Living History Series Podcast

Amy Schumaker Bliss First In Living History Series

• Nicholas • Season 1

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This episode takes you through this adventure and highlights how crucial conferences and events are in gaining traction in the podcasting cosmos. An intriguing part is the chats with guest artists and the unique perspectives they provide, painting a vivid picture of the artist's life and their journey in the music industry.

The episode also takes a scenic route into the world of children's books, where Amy share my experiences penning a book on brass bands. A memory that strongly resonates with my musical past, it crystallizes the need for diverse representations in children's literature. As the narrative unfolds, it shines light on the evolution from the cornet to the euphonium, the invaluable support Amy received from her parents, and the intricate navigation through the realms of education and career choices. Throughout this journey, we also touch upon the growing popularity of brass bands globally and the competitive nature of the activity.

In the final stretch of the episode, we delve into some cutting-edge topics like the use of drones for euphonium artists and the hidden gems in brass chamber music. It is interesting to see how technology can assist in mastering an art form. The anticipation builds as we share our dream podcast guest list and express excitement over the upcoming interviews. We are thrilled to reveal our future guests, Lucy Pankhurst, and look forward to the insightful conversations that await us. So, if music, family, and growth intrigue you, tune in for an unforgettable journey.

https://www.internationaleuphoniumsummit.com/amy-schumaker-bliss-1

Find the Video Interview at https://www.youtube.com/@LivingHistorySeries
#euphoniumsummit #livinghistoryseries #farmfordreams

Amy Schumaker Bliss:

Hello

Nicholas Haffter Von Heide:

there we go. Hello. How are you? I'm doing how are you? I'm good. Yeah, those redwoods beautiful.

Amy Schumaker Bliss:

Yeah. Yeah, weren't they? It was just kind of like we're just driving through the Avenue of the Giants just trying to figure out you know, where were we going to stop and have lunch and we kept on finding like all of these parking spots and we're like, which one do we go on? And then we realized any of them are gonna be just fine. So yeah,

Nicholas Haffter Von Heide:

those are great shots. You already knew all that. That was really awesome. Did that. Did your kids come with you this time? Or did you go by yourself? No, I

Amy Schumaker Bliss:

go by myself. I think we're going to try to turn it into a family kind of vacation type thing at some point. But when we do it, it's gonna have to be my husband bringing the boys on his own, and then meeting me up meeting up with me. So it's just kind of like me. You know, that's kind of tough. But at some point, we'll do it and have kind of a California vacation.

Nicholas Haffter Von Heide:

Yeah, try it out there. Make it a family with families slash business expense.

Amy Schumaker Bliss:

Right. Right. probably spend everything that I make doing the the camp but that's okay.

Nicholas Haffter Von Heide:

On the kids, right? Yep. Yeah, I'll do the boys now. three and six. Green six. Yeah, yours is your youngest is. I think you had yours honestly, 11 months after we had our last. So mine. Mine will be five in November.

Amy Schumaker Bliss:

Yeah, mine will be four in September. So we're pretty Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

Nicholas Haffter Von Heide:

That's really cool. And then next Oh, this is? Gosh, he is. 2010 13 He'll be 13 in three days. Yeah, three days. With five boys have to go Okay, wait. Oh

Amy Schumaker Bliss:

my gosh. Which,

Nicholas Haffter Von Heide:

which birthdays were because we have two birthdays in the next week. Oh my gosh. Yeah. It's and then November is even crazier. It's my birthday. And then Jacob's birthday, our youngest and then our middle. Child. It's his birthday like three days later. So yeah, it's it's it's awesome. are you stopping with you? Are you going to

Amy Schumaker Bliss:

stop and with with two I kind of want to I feel like with my traveling and gigs and stuff. I think you know two is two is a good number.

Nicholas Haffter Von Heide:

That's awesome. Yeah. My parents stopped after two. They got their boy and a girl. She tormented me. But I wouldn't give that up for anything in this life. Yeah, that was the only besides my wife that was the only other girl that was important to me. But anywho how's it how's the podcast going?

