I had my first full orchestral gig in over two years today...stupid COVID. Yeah, I got to play in an impromptu orchestra that played with the Whatcom Chorale up in Bellingham, WA, consisting mostly of players from the Bellingham Philharmonic. I knew that the Philharmonic was up in Bellingham, and had actually played with them back in 2009 as an offstage horn on Mahler 2...that was back when the orchestra was called the Whatcom Symphony. It's a community orchestra, but has a lot of talent. The concert was sort of a tribute to Ukraine, so it had a lot of uplifting early-Romantic works by Mendelssohn and others. The highlight with the Beethoven Choral Fantasy, a piece that I love and got to play at CWU. This time, I played 2nd horn, which was a nice change. It was a fun concert, and glad to get playing with an orchestra again.

I've been trying my best to deal with a great deal of stress lately...more than I ever have before. And this is legitimate stress, too! I feel like my horn playing has been suffering. I have really low endurance and my high range is having a lot of trouble working. It hasn't felt like this since my early days of horn playing...it's really kind of scary right now. I am just hoping that it's something that will go away and I'll be back to my normal self again soon. I have a big concert this summer that I really need my high range for. This definitely isn't because I've been playing too much...on the contrary, I haven't been playing very much for the last couple of months. I just need to make sure that I get a good warm up in every day, and a good cool down, and to not push it too much if I'm tired.

I just finished a really great arrangement of the last movement of "The Pines of Rome" for brass choir. I've scored it for 6 trumpets, 4 horns, 4 trombones and 2 tubas, plus percussion and the 6 offstage buccine parts (2 trumpets, 2 horns & 2 trombones). I have hopes to play this at my brass camp this summer, but I'm just hoping we have the right players for it. This isn't going to be easy! But, with the right players, we could sound really good on this, and I know that everyone there is going to love it! I have such a great history with this piece...

What is that history, you ask? Well, when I was a high school senior I visited CWU in March. I remember hearing them perform on a Sunday, and they played Brahms 4. The next day they started a new program, and were playing Pines of Rome. I attended that rehearsal, only to find out they didn't have a 4th horn, so I got to do it. I played it that summer at a music camp, as well, that time on 1st horn. I also played it on 1st at CWU, which happened a year after the CWU Orchestra conductor, Nik Caoile, and I had played through the last movement together before a rehearsal once. I remember I had gotten to rehearsal early and played random orchestral excerpts (like I always did), and I was playing Pines that day. Dr. Caoile heard me doing that, grabbed his score from his office, and told me to start from the quiet horn calls in the 4th movement. We played it together all the way to the end. I like to think that I had an influence on him programing that piece the next year. And then, I played the last movement with the brass section of the Army Field Band at CWU when they visited the following year, I believe.

And now I hope to do it with my beloved students, and share my experiences and knowledge with this piece.

I still really want to get original writing in, but I just haven't done it yet...

​Take care and value music.

The Washington State Solo & Ensemble Contest has come and gone, and I just have to say this right off the bat: 

What a blast!

I had a very fun time this weekend. I knew it would be. Helping my students prepare for this prestigious event and watching them perform was extremely fulfilling. Being at CWU again and seeing a lot of old friends who are teachers was also amazing. It felt like I was in school again, to be honest.

My students all played well, but unfortunately none of them brought home a medal. My Penn Cove Brass played their best, but it just wasn't enough, according to the judges, to get all "Superior" scores. I was baffled in the moment as to why they didn't get all "Superiors", but after going back and listening to the recording of them, I noticed small little things that could have gone better. I dunno, though, I still think they deserved all "Superiors"...

The quartet from the Penn Cove Brass also played well, but a few extra things went wrong with their performance, including a couple clouting errors, and some rhythmic precision. 

My soloists...well, let's just say it was a rollercoaster day for me, in the end. Some of them played better than they hoped, and some didn't. Some got better scores than they thought they would, some didn't. Some came out of their performance smiling, some came out crying, or cried after getting their scores. I felt really bad for those who didn't do as well overall, but I stayed positive for them the best I could...because what good would it have done if I was critical at that moment?

I had just one performed get all "Superior" scores, and it was my all-state trombonist, Lola. She is my best student right now, and really represented herself well and all the practice she has done in her career already. Haha, she was really shocked when I showed her the comment sheets with her scores.

