A Quick, beginning of Summer Update---and going on a trip!

It has been a while. I have moved into my summer apartment in Oxford, moved out of my old one, and basically been pushing ahead on this project. I am at 20 pages single spaced, and by the way it is looking, it will probably be 200 pages...what did I get myself into!

Since the end of school, I had a hard time getting over a couple personal things and was hurt, but I am an easier road, just lots of academic stress. I mean, I am starting to feel like many professional tubists, where practice time is valued due to being so busy with other required things. I haven't really been out to any bars or hanging out, a couple games of Star Craft after a long day, but I did see my first Red's game.

Anyways, I am sitting at an Arby's now, since there is free internet. Before helping my friend Mark with his brass choir he started up in El Dorado area, I noticed one of my tires was losing air...and had a screw in it. Anyways, took it to Wal Mart this morning (since the nearest Discount Tire was an hour and a half), and the "tech" said I had less than 2/32" on my tire at the edge, which has a little wear, but he didn't even measure from the right spot. They are repaving 27NB with asphalt, and of course with it being fresh asphalt and hot outside, I got some in my tire sipes, and the "tech" didn't even see that. Then, I noticed my left signal light was burnt out. This is the one I had to superglue in after my accident back in October. I am driving to California (read later on) and don't want to be pulled over there for things not working. I fixed the signal, got a hair cut, and tried to find a place to fix my tire.

Now, I go to Monroe brake and repair shop, and they quote me for $30, a service Discount Tire does FREE to EVERYONE if repairable! Anyways, I took my teacher's advice and tried the old BP station in town, and they charged the same rate, and couldn't work on my car till tomorrow morning. I took it back to Monroe to get an oil change 12000 miles overdue (okay...I add oil every month), and I get a 3 hour wait quote for that and the tire. So I walk to Arbys, maybe can get some work done on the project.

Now, why am I going to California? I got invited to go to the Atlantic Brass Seminar near San Francisco, CA! It was a last minute thing, and had to make a decision since this project is important. EVERYONE I have talked to about these music festivals has only had great things to say, that they are fun, but being around only top musicians who want to be there and great teachers is always a plus, so I decided to make the drive out. Plus, when your teacher recommends you to do something, especially when you get invited out, you do it!

I leave Friday morning, I might sleep in my car at night, do annotations on the drive while resting and sleeping, so I should probably get to eating and this project.

The Best of Times, the Worst of Times

The last few days have been very emotional for me. With all the commencement ceremonies and last times with my good friends over the last 2 years, I have cried a little. So many good times have now come to an end. I move most of my big stuff out of my apartment (nicknamed tuba manor) for my summer place at Cody/Dave's place, and it is just so sad that this is coming to an end.

I helped my neighbor Dorian move out most of his stuff on Sunday. Dorian was the trumpet GA the last two years, and has been a very great friend and mentor to me. He was the one who made me try my first beer the night before I turned 23, teaching me how to have a good time, making me hang out, and more importantly through this I began to relax. All the meetings in the neighboring apartment we had, all the knocks on my window to wake me up for 8am theory and 8am ear training, all the good times.

When we were moving the big stuff, like megabox and ultimate laundry out of his apartment, emotions just hit me. Friday (when he comes back) will be the last time I see him for a long while, and the same with my other friends. I am going to have grad friends here from everywhere from Boston to California to Florida to Nebraska and everywhere in between, and starting next year at The Ohio State University, I am going to have to try to make a new bunch of friends. I guess that will be hard, since I am not very good at meeting new people, and being a Doctorate student, that will even be harder. All I can do is be optimistic and hope for the best.

The Big Decision in Life!

I wanted to put this up a week ago, but got caught up in many personal things which have gotten me a little down and sad recently. With that being said, performed Pictures at an Exhibition last night...Bydlo was great minus one frack, and my main tuning slide fell out while playing on the Great Gate of Kiev (too much air I guess). Played the Lebedev Concert Allegro tonight, and it did NOT go as well as expected. I guess it went well because I got praise from non-brass music professors, but with my 2nd valve sticking on my CC and not really ready, I am just not happy with the performance.

