Low Brass Boot Camp

A quick word about this year's Low Brass Boot Camp...

I will be helping out with Session 2. (June 5 - 11, 2006) Here is message from Mike Becker about accomodations for people coming in from out of town...

I have found 2 hotels close to the Boot Camp location. One is the Best Western. May 13 would be 159/night for double occupancy. The rest of the week is 99/night. Its Graduation, that's why the first night is more.

The Other is a Econo Lodge. 35/night for single and 49 for double. This one is slightly less attractive than the Best Western, but both have a pool and high speed internet. If you could split a room, I would recommend the Best Western. There are many others in Tucson that may have decent rates for the summer, but these are the closest ones to the site. If you have a car,it does not matter as things are never too far in Tucson. If you do not have a car, and can stay at the ones I mentioned above, then either someone can drive you or I can provide a ride to and from the location at the starting and ending times of the session.

If you are interested in these 2 hotels, let me know and I will email you the address and phone number to call.

Thanks,

Mike

For more information, visit http://www.beckbone.com/bootCamp.htm
or email Michael Becker at mike@beckbone.com.

This Week's Events

After surviving last week...ESO kiddie shows every morning, afternoon opera rehearsals, and John Williams rehearsals and shows every night...I am looking forward to a little more sane schedule the next few days. Friday I will be performing Bugs Bunny on Broadway with the Chicagoland Pops Orchestra.

http://chicagolandpops.com/

On Sunday, I will playing with the Lithuanian Opera Company. We will be perfoming Pilenai by Vytautas Klova.

http://lithoperachicago.org/

DO YOU WANT TO IMPROVE YOUR PERFORMANCE SKILLS?

DO YOU WANT TO IMPROVE YOUR ORCHESTRAL AUDITIONS?

ATTEND THE

LOW BRASS

BOOT CAMP

LED BY PRINCIPAL TROMBONIST OF THE TUCSON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

MICHAEL BECKER

AN INTENSIVE COURSE ON AUDITION AND PERFORMANCE PREPARATION

INCLUDING:

Ø ORCHESTRAL EXCERPTS

Ø SOLO PERFORMANCE

Ø ENSEMBLE PERFORMANCE

Ø TECHNIQUES TO MAXIMIZE FOCUS AND CONCENTRATION

MAY 13-20, 2006. SESSION 1

JUNE 5-11, 2006. SESSION 2

TUCSON SYMPHONY CENTER

TUCSON, ARIZONA

Class fee is $400 per session*

Michael Becker has been Principal Trombonist of the Tucson Symphony Orchestra since 2000. Previous to this appointment, he held positions in the Honolulu Symphony and the Savannah Symphony. He has spent many years playing, recording, and touring with major orchestras including the Chicago Symphony and the Detroit Symphony. In 1995, he was appointed to the “World Orchestra” by Sir Georg Solti. This all-star orchestra is made up of top players from orchestras around the world. He has also performed with the London Symphony Orchestra. Mr. Becker brings a vast amount of audition and performance experience to this seminar. He has been finalist for many orchestras in the U.S and abroad including the Chicago Symphony, San Francisco Symphony, Atlanta Symphony, Lyric Opera of Chicago, The Metropolitan Opera, and the London Symphony Orchestra.

“For any student who is serious about orchestral training, Becker's low brass boot camp is a great opportunity. His extensive knowledge of auditions and experience as a performer would be a great asset to the student and young professional.”

--Jay Friedman, Principal Trombone, Chicago Symphony Orchestra

"This is a great opportunity to deal with the specifics of the audition environment. Many fine musicians fail to excel in this most artificial performance setting. It is a unique challenge and warrants a specialized workshop such as Michael Becker's Low Brass Boot Camp. I recommend it highly."

--Michael Mulcahy, Second Trombone, Chicago Symphony Orchestra

To apply, contact Michael Becker at 520-245-7377, or E-mail at mike@beckbone.com

http://www.beckbone.com/bootCamp.htm

* Fee does not include housing expenses

This weekend, the Elgin Symphony Orchestra will be doing an all John Williams concert.

http://www.elginsymphony.org/

As a brass musician, I will be looking forward to it. We will be featuring saxophonist, Carrie Koffman on music from Catch Me If You Can. I got a chance to hear her perform at the Pine Mountain Music Festival last summer and she was terrific.

http://pmmf.org/

If you are in the Elgin or Schaumburg area this weekend, come check it out. It should be lots of fun!