Amy Schumaker Bliss:

Good. Numbers. Just keep slowly going up. It's fun. To see which episodes are gaining traction and we can kind of, you know, go where? Where that's where that's headed. We have all that carry. Yeah, exactly. We the the NABBA recap. The IW VC recap. Basically, people like to know what happened. at conferences and events, they want to know what happened. And so those are usually our most popular episodes. So

Nicholas Haffter Von Heide:

we need to do a lot more traveling. Right? I

Amy Schumaker Bliss:

know. We're trying to do like we're trying to do like at least one of us going to various events and recording some stuff and you know, sending it in

Nicholas Haffter Von Heide:

well, why have you ever considered instead of just maybe going personally, I mean, that's ideal, right? Going personally, but interviewing some of the guest artists or manager. Yeah.

Amy Schumaker Bliss:

So we've we've done something like that, but it's like if one of us is going or is on the fence and going with and then we can get like the people like we can get things out much faster because otherwise you're trying to schedule someone right after they come back from a conference or for an event. And they're they're kind of why hesitant. Yeah, they're kind of yeah, they're they're kind of hesitant to schedule anything for that, you know, first, you know, several days back and so it pushes back when we can get the episode out. So

Nicholas Haffter Von Heide:

I totally understand that. I'm facing that with Mauro and Sergio with graphism. Oh, and Mauro I think is I want to say he's in Latvia right now. I have to think about that. Now I don't think he's where Stephen me is right now.

Amy Schumaker Bliss:

So not because he's in Lithuania, Lithuania. Lithuania. Yeah,

Nicholas Haffter Von Heide:

I thought Yeah, Lithuania not Latvia.

Amy Schumaker Bliss:

Yeah, yeah. Oh, l countries,

Nicholas Haffter Von Heide:

right. That's awesome. Do you have a bio prepared by chance

Amy Schumaker Bliss:

I can send over bio. Do you want me to send it over now before we get started? Sure. If you want to let me

Nicholas Haffter Von Heide:

or unless you want it lets you roll with it. I mean, you you do your podcasting so well. You're more than welcome to do it. I could or I could do it. Give me some practice.

Amy Schumaker Bliss:

I have send it over and that Oh, where'd you go? I always have so much stuff on my desktop. It's like ridiculous. I'm just one of those people. I'm I'm just one of those people. So I have that's my regular bio. It's probably too long for like an introduction.

Nicholas Haffter Von Heide:

Let's see. Let's see what I can come up with.

Amy Schumaker Bliss:

I see if I can find a shorter one.

Nicholas Haffter Von Heide:

Oh, I don't have that one that profiles. I have a whole link. I have a whole file dedicated to profiles, artists profiles for all those I interview. And that's one website. I got your main website but I didn't. I didn't star your about page for some reason. That's fine. No worries.

Unknown:

Yeah. The news or bad word pictures too.

Amy Schumaker Bliss:

So as I said, that's probably too long. I don't know I usually have a short bio somewhere

Unknown:

missing

Nicholas Haffter Von Heide:

are you repping The Cavaliers

Amy Schumaker Bliss:

I was just what I was wearing and I just you know that's cool. To hear. What's the now we'll call it short bio, wouldn't I? That was what Amy would do. Amy has not If not saved. short bio. In the bio cantaloupe Midwest that might be sure.

Nicholas Haffter Von Heide:

Nope. That's in biome. I'm going to Okay, so for more information, I'll have them just follow the link below where I put all your information at now. Put all that good stuff in there as well. Yep. So we can just roll with this. That's fine.

Unknown:

All right. Good. It's all good.

Nicholas Haffter Von Heide:

It is it is. How do you like Ohio?

Amy Schumaker Bliss:

I grew up in Ohio. Oh, yeah. Yeah. So you know, that's Ohio.

Nicholas Haffter Von Heide:

With hate toward Michigan or your it doesn't matter

Amy Schumaker Bliss:

with with hate towards Michigan. I will I will fully admit that. It's a beautiful state and University of Michigan is a phenomenal school. But if you ask me in public, I will say

Nicholas Haffter Von Heide:

that goes all the way. Yeah, yeah, pretty much you know what's really funny? I was stationed in the Army band with Mike Jones clarinet. Clarinet is and Executive Director for the Arsenal currently drum corps out of El Paso and he can't he comes in as a fresh E for fresh out of basic and EBIT. I went to the Ohio State University.

Amy Schumaker Bliss:

You're not one of those towns? Yeah.

