Many thanks to Bruce Faske! Here's another great recording to check out...

For those of you who've read my page about Dr. Neill Humfeld, you know that he was a graduate of the Eastman School of Music, where he studies with the great Emory Remington.  When he began teaching at East Texas State University, he brought the great trombone choir tradition from Eastman to Commerce.  This is a recording of Tommy Pederson's Cogent Caprice, featuring Dr. Humfeld and the trombone choir at the 1974 Texas Music Educator's Association convention.  Dr. Bruce Faske is a graduate of Texas A&M - Commerce (as ETSU is now called), and took the time to put this performance online.  Many thanks, Bruce!

Shopping around

I have had the chance to visit a lot of universities over the past 10 years, both with my regular job, and as a member of Valor Brass. I was in Texas last weekend and while there, I had the chance to discuss with a young trombone player his upcoming graduate school auditions. We talked at length about the experiences he's had so far just setting up his auditions. It's always interesting to visit different schools. Like auditions, I feel like you often can tell within a few minutes of walking in an institution what kind of atmosphere you will find as a student. Correspondence with the admissions office, registrar, and faculty is a good indicator of how that institution feels about your application and about you as a student.

Some schools are welcoming, open, helpful, accommodating, and just downright encouraging. Others are unresponsive, rigid, not accommodating, and may make you feel as if they are doing you a favor by opening your application!

It might be true that a specific teacher will be best for you in spite of the institution where they teach. However, there are definitely numerous options for less-expensive, smaller, less well-known programs from which to choose. Bottom line is, find a teacher that works for you, and if it doesn't cost $50,000 per year, then all the better!

So, as you hit the college audition trail, think about the way you are received. Besides finding a great teacher, you are shopping for a great institution as well. There are a large number of hidden gems out there!

Good luck,

The Virtual Trombonist

How far will you go?

Teachers, I have a theoretical scenario for you....

How far would you go for a student with a bad attitude? Say it's a kid that's very talented, but resistant, even hostile to criticism, and is disrespectful to boot. How far would you go to help and teach them? Where do you draw the line? What if the institution where you teach doesn't support you in your dealings with the student? Are you morally and/or ethically obligated to try to teach them, and to what extent?

I'm really curious to hear everyone's responses!

Thanks, Chris

My Biggest Fan

Today marks one of the best days of the year! In case you're wondering, it's the birthday of my mom, Lou Ann Clark! You might wonder why I'm writing about her birthday on a blog about music and trombone playing... The term "Super Fan" is thrown around pretty loosely these days. Whether it's New Direction or Beyoncé, Jimmy Buffet or Pitbull, everyone thinks they are the most dedicated, hard core, and consistent supporter of their chosen musical obsession. Well, I can tell you that until they have met my mom, they just don't know the meaning of the term!

What makes a "Super Fan" you might ask? Well, 150 mile round trips to youth orchestra for years on end for starters... Lessons, encouragement, dried tears (that may have just been the other day), perspective, sensible advice (get some sleep!), chauffeuring (ohh, the miles on the car!), and all-around mothering, man, I couldn't do (or have done) what I do without the support (undying!) of my mom!

So, mom, I may forget things, run out of time, and just generally not seem appreciative sometimes, but know that I wish you the happiest birthday you can possibly have!

To all you readers out there (all 4 of you! One of whom is my mom!), if you care to leave comments about what YOUR mom did for your career or life, please feel free... Just remember, if I don't comment, my mom will, she's always reading...