January 13 , 2009

Happy New Year!

This Spring is looking to be as busy and fun as ever! I've got several recitals and such coming up. In addition to teaching adjunct at Texas State University in San Marcos, I will also be teaching at Texas Lutheran University in Seguin. Also, I passed all my comprehensive exams last semester, which means (God-willing) I should finish my DMA this Spring. Woohoo!

September 6 , 2009

This summer, I got my tonsils out. It is amazing to me that when children get their tonsils out, they must be told not to yell the day after the procedure. I tried my best to avoid talking for weeks. My throat hurt!

As far as trumpet playing, that's part of the reason my tonsils came out. My right tonsil blocked the right side of my throat completely, which of course, makes blowing efficiently perhaps impossible. Playing seemed to aggrevate the usual problems that people with huge tonsils have, and more than that, I was exhausted from fighting a chronic infection. I always had noticeable tonsils until the last year, but the Austin environment seems to have triggered something.

After the tonsils came out, I didn't play for a month. When I started playing again, it felt really different than it had in a long time. Within minutes, it became obvious how much easier this was going to be than what I was used to doing. Interestingly, my throat definitely had its limits. I think most trumpeters get tired in their faces first, physically. My throat would get tired or irritated, and I would have to stop. Playing too high, too loud, and too long also seemed to make things worse. A couple months into playing though, and that is barely an issue. My doctor told me that it could take up to six months to feel normal, so every now and then I notice something is up, especially after a long playing-day, but mostly, I'm really thankful to be able to play without all the inconveniences of huge tonsils.

May 29 , 2009

I am one week done with the spring semester at UT and one week away from the beginning of the summer semester. I had a blast working with everyone at Texas State, had a really nice time this spring at UT, and I have really enjoyed sleeping enough every night since classes ended.

My first couple weeks of June are interesting. I am playing my first DMA recital on June 6th (2pm in Bates Recital Hall on the UT campus). I'm excited about the program. One of the pieces is this arrangement of Vivaldi's Concerto in G for two mandolins. This setting is for two piccolo trumpets, harpsichord and cello. It's always interesting when you take the jump from arranging on paper or in your head to reality. I find it sometimes hard to keep playing in the first reading because my brain is so busy evaluating my arranging choices. Anyways, this piece has come together nicely, and I couldn't ask for a better group of people with whom to do it for the first time. (They are Matt Carter on trumpet, Chuck Dillard on harpsichord, and Julia Cory on cello. Chuck Dillard is also playing piano on the other pieces on the concert.) Other than the Vivaldi, I'm playing the Halsey Stevens Sonata (for the first time, even though everyone who plays trumpet seems to have played this), Bellstedt's Napoli, Brandt's Concert Piece No. 2, and Stanley Friedman's Solus. I'm playing Solus, a relatively new work for unaccompanied trumpet with some interesting extended techniques, between Napoli and the Brandt, two very tonal and conventional works. It should be an entertaining contrast.

Shortly after the recital, I'm getting my grotesquely huge tonsils removed. They've gotten bigger in the last couple years, and playing-wise, they're very distracting. I'm really excited to see how my playing changes when my airway isn't blocked. I have to take a few weeks off playing after getting the tonsils out, so that will be different. However, I've opted for a busy summer school schedule to keep myself distracted. The whole thing should be interesting.

February 6, 2009

Things have been a whirlwind lately. The spring semester has started both at UT and Texas State University, where I'm the sabbatical replacement professor for Jack Laumer. I have thirteen students who are all really neat to teach! We're doing a recital together on February 18th at the TSU recital studio. (I don't know where it is--I'm sure to find out though. I recommend you check out their website if you'd like to go. I hope to post it on here, but no promises that I'll be on top of it.

And, for everyone who noted, I can say nobody's grabbed my trumpet or played my valves lately. Things have just been getting better. :-)

Oh, also, I'm going to be at TMEA in San Antonio next week. UT students, as part of the orchestra based on what I understand, have been recruited to accompany the All-State Choirs. I'll be in the orchestra with the Mixed Choir. That means I'll be there with Sonaré and playing. I looked at my schedule, and it looks like I have to be ready to play by 7:30 Saturday morning for a rehearsal. I'm sure it will be fine, but yikes! I'll also be at Sonaré booth #125 Friday afternoon and some on Saturday as well. Oh! Check out my new photo with my Sonaré trumpet up top of this page. Ethan Ham took this and some other neat ones. Not really related to the portraits and trumpet stuff, I really like a lot of his art photos.

November 13, 2008

I have one rant right now, and I'm not quite sure what to do about it.

I've noticed in Austin that when I go play at events, people will try and play the valves of my trumpet when I'm talking and holding the instrument, before and after events. I've never really had to deal with this, and honestly, I feel a little violated. You would never walk up to someone and go through their purses, or try to push the buttons on someone's camera. When I give my token response, (Hey, that's mine!) I get, "oh, I played trumpet in high school." I like that people have knowledge of the trumpet, and I'm excited that they're excited, but I suspect it's a little like pregnant women who have strangers walk up to them and touch their bellies. It's just not right.

Other than that though, I'm really enjoying that the high today is 70ish. Sorry for those Albuquerqueans who are dealing with freezing temperatures, but not missing that aspect of home (or most of the Northern hemisphere, really) at all. ;-)

October 9, 2008

UT Thoughts: Oh my goodness. Things here have been going great--better than I could have hoped, really. I'm really enjoying the University of Texas and all it has to offer. I've really enjoyed going and hearing all the guest artist recitals-so far David Kim (Concertmaster of the Philedalphia Orchestra) , and Stephanie Jutt (flute professor at University of Wisconsin, Madison) have been my favorites. I'm playing, right now, in Jerry Junkin's Wind Ensemble, Dan Welcher's New Music Ensemble, and Guido Olivieri's Early Music Ensemble. I get everything written from the 1600s to yesterday, and it's a blast. I have been blessed with many wonderful teachers, and Ray Sasaki is no exception. Coming here was the right thing to do for me.

In other exciting news, I've been looking for a new B-flat trumpet for a long time now, and a month ago, my old teacher, Bob Dorer of the Minnesota Orchestra called and asked if I'd found one. Long story short, Bob is recently a Sonare artist and suggested that I try out their horns. I need to preface this by saying Bob has been involved in most of the trumpets I've ever purchased, going back to when I was maybe 13 years old, and I (and my parents) have always trusted his advice.) I went to San Antonio and tried out a Sonare B-flat, and it was like Christmas. Then, when I reported back, he put me in touch with the Sonare Winds people, and voila! I am a Sonare artist. Neat! So, mostly because I am totally into the instrument (and a little because I'm on their roster,) go try out a Sonare for fun. And, if you get one, please don't practice too much (like I have been) just because it's so cool.