Nicholas Haffter Von Heide:

Yes, I'm from the Rio Grande. I'm like, and I'm from El Paso. I don't know it's pronounced Rio,

Amy Schumaker Bliss:

Rio and there's a town in Ohio. And they call it Rio Grande and it's just like, he's from Rio Grande. It's near Belle fountain. Like, oh my God,

Nicholas Haffter Von Heide:

that's too funny. Yeah, yeah. All righty. So how I've been doing the layout, it's it's really awesome. It's our we can find by time

Amy Schumaker Bliss:

or I have a I have a lesson at 830. Okay, so that is

Nicholas Haffter Von Heide:

in our 20 hour, 90 minutes. Yeah. Okay. Okay. I will try to wrap this up as quick and

Amy Schumaker Bliss:

it's an online lesson. So even if I have two or three minutes, it's fine because I just pick up my computer and go over to the piano and then upset.

Nicholas Haffter Von Heide:

Okay, cool. Hey, that's I would love to your reach out for music theory lessons and stuff like that. I would really love to incorporate that in somehow into the summit. Maybe not this I might plug it or you can plug it but maybe offer it as kind of a if you have an introduction course, a crash course would be that you would love to do that. Or offer like a free like taster of that. We can put that as kind of some some what we consider a lead magnet a lead magnet to people registering for the free Summit.

Amy Schumaker Bliss:

Yeah Can you hear me can you know echo or anything with it with a virtual background sometimes I don't like having headphones on because then it like does weird things on your head.

Nicholas Haffter Von Heide:

Especially with the glasses. Yeah,

Amy Schumaker Bliss:

it's like all I had too much going on. So I figured.

Nicholas Haffter Von Heide:

Yeah, you've got those portals that open up right here. Yeah, get those two. That's why I have my headphones off to the off to the side here. Yeah. All righty. So yeah, let's roll with this. Go. See how it goes.

Amy Schumaker Bliss:

recording in progress.

Nicholas Haffter Von Heide:

You get this situated where I can see your bio. Erica area. Everyone. Thank you for joining again with the volume summit for through farm for dreams. I have Amy Schumacher, Shoemaker bliss with me today. And she's in a really amazing woman euphonium artist who has inspired 1000s upon 1000s across this globe, including our podcasts and such like that like to introduce her to you. And Dr. Amy Bliss has built a career that combines her love for performing with the love of teaching music. As a performer Amy is always busy creating new projects. She released her latest album, coolers in movements in 2018. I hope that I pronounced that right. And she is featured on two of Atlantic brass best Atlantic brass bands CDs, the spirit of Christmas and Metropolis. She has recently featured soloists with Rowan University's wind band, Gordon Jacobs Fantasia, which is a staple for euphonium. So if you're an artist, level, student level artists through high school check that solo out great. Check out that recording phenomenal. Rowan University's Wind Ensemble, the cosmic euphonium concerto, which is a stout repertoire standard, by the way, and a featured artists at the International Women's press conference. Almost I mean, she's always referred to through all the women's press conferences but specifically that when 2017 She played solo euphonium in the Dublin silver, silver brand, and Athena brass band and all store British brass band featuring women brass and percussion players from around the world. She recently has collaborated with Kent State University for the wind ensemble premiere of Lucy Pinker's luminarias from 2021 Athena brass band for a performance of Peter Graham's brilliant day at the Midwest band and orchestra clinic in 2021 Lancaster a Lego Symphony for the orchestral premiere of seven when Derek Kane's euphonium concerto just last year, and this upcoming winter, she'll be preparing the brass band arrangement of Illuminati. He's with the San Francisco brass band at the California Music Educators Association Conference. Now she has a whole lot more to her if you want to dive in, I'll leave the links below. The tell me bliss.net/about Just check that in. If you have any. If you're one of her biggest fans leave a shout out below and show her encouragement that that this is indeed a impactful person in your life that would be amazing to see. And to get to know your personal testimonies about Dr. Bliss and what she has brought to you and or your students in your life. Any Dr. Bliss, thank you for joining the euphonium summit for foreign for dreams. And I'm Nicholas Haffter von Heide to your host. Let's get this interview started shall we?

Amy Schumaker Bliss:

Thanks for having me. I'm so excited. I think this is a fantastic idea. And it feels so official with like my official background check it out. I love it.

