapolis and DC, there is very little chance of getting deployed. If I was still at the Fife and Drum, there would be virtually zero chance of getting deployed - of course the chance is always there and I would have done it had that decision been made. If Dylan changes his mind and decides to accept the job in Annapolis, he'll be stationed permanently with the Annapolis Academy band if I'm not mistaken. I know for a fact that's the way it is with the DC bands and because of their duties in and around the Military District of Washington, they just don't get deployed like some of the division bands or fleet bands do. Anyhoo.... Dylan, how does that trumpet compare to Bachs and Benges? Schilkes? I see on your website that you own a fair number of Bachs so you probably have a good idea in your mind how it compares in terms of blow, slotting and sound. From your descriptions, it sounds like the Stage 1 California plays and sounds a lot like Schilkes or maybe Calicchios. __________________ Patrick Gleason email me at: trickg1@hotmail.com "What we do in life echoes in eternity" "At my signal, unleash hell." - Maximus Decimus Meridius

06-11-2005, 10:23 AM	#9 (permalink)
NYTC Forte User Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Brooklyn,NY Posts: 1,062	Hi Patrick. A question for you. What trumpet do you play right now?Your main trumpet. Thanks, Felix __________________ www.NewYorkTrumpetCompany.com Stage 1 Trumpets

06-11-2005, 11:01 AM	#10 (permalink)
Schwab Moderator Forte User Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: the road Posts: 1,049	The horn plays better than Schilkes, I played a B3 for a while and have tried B5s and B1s. It has an easy blow and great intonation like Schilkes but a better sound. More meat and depth. I never thought the Schilke big horns sounded right, that is why you don't see them everywhere. The California has slightly less edge than the NY Bach L bore 25 I was playing and slightly less than the Bach ML 72 Brandon was playing as well. That is nice for when you put a small mouthpiece in and go to town, the sound doesn't get overly edgy/bright but instead has a nice fat sound all across the registers. __________________ Dylan Schwab Stage 1 New York

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