6/3/2010

I have just accepted a position as instructor of tuba/euphonium at the University of the Pacific in Stockton, CA. We will be moving to California this summer! We will miss Michigan and EMU, but we are very excited to be embarking on this new venture. In the meantime I AM GETTING MARRIED ON JUNE 26!! Molly and I are very excited. I'll post some pics after the wedding. It will be a real whirlwind summer. The wedding is coming up very soon (3 weeks from the time of this update). We'll be returning to Michigan two days later to do the final packing and move preparation, then we're off to Stockton, CA with two cars and three pets. The moving van will meet us there. We'll take a couple of weeks to get settled, then I'm teaching at the University of the Pacific Music Camp later in July. In August I'll be back in Michigan (now as an out-of-state visitor) for the Falcone Festival, which is always a great event. Only a few short days after returning to California classes start at Pacific (Aug. 23). I guess I don't mind sacrificing my summer for so many awesome events! I'll try and do better with some more frequent news updates (this is me deluding myself into believing that folks are just dying to know what I'm up to).

9/11/2009

My euphonium method book, TROP CHOPS, is finished. Please forgive the silly title. It rhymed, so I went with it. I hope this book will introduce some new ideas about practicing, and will prove helpful to those who use it. Check out the details and view samples at the merchandise page.

6/30/2009

Well, I got a bit sidetracked by bicycle accident. Unfortunately, I've had to cancel my second recording session, but I'll get back to it just as soon as I can.

6/15/2009 The 'Red Light' is on!

I recently recorded the first two pieces for my tuba solo album. I should be recording the rest of it in a couple of weeks, and I hope to have the whole project finished up by early fall.

4/30/2009 The Dr. is in!

Seems likeges ago now, but I finished my DMA (tuba performance) this past April. I'm so happy to have gained so much new knowledge and experience over the past three years. Although it was hard going back to school at my "advanced age", I think I definitely learned things I probably would not have as a younger student. And, of course, getting my degree in tuba performance was a real thrill. I thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to delve into the tuba repertoire in a way that I just hadn't done before. It gave me a real appreciation not only for the repertoire but for the many fine tubists I had a chance to hear and learn from during my degree. What good fortune that I was able to be around Fritz Kaenzig and the amazing UM tuba studio. The players I met there will me making names for themselves in the very near future, and most of them already have a good start in that department. I have put a couple of sound clips from some of my DMA recitals on the sound files page, with more to come soon (I'm always saying there is more to come soon, and I'm always slower than I mean to be in posting updates).