I came aware either realizing or a learning a lot of stuff. The big realization I have is that this competition is hard, and no matter how hard we've worked and how good a student or group is sounding, you really can't expect anything here. The competition is too high, and the judges grade very strictly and meticulously. I really need to encourage a solid overall practice regimen for all of my students, which includes good fundamentals, and not be afraid to work that stuff with them. Sometimes I stay away from certain meticulous aspects of their playing because I worry that they won't enjoy it. But I think they will enjoy the result better in the end, so I should stick to it. I need to make a better lesson plan for them all each week, so that I can give them all that I've got. What it comes down to is that I need to start getting them ready for next year right now!

So that's what we'll do. Actually, the All-Northwest audition music was recently announced, so we're gonna get on that, too. But we've got a whole year to get these guys ready for Solo & Ensemble, so I am very excited.

I'm also excited to get my own practice routine going again. April has been the worst month of playing for me in years. May will be much different than that, and I'll get some new recordings done soon. Haha, I've got a really fun and challenging one planned...let's just hope I do it.

​Take care and value music.

So after the regional Solo & Ensemble competitions were finished, I had 4 soloists and 2 ensembles going to State. I did hav several students where were 1st or 2nd alternate, as well. The alternates are ones who were good enough to go to State but didn't win, and were selected should the winner be unable to attend, or if there was a region that didn't have a representative in that category. I'm not sure how they determine which alternate from which region to attend, but however they do it, 3 more of my students were selected to go to State, so I know have 7 soloists and 2 ensembles going! Wow!

I'm excited about each and every one of these students, too. Here's why:

Daniel: He's a senior trumpeter down at South Kitsap High School, and used to go to Oak Harbor. He's been doing virtual lessons for years (long before it was cool), and still has managed to improve tremendously. He was one of my two principal trumpets in my brass ensemble for a long time, and always has had this amazing sound. He's playing the Ropartz "Andante & Allegro", and has come a very long way with it.

Paige: She's a senior trumpeter here in Oak Harbor. She's been sort of an on-off lesson student of mine, but has constantly been in the brass ensemble since the beginning, so we both consider her one of my students. I'm been working with her on helping her prepare her solo, the Balay "Petite Piece Concertante", which she played to win the trumpet solo category here in the SJMEA Region. She has been a consistent leader in my brass ensembles and a very confident player, able to handle anything technically demanding with ease. This experience has been great for her to help her with her musical playing.

Isadora: She's a junior trumpeter at Oak Harbor High School, and has really been kind of like an "underdog story" or "comeback kid". She has probably been my most hardest-working student ever, coming from just being an average player to being one of the leaders in her school, one who has really impressed me and her band teacher. She shows that hard work is just as good as talent, and she remembers well the musical details in her piece. She's also playing the Balay "Petite Piece Concertante". She was a the runner-up to Paige, and so I'm veery happy she gets to have this prestigious opportunity!

Keilani: She's a senior hornist in Oak Harbor, and sort of another "underdog" story. She started playing trumpet in in 8th grade, and switched to horn a couple years later. So she kind of got a late start on brass, but has a lot of natural talent, so things have come easy for her. She won the solo horn category here in the SJMEA region with the 1st Richard Strauss Concerto. She's come such a long way on the horn in a short time, developing a really nice sound.

Ethan: He's a freshmen hornist at Oak Harbor High School, and was a runner-up to Keilani. He's always been an outstanding player for his age, and he's had a lot of experience playing some very difficult music being a part of my brass ensemble program and the brass camp. I could consider him "battle-hardened". He's been an amazing horn student since he started it in 6th grade with me after doing trumpet lessons for a year. I'm very excited for him to go as a freshmen to this thing. He's playing the 1st movement of Mozart 3

Leah: She's a senior hornist down at South Whidbey High School, and was actually a runner-up to her region (I forget which one), so it's really great she got selected. She's been doing online lessons with me for about a year and a half, and has grown tremendously and responded well with my help. She is also playing the 1st movement of Mozart 3, and it playing it was such a great musical and technical approach. 

Lola: She's a sophomore trombonist up here in Oak Harbor, and one that I've taught from the very beginning of her playing career. Everyone in my student agrees that she's my most talented student, and is always the talk of every solo recital we have. She's a model student, being a very good talent and working very hard. Glad to finally have her in high school so she can show everyone at this even what she can do.

