ecarroll

TMers,

The countdown continues and there are only seven days left before starting work at the various schools that I teach at. . .ensemble auditions, meeting new students, and catching up with the old. I've loved the break over the past few weeks but am looking forward to getting started (!)

I'm interested in hearing from those of you that are entering new schools or continuing your studies. What are your specific goals for the year?

Watching here with interest,
EC

mahaberio

The first big thing I have planned this year is a recital. Unfortunately my teacher was on a sabbatical all last quarter of last year and I didn't have the opportunity to discuss it with him. We had a preliminary lesson today (we don't start school until September 17) and he was less than impressed with the program. So, when I thought I had all of that figured out I have to revise the program rather significantly.

My big goals for the year are to really polish where I think my technical skills are lacking so that I can focus a little bit more on repertoire. I'm not that interested in competitions but I think they're nice motivation to learn a piece to the best the of your ability and actually get to perform it. So, I'm looking at possibly entering some competitions. I'm also starting to look into summer programs that would be valuable for the direction I'd like to take my career. Also, it's time to narrow down the list of grad schools I've been looking into and decide which ones I'm going to audition for next year. It looks like it's going to be a very busy (but exciting) year for me.

ecarroll

Matthew,

What was the program that you suggested?

EC

timothypierson

This year I plan on finishing the math classes I need to transfer to the University of Oregon as a performance major. This year I will be performing in the Chamber Orchestra at Lane Community college as well as the jazz ensemble. I'm also planning a recital sometime in October or November. I was going to have one on September 18th but my accompaniest cancelled. I will be performing the Purcell Sonata, the Haydn Concerto, the Thorvald Hansen Sonata, Prayer of St Gregory and Ropartz's Andante and Allegro. Granted it's not a terribly difficult recital but I am more concerned with getting my feet wet and setting myself up for success on my first recital.

I'm also going to spend the year catching up on my music theory. I'm 33 years old and have been back on the horn for 2 years after 10 years off. I am more disciplined than I was 10 years ago. I will be going to school almost full time, work full time, help raise my 2 girls. This is my second year doing this and I still manage to practice 2 to 3 hours a day. Fortunately I can practice while I'm at work.

__________________
Tim Pierson
http://www.myspace.com/timothyepierson

mahaberio

The program was a collection of music by Japanese and former Soviet composers. It included:

Somei Satoh-Hikari (Light)
Akira Nishimura-Halos
Sofia Gubaidulina-Song Without Words, Two Ballads
4 Plays from "Small Fish Tale" (A improv/video piece)
Arvo Pärt-Concerto Piccolo on "B-A-C-H"

His contention was that there should be something more "mainstream."

ecarroll

Tim,

Wonderful. Brian McWhorter is a big-time player, musician, and teacher. It's fabulous that he's going home to Oregon. I agree, by the way, with playing a program that you can easily handle. The Hansen Sonata isn't technically difficult but the form is fabulous and it's very effective (especially if played on the cornet). I assume you know Hakan's recording?

Matthew,

Thinking out loud: add an easily constructed arrangement of pieces from Prokofiev's Romeo and Juliet to your well constructed program (I, for one, really like it) and see what he thinks? You can simply take the piano part and extrapolate lines to play. It's very effective (and "mainstream" as hell).

I also have some other Prokofiev pieces in my studio at CalArts. I'll be out there at the end of next week and will look for them, if you'd like?

Best,
EC
(and I haven't forgotton about Quattro Pezzi)

CGUM

Ed et al,

Mahaberio's program does look really good. And I'll admit I'm a bit jealous since I was trying to get my hands on that Nishimura piece, and other japanese compositions, for the past two months. I have been considering going to nippon just to get it this done. But anyways, His program brings up an interesting point about how to program a recital. I had an interesting conversation with Zony while we were driving around the suburbs of chicagoland. We ended up talking about how does one put together a program. And one example was how Hakan programmed his recent US tour. There were some heavy pieces(Berio, Ligeti, Hindemith) But he also did Honneger Intrada and Enesco Legende, both good and accesible. His pianist also did a few short french pieces which gave a nice breather between the Berio and Ligeti.

So what are some options in planning a recital program?
CG

__________________
Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish.

ecarroll

Charlie,

Recital planning is probably worth it's own thread.

In my (sometimes extreme) opinion, variety is very important but "accessibility" (whatever we decide that means) isn't.

Consider a good jazz set: not every tune has the same energy and groove. An occasional ballad serves as needed balance to high energy music (imagine if everything you listened to was in 22/16!). The language, however, doesn't have to be familiar. What makes someone like Dave Douglas so interesting to me is that I never know what's coming next -- in harmonic language or in orchestration.

A good concert is a shared exercise in deep listening. I believe that absolute committment to the music, coupled with deep listening by all performers, comes first and foremost in successful programming. Add a dash of Satoh and Gubaidulina to your Sequenza and Ligeti program and voila! . . . you're Hakan (note you have to play the absolute devil out of things, with absolute ease, as well).

Watching here with interest,
EC

timothypierson

Ed, I know Hakan's recording and I will be performing it on cornet. When I first went to Lane years ago I played lead in Jazz Lab 2 at the U of O and Brian McWhorter was the solo chair. He was a freshman at the time but you could tell he would do great things. We played Concerto for Cootie and his maturity and technique on the piece was just amazing. It will be great studying with him.

__________________
Tim Pierson
http://www.myspace.com/timothyepierson

mahaberio

Ed,
Thanks for the recommendation. Unfortunately, due to time constraints, whatever is added has to take the place of something else. I will definitely look into the Prokofiev idea. Also, it would be great if you check on the other music for me when you get to CalArts.

Thanks again,
Matthew