Edwards Blog

2012 Alessi Seminar Info

Joshua Brown — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 21:31:43 +0000

September 10-15, 2012
(arrive September 9 and depart September 16)
Fossano, Italy

Participant spots available for:

6 Italians (5 tenors and 1 bass)
6 non-Italians (5 tenors and 1 bass)

ALL Particpants will be chosen by audition.
ALL Participants must register on www.alessiseminar.com.

Audition deadline is June 1, 2012. Participants will be notified of acceptance no later than July 15, 2012.

Audition Requirements

Please record in the order listed.
Electronic submissions ONLY!
Email recordings in mp3 format to alessiseminar@me.com
Please record solo repertoire without piano.
No editing within an individual excerpt.
Please record all selections in the same location.

Tenor Trombone

David Concertino
(beginning to letter C)
Martin Ballade
(beginning to #6)
Bordogni/Rochut No. 15
(beginning through m. 24 down an octave only)
Mozart Requiem “Tuba mirum”
2nd trombone solo
Berlioz Hungarian March
(2nd trombone part, beginning 6 measures before rehearsal 4 through the 2nd measure of rehearsal 5)
Ravel Bolero
(1st trombone solo, 3rd measure of rehearsal 10 to rehearsal 11)
Wagner Ride of the Valkyries
(major only)

Bass Trombone

Vaughan Williams Concerto for Bass Tuba, mvt. 1
(beginning to 4 measures before rehearsal 8)
Vaughan Williams Concerto for Bass Tuba, mvt. 2
(rehearsal 1 to rehearsal 5)
Blazhevich 70 Studies for BBflat Tuba, vol. 1: No. #11
(Robert King Edition)
Bach “Sarabande” from Cello Suite No. 5
Respighi Fountains of Rome
(pick up to rehearsal 11 to 5 measures before rehearsal 16)
Kodaly Hary Janos Suite, mvt. 4
(beginning in the 5th measure of the poco meno mosso to the fermata)
Wagner Ride of the Valkyries
(2nd major section only)

Pagano Talks About the B502-D

Joshua Brown — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 17:20:24 +0000

Dave Taylor, Gerry Pagano and Mark Hoelscher are helping Christan develop a fixed bass trombone. Watch the video below to see what Gerry Pagano has to say about it. And stay for the credits.

Haim Avitsur’s Challenge

Joshua Brown — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 17:32:14 +0000

Do you know the tenor trombone solo rep? If so, you could get some free stuff from Haim Avitsur. In an effort to entertain and educate, he’s created a video of himself performing 33 excerpts from 25 solo works. If you know them all, then listen to the video below and email the pieces (in performance order) to name.that.tune.part1@gmail.com. Prizes include a $200 iTunes gifts card and eight other gift certificates to places like Sam Ash and Dillon Music.

And if you don’t know all of the pieces in the video, learn them!

Paul Tynan Fitting, Part 2

Joshua Brown — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 16:51:09 +0000

We recently posted the first video in a series featuring Christan and Paul Tynan in a fitting session. In part two, they work on matching the tuning slide to the valves and leadpipe. Part three is coming soon.

Gerry Pagano and the B502-D

Joshua Brown — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 16:16:09 +0000

We’re thrilled to announce that Gerry Pagano, bass trombonist of the St. Louis Symphony, has recently joined the Edwards team as an artist. Gerry, along with Dave Taylor and Mark Hoelscher, has been working with Christan on the development of the B502-D, a dependent bass trombone with technology similar to the Alessi T396-A. An independent model — the B502 — is currently being developed with James Markey.

Gerry recently presented a series of recitals and masterclasses on the prototype at TCU, Baylor and the University of Texas. He sounds great and we’re happy to have him playing an Edwards!

Acidity and Your Horn

Joshua Brown — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 04:39:52 +0000

In our latest video, Christan discusses ways to prevent your horn from needing costly repairs caused by high acid levels in your skin. Really. We aren’t making this up.

Christan and Paul Tynan Demonstrate a Fitting

Joshua Brown — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 04:03:49 +0000

The fear of the unknown can keep us from trying new things. I can remember worrying about algebra when I got to high school. I’d heard so many people complain about it that I was sure it was going to destroy me, but it didn’t. My son is afraid of new vegetables. The first time he tried spinach was in a spinach and cheese dip (we fooled him). He loved it so much that he has no problem eating spinach by itself now.

The idea of buying a custom instrument can feel like eating spinach or taking an algebra test to some of you. I’ve been in the booth at many shows where someone will pick up a horn, play a note and put it back down. At that point I usually ask if I can help. “No thanks. These horns have too many options. I wouldn’t know where to start.” Those of you that have gone through the fitting process know better. We don’t just throw a pile of parts at you and ask you to choose. Instead we ask a lot of the same question: “Better or worse?” We don’t tell you what you’re playing. Ideally, we’d turn off all the lights or blindfold you so you’d have to rely entirely on your ears. But we’re worried about those of you with less-than-awesome coordination or vertigo.

To better demonstrate the fitting process, Paul Tynan agreed to be our lab rat in this abbreviated session. Thanks to Michael Clobes for filming and editing the video. Christan did some stuff, too.

Brian Allen Solo Concerts

Brian Allen — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 05:15:18 +0000

Dear Friends,

Recent solo concerts and teaching have been great. Thanks to Mark Weaver and The Roost in Albuquerque, Steve Paxton at Santa Fe University of Art and Design, Stephen Jones at Texas Tech, Richard Birk at Brazosport College and JD Guzman at Spring HS.

Big thanks to Edwards Instrument Company for sponsoring these events, making this tour possible and supporting my art wherever it takes me.

Below are a few videos from the concert at The Roost.

Duo with Mark Weaver

Solo excerpt with rain

Solo improvisation excerpt

For updates, future events, releases, more videos and sound, visit www.braintone.com. For my related solo project (music, books, art, writing, etc.), visit www.obscuritysquared.com and www.facebook.com/nellanairb.

Brian Allen

Christan Interviewed in Podcast

Joshua Brown — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 05:06:11 +0000

Tim Heston from thefabricator.com recently interviewed Christan for a podcast on metal fabrication in brass instrument manufacturing. Soundtrack provided by Joe Alessi.

Superbrass CD Now Available

Joshua Brown — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 13:43:42 +0000

Superbrass has just released Under the Spell of Spain, a CD of Spanish-inspired music for brass and percussion. Roger Argente is the executive producer and also the group’s bass/contrabass trombonist. Other musicians include Mike Allen, Philip Cobb, Roby Coles, Mike Lovatt, Jim Lynch, Paul Mayes, Brian Thompson, Adam Wright, Chris Parkes, Matthew Gee, Mike Hext, Phil White, Andy Wood, Kevin Morgan, Andy Barclay, Paul Clarvis, Michael Doran, Matt Perry, Frank Riccott and Mike Smith.

We’ve heard the CD, and our unbiased, objective opinion is that you need to own it. The brass (and percussion) playing is phenomenal! Watch the video below and we’ll think you’ll agree. And be sure to follow Superbrass on Facebook.