Penn Cove Brass: Of course, you've heard me go on and on about my brass ensemble. There's 9 of them int he group this time: Paige, Hannah, Sam, Landon, Ethan, Cooper, Lola, Reagan and Joseph. They're just really good, folks, and I feel they deserve to play at State. It very challenging to win the large ensemble category, but we're in the making of a winning performance...in my opinion.

Penn Cove Brass Quartet: This group consists of 4 members of the Penn Cove Brass, and was just sort of an impromptu project to give kids an extra opportunity to get to State...and it worked! This particular group doesn't play together regularly, so it'll be a tough category for them, going against small groups that do play together more often. But, they deserve to be at State.

So there they are. 14 total kids going to State. They are all winners to me already. 

In other news, I'm going through kind of a playing slump right now. My high range just isn't working right. I haven't changed anything or am trying anything different...it's just unresponsive. I know this will go away in time, but it's just kind of annoying because it's already been a week and a half. The important thing is to not push it.

Ugh...I'm believing more and more lately that maybe I wasn't designed to be a full-time performer anyways...glad I'm realize that now, haha...eases the pain.

​Take care and value music.

Here it is! I am officially announcing the 2022 Whidbey Island Brass Camp, and here's all the info you need. And you can go to the "Whidbey Island Brass Camp" page to get to the application, as well ass see some videos from past brass camps. 

My brass camp every year is always so great. We play so much great music, in several different sizes of ensembles. We do an outdoor activity together and perform for our families at the end of the week. And yes, there are a ton of laughs and smiles and amazing memories from it. If you are teenage brass player or know a teenage brass player that is close to the town of Oak Harbor, WA, then I would highly recommend my brass camp.

On other note, my next brass ensemble concert is tomorrow, which I'm very excited for. My middle school group, the Harbor Brass, is playing 5 tunes: 

Fanfare and March by Percy Hall
3 Hungarian Folk Songs by Bela Bartok
Vesper Moods by Fred O. Harris
Alleluja by W.A. Mozart
Scherzando by Johann Friederich Reichardt

I've done most of these pieces in the past with Harbor Brass, back when some of my now-older players were in middle school, so it's nice that I can recycle them. Most of the tunes for their program came from this collection of music I bought from this retired brass teacher in the Midwest, which included a lot of this out-of-print stuff meant for a younger brass ensemble. So it's really great to have. And for 3 of these tunes, I'm playing trombone with this small, 4-member group, so they are getting great practice without a conductor.

The Penn Cove Brass, which is my high school group, is also playing an exciting program:

Overture for Brass by Fred L. Frank
Waltz No. 2 from Suite for Variety Orchestra by Dmitri Shostakovich
I Vow to Thee, My Country from "Jupiter" by Gustav Holst
Entry of the Gladiators by Julius Fucik

What an awesome set of tunes! And the Penn Cove Brass, this mighty group of 11 fabulous students is getting better and better each week. The Overture for Brass is the piece they played at the regional Solo & Ensemble competition, and what they will also play at the State competition on April 29. Since they don't need me to conduct them, I'm going to sit in with them and perform tomorrow...it's always a treat to play with these guys.

And after these tunes, the Harbor Brass and Penn Cove Brass will come together to play music from How to Train Your Dragon.

I'm so excited for this concert, and excited to share with you some of their concert videos. 

Last week I had a student use me and my life as a musician and family man in a writing assignment, aimed at essentially profiling someone. I was very flattered to be interviewed and written about for the 2nd time (I had a former student from the Tri-Cities interview me about 3 years ago). This student shared their paper with me, and it was very nice to read. She did a good job writing it, first of all, but it was really cool how she sort of connected the dots on how successful I've been at taking care of a family and a house while being a busy lesson teacher. I guess I didn't realize how challenging that has been and what an accomplishment it's been. Y'know, I've know many musicians who put all of their musical activities on hold to raise a family. I could never do that. I love music way too much, and I want my kids to bee in a house full of music.

This student also when offer hers (and my other students') perspective a bit, saying how grateful she is for me and what I've done for them. I think a lot of teachers can relate to this: I like to think I'm doing a good job with my students, but at the end of the day, I'm still critical of myself and learning on the job. I wonder at times if I'm even making a difference at all, and   always trying to think of ways to do better for them. So, when students offer their positive testimony like this, it is the most refreshing thing in the world. It makes me wish that I was a better student to my teachers, because I'm sure they would've appreciated that. I'm digressing a bit, but I just have to say with kind of a chuckle (but seriously) that I was a really lousy student at times...plus I didn't show my teachers how grateful I was. Oh, teachers, if only you knew how grateful I was...

