Why Concert Band clinics by instrument specialists are helpful

How hard is the life of a school band teacher? I think it is fair to say that starting up a band of absolute beginners is one of the hardest things to do. A compounding factor is the make-up of concert bands, which includes the various woodwinds (flutes, clarinets, saxophones, oboes, bassoons), brass (trumpets, trombones, horns, euphoniums, tubas) and percussion instruments (timpani, drums, etc. including melodic percussion). Since a flautist needs almost a completely different set of instructions (posture, embouchure, etc.) than a trumpet player or percussionist, the first few weeks can make for a very trying time.

Teaching Central Middle School saxophone students, September 2013

That's where instrument specialists come in. More often than not, band teachers will hire professional musicians to come out to their school and teach clinics. The big advantage of hiring these pros is that the pro-clarinettist can convene and rehearse with all the new clarinet students, the saxophonist with the new sax students, and so on. During the clinic, the pro teacher will address instrument specific issues, and will be able to help individual students more effectively. This will save the band teacher a lot of time and effort.

Band Package: three lessons for beginning band students @ $95

Would you like to get a head start on either saxophone, clarinet or flute? Sign up for the Band Package.

You will get three 45-minute lessons, working on essential basic rudiments, and more for a total of $95. The Band Package is ideal for new students as well as for music students transitioning to a new instrument.

Feel free to call me for more information: 250-477-5413

Taruskin has arrived

Finally, my own copy of Taruskin's The Oxford History of Western Music! Now all I need is a long holiday...

Erik's got some reading to do.

Aventa New Music

Last week I finally got to play with Victoria's premier new music ensemble Aventa. We performed Georg Friedrich Haas's "in Vain" which was a wonderful experience. It can now be heard and viewed online here:

Aventa performs Georg Friedrich Haas' In Vain from Aventa Ensemble on Vimeo.

References

• Aventa: http://www.aventa.ca/ 
• Georg Friedrich Haas (wikipedia): en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georg_Friedrich_Haas 
• Biography Friedrich Haas (Universal Edition): http://www.universaledition.com/Georg-Friedrich-Haas/composers-and-works/composer/278

Pre-Concert Sidney's Mary Winspear Centre, with pianist Alex Hassan

Saxophone Lessons in Victoria B.C. - with teacher Erik Abbink

I'm getting ready for the new season and I have updated my lessons page, which you can view here:
Saxophone Lessons in Victoria B.C. - with teacher Erik Abbink

The closing gap of cultural advancement between rural and urban audiences

There's one (important) factor I forgot to mention in my ad lib 20th century technology list ("gramophone, radio, TV, Internet") of my "new sense of programming" post. It's a less obvious one, but not less important: the ease of travel has changed tremendously.

The invention of 19th century steam trains, steam ships, streetcars/trams, and 20th century automobile and air travel has not only made it easier for (rural) audiences to travel to concerts in the city, it also has made it easier for musicians to tour and perform in more remote locations.

And traveling they did, to communities large and small. Sousa's Band was one of the first large international groups to hit Victoria (in 1892, then a community of about 20.000 people: http://www.britishcolonist.ca/tc/1896/02/04/18960204005.pdf#search=sousas%20%20 - second story from the bottom left), taking advantage of railway and steamship travel.

My wife's grandfather, who's 92, explained to me fairly recently how much the ease of travel has made an impact on day to day life. People living about 20 km outside the city of Victoria didn't travel as easily to the city as we do today: for the majority of people (without a car) such distances were simply too far. Imagine having to do all the effort of having to bike, or go old-style and take a horse and buggy to visit a concert downtown! (only by 1910 were horse and buggy/carriage outnumbered by cars).So question yourself, if travel hadn't changed how large would your audience then be today?

For a long time "city concerts" were visited mostly by those living in the direct vicinity of the venue. Only very few outside the city would have the time, the funds, and were able to muster the effort to travel "long distances"; how much things have changed in a single lifetime.

Scarlatti Sonata K30 by Domenico Scarlatti - Vis-à-Vis Saxophone Quartet

I have added a new video from our June 5 Concert to Vimeo, namely the Scarlatti Sonata K30 (Cat Fugue) by Domenico Scarlatti


Vis-à-Vis Quartet: Sonata K30, D. Scarlatti.

or view it here

Getting ready for tomorrow's saxophone quartet performance

All of the members of the Vis a Vis Quartet are getting pretty excited about tomorrow's saxophone quartet concert. We did an early dress rehearsal on Tuesday, and will hit the stage "for real" at 8pm tomorrow (Saturday).



It was great to see a nice article about our quartet and our upcoming performance in the Oak Bay News:
http://www.bclocalnews.com/vancouver_island_south/oakbaynews/entertainment/95350914.html

Further details about the concert can be found here:
http://www.saxophonequartet.ca/concerts/2010-06-05-uvic-recital.php

I hope to see you all at Uvic's P.T. Young's recital hall, admission by donation!

Early "Saxaphone Quartette" in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

It has been quite interesting doing my research on early saxophone playing in British Columbia. The earliest record about early local saxophone quartet efforts (that I was able to track down) is from March 8th, 1885, found in the Victoria Colonist under the heading "What Some People Say":

I'm quite curious why this sort of an announcement would have been printed; perhaps there was an anticipation that an ensemble of saxophones had the potential to be long-lasting? Or was it the novelty aspect, the mere fact that this was going to be the "very first" saxophone quartet ever in this city to be formed, that sparked the paper's interest?

The next time the ensemble is mentioned in Victoria newspapers is almost 9 months later.  A benefit concert was going to be held on December 26th at the then brand new Victoria Theatre, in support of a "breadwinner" who, while at work at the building, "broke his leg".

The event was also formally announced in the Victoria Colonist (25 November 1885):

Several (paid?) advertisements announce (amongst others) the upcoming first appearance of the "Saxaphone Quartette". Note the date change to the week before Christmas, December 16, 1885:

Reviews appeared in both of Victoria's newspapers:

Here is the Victoria Colonist concert review, December 17, 1885:

Victoria Times review, December 17, 1885:

[...] The Saxaphone Quartette by Messrs. Herbert Kent, A. Weiss, E. [Teall], and Prof. Pferdner received a merited enchore. [...] Another saxaphone quartette was given acceptably [...]

There is quite some information available about the performers. These were Emile Pferdner (well known vocal conductor), Herbert Kent (well known local singer and vocal conductor, also played flute in many of the earliest bands in Victoria), Mr. Teall (clarinet and saxophone player, in Victoria between 1885-87), and E. Weiss (no more details).

It's great to get so much detail about the event, although one is left with many questions too, especially:
- how did this group obtain these saxophones, and why?
- what saxophone quartet works were on the program?

Interestingly enough the two reviews were also the last thing we heard about this group. Did they have difficulty playing the (new?) instruments? Perhaps there wasn't the essential chemistry between the four players to make the ensemble "work"?

Who will know?