So while sanding down my valve guide, I realized I have what is called performance frustration. I get knots in my throat, body gets tense, and I have to fight to have the big, dark tone I am known for. I guess the ONLY cure is to RELAX and RELAX IN LIFE. All my TMJ problems can probably be linked to stress and hard work...as a dentist said (thus the neck pains and such related are all due to stress). Relaxing is the ONE thing I need to work on, and as I start my DMA, my main goal is to RELAX, as that is the ONE thing keeping me from getting the job I need.

I need to get my CC tuba cleaned, flushed, valves aligned, new guides and springs, etc., but I just don't have $300 to do that. I will have to make do for now.

With that being said, I have decided on a DMA school. I am going to Ohio State University on the teaching associateship for tuba. I am excited about this, and am planning a visit Tuesday.

Post-Recital Thoughts

It has been a while since I have posted anything, mainly been busy preparing for the recital (including the hearing), grading concert reports, and gigs. I had some pretty nice gigs, including playing Liszt Les Preludes and Brahms Symphony No. 2 with the ONU Symphony Orchestra as a gig. I used CC on both pieces, and both, especially the Brahms appear on major audition lists. I also played an Palm Sunday Cantata on CC and a nice Easter gig on F tuba. Making over $700 in a month for playing is good, but very busy.

So last Monday I had my Master's recital. I was freaking out about it and the hearing, all the stress from last minute scheduling, finding a pianist, and learning the repertoire nearly sent me over the edge. On the night of the recital, I had a rehearsal with the Hamilton-Fairfield Youth Symphony Orchestra, and the parts they gave were string bass parts. I could have skipped this, but the young man who was playing tuba in there had auditioned here at Miami and it was a joint event. I played with the group on the string bass parts, told him the situation, and still played a long rehearsal. As a professional who gives recitals, sometimes it is good to give service.

I cut my bottom lip while shaving, then while transporting the cake to the green room, I got cake all over my suit. Luckily it didn't get on my shirt so I had to lose the jacket only. Nothing else could possibly go wrong!

I was extremely heavy on the Corelli Violin Sonata I transcribed on the hearing, but after listening to the recital, it sounded like a different player, much more style appropriate and lighter. I am happy with this one (and the whole recital)

I talked about the Penderecki and the "passion" behind the work. I spent a great deal talking about what music is (that it isn't always pretty, etc...might make a blog just on this), but I honestly don't remember playing it. I (of course) did not play it perfectly. I have not EVER heard this work played perfectly live, even by some highly respected professional tubists. However, I had command of my intrepretation. I guess the talk before allowed me to express some emotions I have about Eastern European music. I remember playing one point where I thought Souers Recital Hall was going to explode due to being extremely loud, and just let the music take control. I am very happy with this.

I had a very rough horn change going to CC on the Lebedev Concert Allegro, but it didn't sound as bad on the recording. It started too fast and I have to take what the accompaniment gives me.

The DeMars Tapestry III was a cool piece, turned off the lights, not perfect, but the parts I was worried about clarity actually sounded pretty clean on the recording...maybe I need to record more. The Ewazen went pretty well, had some intonation issues due to being tired, but as always with my playing, the energy (3rd movement especially) was ever present. I ended up by playing Dumitru Ionel's Rumanian Dance No. 2 memorized and standing, I sounded brighter from standing but it was energetic as well. Had some fun times at Steinkeller's German Restaurant afterwards, and was real enjoyable.

I listen to the recordings, and upon first listen, they sound great, then on the next few listens, they sound horrible, but then they sound good again. I guess I am critical on my playing more than any other person. I mean, I complained today for having too dark of a sound because it wasn't what I perfectly envisioned. I am an extreme perfectionist, and my ear grows fast...