But alas, that's a topic for another blog post...definitely.

But yes, thank you, students, for your kind words and support. Of course, from my perspective, it's all about you. But it is refreshing to hear how positive of an experience it's been. Because it's always positive for me...no matter what.

Take care and value music.

I had a really great day yesterday. I traveled back to Central Washington University to hear my former student, Allison Wenzel, play her senior recital before graduating this Spring. If you've followed along, you know that I've talked about Allison a lot, and couldn't be prouder. Well, yesterday I proved myself wrong, because I became even more proud of her.

Back in December I had asked her what she was playing on her recital, and she told me the Prelude to Bach Cello Suite No. 1, plus the Krufft Sonata (which I was unfamiliar with). The third piece was a surprise...I asked her if it was a surprise to everyone or just me, and she said just me. So, I suspected that it was my 1st Horn Concerto, because she was a part of Saratoga Orchestra during the premiere when I played it, and I know she loved that piece so much. But I didn't want to flatter myself, so I didn't set my heart on that...I thought that maybe it was a premiere of another new piece by a friend, or she was playing a piece that I've played before, like the Gliere or something, or...I don't know. 

When I got to the music building yesterday and grabbed a program, to my surprise, the 1st movement of my concerto was listed as the first piece of her program, and three big paragraphs about me and my piece written in (mostly) her own words! And she played it so well. It was so amazing to see a former student of mine playing on a stage that I used to play on playing a piece I wrote, and doing it with such heart and expression. I can't explain what that felt like. It was...unreal. 

And of course, everyone else at the recital was in on the surprise, so I got asked many times if I was surprised, haha.

The other two pieces she played were quite a treat, as well. She seemed really well-prepared for this, and got over the hurdle of nerves to still put on quite a show. I was so enamored with her sound, which was already great before, but had developed so well while at CWU. It's a sound of fantastic leadership, experience and confidence. It's a sound that will inspire a good number of young horn players wherever she goes.

I enjoyed talking with my former teacher, Jeff Snedeker, after the recital. It was so great hearing him talk about her and how far she had come. The main focus with her was her confidence, since she already had a lot of great things going for her already when she arrived. It provided some reassurance and some insight on my teaching, as well. He reminded me that I should always be emphasizing how this is all about the students, and not about the teachers (from our perspective). It's something I try my best to do and remind myself often: It's all about the students. Sure, I love getting recognition (you can tell by reading this and other entries on my blog, right?), but I have to always remember that there is not better satisfaction than to see my students succeed for their sake. Because it makes them look impressive, feel happy, feel accomplished and important. And it gives them a great experience, full of amazing memories. I just draw the detailed map for them, and they go on the adventure. And it's a lot of fun to watch. And hey, I did a similar adventure myself as a student. 

Take care and value music.

If you read my last blog, you know now that I would like to become a band teacher. With the decision comes the fact that I really don't have the need or the desire to still pursue being a full-time performer. I no longer need to have that pressure on myself, because being in that elite class of performer is not possible anymore...even though I wanted it (or I thought I wanted it) for so long, I just don't have that kind of drive anymore. 

And I'm telling ya, it feels pretty great. 

I don't know...maybe I just wasn't cut out for the performance life. I mean, horn players who make into major orchestras or are renown recording artists practice for hours each day. To be honest, I really don't want to do all that practice. As I mentioned before, there's other things inside of music that I prefer to do...and outside of music, too! I like to spend time with my family, play video games, take walks...I mean, how could I fit in the necessary amount of hours each day even if I did want to? We're talking at least 4 hours of individual practice each day...that's the kind of players I'd be going up against if I were to get back into the audition circuit: people who were meant to win those jobs. People who are driven enough to sacrifice free time, relationships and family to get to their goal. Not me, though. I can't kid myself anymore.

So yeah, the pressure's off. Does that mean I'm gonna stop practicing my horn? Hell, no. First of all, I need to stay in shape or else a lot of fundamental things go wrong with me. Plus, I still enjoy the 1-2 hours I get a day. And I have to be at my best for my students at all times. And I have many, many pieces I still want to record, including my own stuff. So I'm still playing. But for different goals.