Nicholas Haffter Von Heide:

I really appreciate the encouragement and you know, stepping out and reaching out to all the artists and professionals. Even those that as on the first interview that I've done, and conducted for the summit, was a high school senior who started his own nonprofit reaching out to low brass community offering free lessons. It's just mind blowing. What, what, what a time we live in. I have a podcast. You have two children's books. I mean, featuring brass bands, brass bands, forks, euphonium why I really want to start there what why what what? What had to cross your mind to write a children's book about brass bands in your just your history? What bring us across that bridge?

Amy Schumaker Bliss:

I like that phrase bring us across that bridge. Well when my my first son was born, obviously people got us all of these toys and tons of them were musical because clearly I'm a musician. And I noticed I just I didn't see myself in any of them. They were all orchestral and the the there were no euphoniums um, and I saw most of most of the toys had had animals playing the instruments, but the ones that had people playing the instruments, it was mostly boys playing the instruments and then third, I just saw these ridiculous instruments. There was one book with a bassoon and a marching band, like no, and then the instruments didn't look like the instruments and they had the wrong number of valves and everything and I thought this is ridiculous. So I set out to write a book about like introducing the brass band to young children. And my goals were to make it much more diverse because studies show that when kids see themselves To achieve that goal better. So I wanted every kid to be able to see themselves represented in the book in some way. And I wanted the instruments to look accurate. So I sent I don't know how many my illustrator was so patient, because I sent back those illustrations so many times, thank goodness they were digital because she could just, you know, erase and redo, but especially the bass trombone and the tubas, man, all of the tubing where it goes and where it connects that that took a while. And so I had no clue what I was doing at first. And I actually started by by writing some ideas on a scrap of paper while I was stuck in the car because my son was asleep. And I just ran inside and grabbed some paper because I thought I'm gonna be in here for a while. So what are my ideas? So just kind of I started drawing boxes and kind of plotting out what what the storyline would be. And now the book is is out it is incredibly successful. It's on Amazon worldwide. You can get it on Walmart, online target online, Waterstones over in the UK, or, you know, if you want a signed copy, just you know, shoot me a message on Facebook. I send them out all the time.

Nicholas Haffter Von Heide:

He does. She does. Are there any digital versions? Yeah.

Amy Schumaker Bliss:

There is not a digital version. I haven't figured out how to make a digital version. I can help you. Yeah, we can. We can do that, too. It will do.

Nicholas Haffter Von Heide:

So let's let's dive into the beginning of that brass band buck. As you starting out with euphonium when did you learn how to play euphonium

Amy Schumaker Bliss:

so I started on cornet in fifth grade. And I started out on cornet because my grandfather played trumpet and he he played in the he played in one of there were several marching bands at Ohio State but he played in one of the marching bands at Ohio State. And so I grew up kind of seeing him playing, you know, Christmas carols or something on trumpet and then his three sons, my dad and my two uncles played trumpet. And so I remember brass just being around. They didn't play at time. But but every now and then, you know they took they took that trumpet out and it was a source of pride. And then my of my cousins I think most of them played brass, brass instruments. A few of them didn't. I think there were there were two cousins who didn't play brass instruments, but the rest of us were on brass. So sometimes when we were teenagers, we would bring our instruments and put together you know crazy mismatched ensembles of you know, like three horns and a euphonium. So, brass was kind of always around. So I started out on cornet and played that for fifth and sixth grade. And then going into seventh grade. My band director did what lots of band directors do. They took their second trumpet player, well cornet player and bumped them down to low brass second and third. So a second went to euphonium third went to tuba and I remember I got the most like disgusting looking euphonium possible. It was yeah, it was like the American baritone with the with a like loop de loop with with Yeah, with the building goes forward. Yeah, it smelled. It was awful. It had a wooden case that I could barely carry. And it would enter the my jeans. And I remember at the beginning of the year going into my band director's office and saying I'm this is no I'm going to quit. And he said he opened up this brand new euphonium case was like a Yamaha the four valves on the top which is like basically the the best that most high schoolers get their 321 Right, probably. And I was like, I was like, Oh, well, I guess I could try this for a little bit longer. So I walked out with this brand new like right out of the bag Yamaha and it was shiny and silver and I was like yeah, I can give it another try. So here I am, like how many years later? Shiny euphonium convinced me to stay.