Tenor Trombone Materials

Etude and Method Books:

Arban’s – Complete Method for Trombone
Bitsch – 14 Etudes de Rhythm
Blazevich – Clef Studies
-70 Studies for Tuba (play in tenor clef)
-Sequences
Blume – 36 Studies for Trombone w/F attachment
Bordogni/Rochut-Melodious Etudes
Boutry- 12 Etudes de Perfection
Clarke, H.L. - Technical Studies
Concone/Korak – The Complete Solfeggi
Fink – Introducing the Alto Clef
- Introducing the Tenor Clef
Johnson, J.J. – Solos (transcribed by Leisenring & Butler)
Kopprasch – 60 Selected Studies (both Trbn. & Tuba versions)
LaFosse – School of Sight Reading
Mantia – Trombone Virtuoso
Marsteller – Advanced Slide Technique
Maxted - Studies
Charlie Parker Omnibook
Pichaureau – Special Legato
The “Real” Book (or any good fake book)
Remington – Warm Ups
Slama – 66 Studies in All Keys
Schlossberg – Daily Drills
Toulon – Basique IV – Style et nuances
Vernon – A Singing Approach to the Trombone (and other Brass)
Wilson/Viola – Chord Studies for Trombone

Solos:

Arnold - Fantasy
Bach – Six Suites for Cello Solo
Barat – Andante and Allegro
Bernstein – Elegy for Mippy II
Berio – Concerto
- Sequenza V
Bloch – Symphony
Brahms – Cello Sonatas
Cage – Solo for Sliding Trombone
Casterede – Sonatine
Chavez – Concerto
Clarke – Cousins (w/trumpet)
Creston – Fantasy
David – Concertino
Defaye – Deux Danses
Dorsey – Trombonology
Dutilleux – Chorale, Cadence and Fugato
Ewazen – Sonata
Frescobaldi – Canzoni per Basso Solo
Galliard – Sonatas
Grondahl - Concerto
Guilmant – Morceau symphonique
Harnley – Chorale Fantasie
Hidas – Movement
Hindemith - Sonata
Holst – Duet for Trombone and Organ
Jacob – Concerto
Jongen – Aria and Polonaise
Larsson - Concertino
Liszt – Cujus animam (w/Organ)
Marcello – Cello Sonatas
Martin – Ballade
Milaud – Concerto d’Hiver
Nymen – Concerto
Peasley – Arrows of Time
Pilss – Concerto for Bass Trombone
Pryor – The Blue Bells of Scotland
- Fantastic Polka
- Thoughts of Love
Pugh - Concerto
Rabe – Basta
Rimsky-Korsakov - Concerto
Ropartz – Concert Piece
Rota - Concerto
Rouse – Concerto (in memorium Leonard Bernstein)
Saint-Saens - Cavatine
Schuller – Eine Kleine Posaunenmusik
Serocki - Sonatina
Starer – Concerto a tre (w/trumpet and clarinet)
Sulek – Sonata (Vox Gabrieli)
Telemann – 12 Fantasies
Thomas - Concerto
Vivaldi – Cello Sonatas
Weber - Romance
Zwillich – Concerto

Chamber Music:

Brown – Additions for amplified flute and trombone
Elgar – Duett for trombone and double bass
Hartley – Sonata da camera (w/ oboe, 2 cls, & bsn)
Kellaway – Esque for trombone and double bass
Poulenc – Sonata (w/trpt & horn)
Premru – Concertino (w/ WW 4-tet)
Stravinsky – Concertino
- In Memorium Dylan Thomas (Tenor, String 4-tet, Trbn. 4-tet)
- Octet for Winds
- L’histoire du Soldat
Villa-Lobos – Choros #4 (w/ 3 horns)

This is a list of materials for my tenor trombone students to have studied or be familiar with.