Oh, and I found out that another student of mine from South Kitsap High School is heading to State Solo & Ensemble. His name is Daniel. So that means I now have 11 kids going: 2 ensembles and 4 soloists. And if things work out in a miraculous way, I could send up to 3 more students as soloists because they were runners-up to with winners. Now, wouldn't that be amazing!?

​Take care and value music.

This is going to be a long post, so buckle in.

After an absolutely exhilarating and amazing weekend, I've realized that I've had a real issue with personal identity. Ever since I first took a genuine interest in a music career, I have told myself that I really wanted to be a performer for a living. When I started playing horn, I was sure I wanted to be among the best horn players in the world, being in one of the world's top orchestras. Because of that, I went to CWU (and subsequentally UW-Milwaukee for my graduate studies) as a performance major with that goal. But what I didn't realize at the time was how much hard work it took (despite what my teachers said) to make it as a full-time performer. And I had gotten married and had children by the time I was in graduate school, so it was really impossible to spend the time working towards that dream. I've told this story to many people already.

But what I haven't told many people is that because of this, for a long time I have felt like a failure. I felt like I failed myself as a musician to not reach my goal of being a full-time player...an elite player. It's lingered in my mind for years. I'd get so jealous when I see other people my age (or younger) winning auditions in top orchestras and being successful. I wanted to do that so bad...at least, I thought I wanted it.

Now, since I essentially "failed" as a performer, and because my wife wanted to go back to work after not doing it for 3 years, we moved back to my hometown of Oak Harbor and she got a job as an elementary music teacher, where she still is today. We decided that the best use of me was to be a stay-at-home parent during the day so that we didn't have to have our kids in daycare, and then teach lessons at night to increase our income and allow me to actually work in the field of music. Pretty sweet solution, no? I had no idea how sweet it was when I first started...

But there was still this lingering of failure...I even called one of my teachers one day saying I felt like I failed, to which he basically said, "no, you didn't". 

I realized this weekend what that meant. I thought hard about this: If I had become a full-time player in a major orchestra or a studio recording artist, that's pretty much all I'd be doing. I would just be playing horn. I wouldn't be playing trumpet, trombone or tuba. I wouldn't be conducting regularly. I wouldn't have much time to arrange music or compose, or do recording projects. I may do a little teaching, but not nearly as much as I do now. There would be no presence of me on Whidbey Island for the students here. There would be no Harbor Brass, no Penn Cove Brass. No Whidbey Island Brass Camp...There would just be me...and my horn. 

And I wouldn't have made a difference in any of the lives that I currently make a difference in now.

Plus, I really like doing all those other things in music. I like playing other brass instruments, and I like composing and arranging for my groups, and conducting for them...and most of all, I like teaching. I love teaching. I have never felt greater fulfillment than to not only see my students succeed, but also be a part of their lives.

So I concluded that being a professional performer would've never satisfied me...it was never my identity. Sure, I love playing in an orchestra and playing orchestral music, but it's not the only thing I love. What I love about music is it's flexibility, where you can do so many different things within the realm of music (perform, teach, compose, conduct). I love that most of all, and  have been doing it much more that playing full-time...see what I mean?

So my identity isn't as a performer. After this weekend, I strongly think my identity is to be a band teacher.

That's right, a band teacher. A band teacher.

So this weekend, I attended the Washington Music Educators Association conference held in Yakima, WA. It's the first time I have actually registered for this event, but I felt it would be good for me as a teacher to do. Plus, I would get to see a lot of my old colleagues from CWU and the Yakima & Tri Cities areas. I did see most of them, although there were a couple I hoped to see that I never ran into, including the CWU horn teacher, Jeff Snedeker (I'm going to likely see him in about 3 weeks at Allison Wenzel's horn recital, anyways). I was really impressed by how well some of my former classmates were doing in their band director roles. They were leading such great music programs and had so many innovative and fun ideas. The sessions I attended were all amazing, everything from adding more fundamentals to rehearsals, to building (or rebuilding) a band program in a small school, to do chamber music in a band setting. I had no idea so many band teachers were spending rehearsal time having kids play in chamber ensembles! And teachers talked about the strong bonds they have with their students, and some of the accomplishments the students have made. Some band teachers even make arrangements or rewrite things to fit their band. Needless to say, I felt truly inspired just as a lesson teacher after hearing from all these band teachers.

