Band Camp and Other Things
The last few weeks have been mostly teaching brass sectionals at marching band camps. I have been doing this since July 22nd and its been pretty good. I work with two bands and I am really enjoying working with the kids. I am excited for the seasons these bands will have as I think we are off to a good start and should be making some really good sounds this year. I know that as I get older, I get less enthusiastic about marching band, but I am really happy that I am working with these kids, and the other staff people with the two bands. I do feel it is really easy to work with these people, and it is refreshing in this activity. I hope they feel the same way towards me. I know I am a pain in the butt, but I am trying to be more amiable.
On other fronts, I am working out a few school concerts for my brass quintet, the Boylan Bridge Brass. We are setting aside two weeks right when school starts to go into the school band programs and play chamber music for them, and talk about brass playing. The quintet has been around for about a year and a half, but we really spent the first few months just rehearsing and getting to know one another. We are now ready to get out in public and play. We are really excited to start our new partnership with Edenton Street United Methodist Church in Raleigh. We will be performing many times there during the year, starting with a recital with organ on Friday Sept. 6. We have plans for starting a brass chamber camp next summer, and will be performing weddings and recitals at several locations. If you would like us to come to your school and play, let me know.
On the brass band front, I am still looking at programming things, and should go by the shed today and look through the files to see what tunes are there that want to be played this season. I have a few spots to fill. I just had a good conversation with another Director about Christmas programming. Its funny that he is in the same situation I am. Its tough to program for holiday shows every year and to keep it fresh for the payers and audience. The rep is a little limiting. We bumped around some ideas and it is helping me get over the hump a little.
The summer is coming to an end, and it is looking right now to be a very busy fall. I am excited to be playing the tuba a little more than usual this time of year, and it looks to be getting really jammed from now until Christmas. Good luck to me in keeping it all together.
tonytuba.org 