But it doesn't matter what I think right? (Well it does, but as a performance major, I will never be happy...I have heard the best of the best in the tuba world play...one of ones even played on my F tuba....in tune...with an amazing tone). Everyone at the recital said I should be happy of the recital, that it was a great recital, high level of playing, etc. I guess that is what matters most, that I entertained a crowd and they enjoyed tuba playing...thats why we do music....right? I even heard some students singing the Rumanian Dance no 2 as they were leaving; people who are in intro to music classes who are not majors.

NOW FOR THE IMPORTANT PART!

So this weekend, one of the graduate pianists, Carolyn (one of my recital's accompanist) organized something where all the graduate students can perform as a big group one last time, before everyone goes to their next life destination, all across the world. For this, I chose the Lebedev. I rehearsed it today, and it sounds like a different player. I was having tone issues due to lips or whatever, but I was told I sounded much darker than at my recital (and I generally am told I have a dark tone), and that I sounded even more relaxed, more musical, more accurate, etc. on this. I asked myself why. I know why...because this is something I do for fun! There is no stress no need to worry, etc. I need to do this...I mean several places where I auditioned at for DMA, my current professor, and one of the biggest names in brass pedagogy (who teaches at a place nicknamed "Tuba Mecca") said this is the main thing I need to work on...and I just proved everyone right.

Oh, I decided on a school for next year :)

A Penderecki Progress: Sunday March 20, 2011

So, I have decided to start a blog, nothing big, and if you don't like it, you don't have to read it.

Yesterday, the Miami University Brass Choir was asked to play at the New Now Norse New Music Festival at North Kentucky University. Before we went on, I was asked to play the Penderecki Capriccio for solo tuba. I agreed, since it is good experience. It had been over a week since I worked on the piece...and it is an extremely difficult piece. As I returned home yesterday afternoon, I spent a few hours on the piece working it back up.

So today comes, I wake up at 7am (which is the earliest I have woken up in weeks) and drove to NKU. I warmed up a little, and my face let me know it was too early, and I was a little dehydrated. I decided to take what I learned from the last 2 auditions and apply it here, and not to make excuses. I was asked to talk about the piece, and as I was walking up, 50 minutes without playing a note, I didn't feel nervous, however I was when I started talking because my voice sounded like I was shaking. I sat down and began to play.

I fudged the first pedal Eb on the first line, but I kept going. I fracked a couple high notes, and kept going, and finished. I didn't feel focused like I wanted to, something I worked on at my final audition with the professor. My interpretation for the piece includes an ongoing conversation of the Polish peasants cries against the communist regime, and that is what I have been working at, but not all of those might have come out. I don't know what really came out, but I finished, and I was pretty pleased with the performance. There are a couple things I want to improve upon, and better physical conditions will help those, but just to convey my interpretation even more clearly and shape the phrases even more.

After the performance, all the composers that were present congratulated me on a nice performance. One of the composers afterwards said she had heard many pro players "crash and burn" on the piece, and I was afraid I had done that, but then she said I played it very musically and accurate on such a hard piece. Other composers were asking me questions on extended techniques and what would work after the performance. I know I still have stuff to work on in this magnificent work, and one of the things that is going to help is spending an hour a week (thats all I need) in two 30 minute sessions keeping this up and keep going with it.

Most importantly, I learned a lot today. I have heard a few pro players play this piece who played it very accurately in a live setting, and no one yet has played it note perfect note wise, or without cracking a note. The impressive performances I have heard of this piece have cracked notes and missed notes, etc., but the musical line and interpretation is what I really like about those performances, and what makes it a great performance. I feel, after my recital, I could rent a studio for 3 hours and make one heck of a recording of this piece. I might not want to release it on a CD yet, but I think the recording would be really good and would be releasable.

James M Green, from Oxford, OH