I got to thinking about it further after the final session was over, and after I had a discussion with Allison...these band teachers are doing a lot of the same things I'm doing, but they see their kids 5 days a week during regular work hours and in a larger quantity. They get to rehearse concert band music, which I once had a passion for. Some of them even perform on the side and teach lessons.

As you can tell, all signs seem to point to me being a band teacher. I could essentially do all the things I do now...but more often. I'd have more kids to work with. The highlight of my week in Monday nights when I have my brass ensembles, but if I was in band, I could rehearse kids every day.

And I can't forget: I really care for my students. I mean, I really care for them. I love them...so much so that it almost brings tears to my eyes writing this. When I was sitting next to Allison in a session and the clinician said to turn to your neighbor and tell them why you still do music after all these years, I found myself saying to her, "I still do music today because of people like you." One of my many beloved students. When I said that to her, I realized my purpose. My...identity. I knew then that what I've been doing these last 7 years has been more important to everyone involved that I had thought. I'm making an impact on them, and they're making an impact on me. 

...so why not do it in a band classroom?

And that's not all. After the conference was over, the All-State bands had their performance. I had 10 students in the All-State program, so I attended the concert...and it was SO COOL. It's not just because it was an entertaining concert, but students that I get to work with were a part of this amazing thing. And they all had such a great time. I could send this many kids at least every year if I was a band teacher.

Of course, the thoughts come to my mind such as, "why did it take me so long to realize I wanted to teach band? I should've though this when I was actually in college!" Well, I've always been a slow learner of this kind of thing. And hey, I had some pretty great musical experiences during that time, such as playing with the Milwaukee Symphony, writing my own concerto and premiering it, and focusing on raising a family. Plus, my experience as a lesson teacher and director of brass ensembles has provided some pretty valuable experience. So, it's not all to waste.

So...what now? Well, I think I'm going to take steps to pursue getting certified to teach. I'd probably need to actually get an education degree, but I really don't know where exactly to start. I'm sure I'll figure it out, soon. I'll probably have to wait a couple years until my youngest is in school full-time. 

Don't worry, when that time comes, I'll still bee composing and arrange...man, imagine it...I could write pieces for band or a chamber piece, and have my students play it whenever I wanted...

I have to say that the students I have had in the last 7 years have convinced me that I want to teach more than perform. These guys are amazing​.

Take care and value music.

First of all, Happy Birthday to my very dear friend, Julie Lovas from Wisconsin. She is a terrific person and mother and horn player and Holly and I miss her.

...oh yeah, I forgot to mention on here sooner: I had many students that made it to State for Solo & Ensemble! The Penn Cove Brass won the "Large Brass Ensemble" category, and a quartet from the Penn Cove Brass won the "Small Brass Ensemble" category! Plus, my student Paige won the "Trumpet Solo" category (and my students Isadora and Hannah won 1st and 2nd Alternate, respectively), my student Keilani won the "Horn Solo" category (with my student Ethan winning the 1st alternate and a former student named Liam winning 2nd alternate), and my student Lola won the "Trombone Solo" category (with my student Josiah winning 2nd alternate). About 20-25 kids from Oak Harbor High School participated at Solo & Ensemble, and only my students were the ones what won or got alternate positions. Is that wild?! There was another Oak Harbor student who was signed up to perform but got COVID and couldn't perform...she wasn't one of my students but was sounding very good on her trombone solo and, I think, could've made to any of the top 3 spots...I felt bad for her. 

So yeah, I've got 10 kids who are State-bound in April! I love State Solo & Ensemble here in Washington state...it's always held at Central Washington University, so I get to visit my old stomping grounds once again and run into some of my old acquaintances. And it's just a very exciting event. I'm especially excited because this year I feel like my students have a real competitive chance. It's gonna be a lot of fun working them up to this thing.

In the meantime, though, I've been busy getting students ready for the Washington State All-State honor program that happens on Feb. 20th in Yakima. I've got 10 students going this time, plus that one trombone student mentioned above that's not one of mine. All the Oak Harbor kids of mine (Isadora, Paige, Hannah, Cooper, Lola, Skooter, Josiah) are in the Concert Band; My students from Coupeville and South Whidbey (Eddy and Leah) are in the Wind Symphony; my student Daniel from South Kitsap High School is in the Wind Ensemble. And I'll be there to hear them all perform on the same concert! 

Isn't this all great, though? What an awesome and amazing core student group that I have right now. Almost all these guys have been working with me since they were in middle school, and now they're tearing it up in competitions and auditions! My student, Leah, from South Whidbey is even part of the Seattle Youth Symphony program! And Daniel down in Port Orchard is also principal trumpet of his Youth Symphony down there! I'm so proud of all these guys and so lucky to be their teacher.

It's sort of like a dream come true. Remember back in 2015 when I set up shop here in Oak Harbor as a lesson teacher? I had hoped and dreamed to make Whidbey Island a like a "hub" for great young brass players--a place that cranks out these great brass players out into the world to make a name for this area. I feel like it's starting to happen. 

Man, I've never felt so confident in myself as I am now. This has been going well. What a year!

Take care and value music.

Yes, the San Juan region here in Washington state held their Solo & Ensemble competition yesterday at Bellingham High School, and it was really fun. Oak Harbor High School had a really nice representation of students there, with about 25 students or so playing. 12 of them were mine, and I had another from Coupeville play. They all did really well...I'm so proud. Their solos all went well, and the ensembles did better. Here's a video of the Penn Cove Brass playing their piece, Overture for Brass by Fred L. Frank:

Aren't they great? I really think they have a good chance to go to State. We actually were missing one of our members, which I was really sad about, but luckily we were able to cover her part. I'm excited about several of my soloists, too, because they did really well. The brass categories were filled with Oak Harbor students...there were definitely more of them than kids from any other school. I was surprised there weren't more. So, with them playing well and not having a whole lot of other competitors, I like our chances. We should find out our results tonight or tomorrow.

I found myself very inspired and motivated after the competition yesterday...I got very excited to help this guys improve even more. There's little things in each of theirs' playing that I want to help them refine to get better for their next performance, particularly my students who aren't seniors and can do this again next year. 

But one thing's for sure: I am relieved that it's done...for now. It was a very busy couple of months helping these students work on these solos and get them in top shape, and have piano rehearsals and extra lessons. It was a lot of work! It's pretty much all we worked on in their lessons this month! I'm happy to work on other stuff with them now...but if any of them get to State, we gotta get back to the grind soon. I'm excited to work on some new music with the Penn Cove Brass, and I'm sure they are, too.

I'll let you know how they did in the rankings.

Take care and value music.

I have to brag about my students right now. I mean, I just can't talk enough good about them!

I've got an awesome student group right now. I currently have 35 students at the moment. It's quite a mixed bag of different ages and abilities...Iabout 1/3 of those students are 1st or 2nd year players, and a few middle school students in their 3rd or 4th year. All of those young guys are doing really well. And then, I have this awesome core student group of high schoolers, pretty much all of which I've had since they were beginners. There's a couple of them that have been a part of my brass ensemble program since it's beginning and are now high school seniors, but they're taking lessons to prepare solos for Solo & Ensemble. And also I've bene teaching my mom horn lessons for years, too.

But my core group of students, man...what an awesome group they are. They play so well on their own, but they're even better as a group. Most of my high schoolers are in my brass ensemble, and they're sounding really fantastic as they prepare for Solo & Ensemble. I've watched them group and improve so much since they first started with me...it's been amazing. I've develop bonds with each of them, and have gotten to know them and their families. I have a number of them graduating this year, so it'll be hard to see them go.

As I think about my students, I reminisce on how great it is to be a lesson teacher, and how lucky I am. As a lesson teacher, I am one of the only adults (if not the one adult) that gets planned 1-on-1 time with them each week to help them get better at this wonderful thing called brass playing. I really get to know them both as musicians and as people, and I get to chat with them about their interests (and even mine sometimes) and just everyday life. I get to help them grow and learn how to work hard and become more confident in themselves, and see the joys and benefits of both of those. I get to work with them for up to to 8 years, and see them grow that whole time. In the most modest way I can say, I feel like I'm making a small difference in their lives, at least. 

Sure, school teachers and sports coaches get to work with students a lot more during the week, but how often to they get to work 1-on-1 with them? 

So it's just something really cool I was thinking of. 

On a slightly different topic, I was thinking of writing an essay on my career so far as a freelancer in an instructional format and submitting it to the International Horn Society to see if they'll include it in one of the journal magazines that comes out 3 times a year. I feel like I've learned a lot in my experiences that I'd like to share to help other freelancers be successful. 

​Take care and value music.