Nicholas Haffter Von Heide:

So let's dive into versions of this. First when you're when your band director made? Had you switch over to baritone slash euphonium. What when you came home with that big wooden case? What did your parents think?

Amy Schumaker Bliss:

Great. This is what you're playing now. Like let's support you. That's awesome. Hey, I think that I think the sousaphone that I took home stretch that a little bit euphonium euphonium has always been fine. And to be honest, when I brought home a sousaphone. It was more like okay, how are we going to do this? It was never like oh man, don't do this. It's always how do we make this happen?

Nicholas Haffter Von Heide:

What kind of car did you all have you remember?

Amy Schumaker Bliss:

I had a nice the Nissan Altima I think like a like a really old one. I had to put like

Nicholas Haffter Von Heide:

the trunk. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Cuba wasn't gonna fit in that. No,

Amy Schumaker Bliss:

no, I think I think I did fit in but I it wasn't in the case. I had to like it wasn't. It wasn't a nice it was what we call the Toilet. Toilet once the fiberglass case and like just you know fandangled it back there. And you know, the white one, right? Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Nicholas Haffter Von Heide:

Oh, man, that brings back a lot of memories. Oh, man. So let's jump to the now. What what, what equipment do you play on right now? What's that you find you that people can see on your bio page that's right below the link below.

Amy Schumaker Bliss:

Yeah, I'm a best in artist and I play the best in 2051. I have a I have a silver one. It's brand new. I have I'm looking because i have i If you saw my office, I have like a little tiny space for my feet. And then there's there's a euphonium there's a new, um, Wiseman case.

Nicholas Haffter Von Heide:

That does gorgeous, by the way. eautiful

Amy Schumaker Bliss:

and I have two baritones on my left and I have my current euphonium behind me, but yeah, I plan a Betsson 2051 which has a slightly smaller bell. I like it, I think. I think that it has kind of given me it's not as popular as the 2052 with a larger bell I find that I can project a little bit easier over an ensemble and honestly, that's what I do a lot of soloist. So I love the sound and I think that that the old it sounds a little bit older I can make kind of like that because bells used to be a little bit smaller. And then they get bigger and bigger and bigger. So I feel like I can I can kind of make that that older compact sound when I want to but the bell is so resonant the the free lead pipe is so resonant that I can I can pump it out when I went to

Nicholas Haffter Von Heide:

that's really, really awesome. What did you have when you did you graduate? Did you move on from your middle school years to high school with that same three 321 or?

Amy Schumaker Bliss:

I got I think it was sophomore year. No junior year, junior year of high school. I got a I got a microphone. And I took that through college Amira phone.

Nicholas Haffter Von Heide:

Now that's, that's a lot of a lot of student artists are not familiar with that brand, when it relates to euphonium and baritone what how do you choose? Was it the price? Was it the availability where you were at?

Amy Schumaker Bliss:

I had I didn't know a ton about the different makes and models I could. So what I did was I went to woodwind and brasswind and I had them cover all the logos and just take them out of the case and put them all in a row. And so I played all of she went to the facility in Indiana. Yeah, yeah. Wow. Okay, because I grew up in Ohio so like it wasn't that way. So I went and I had them cover all of the logos and I tried all of them and after I after I had it down to two then I asked what, what they were and it was the it was a best in sovereign and Amira phone I forget what the what the number was. Because I'm horrible with remembering numbers. I went back and forth. Between those two and I went with a mirror phone. It has a really large wrap which means kind of like how big around yeah the body and so I think I think looking back I probably should have done at the best and eventually I found my way. But but it was a it was a fantastic horn. I think it's a it's a great one for lots of people. But if you can't tell I'm online but I'm five feet tall. So, so a large wrap euphonium was not the best choice.

Nicholas Haffter Von Heide:

Maybe maybe that would be ideal for one of the student artists that are potentially watching this with larger wingspan, larger arms could wrap around that horn.

Amy Schumaker Bliss:

It's something to consider Absolutely because you have to be comfortable with how you're holding your euphonium and it has to feel like an extension of you. So the best thing has a smaller wrap and with my smaller wingspan with my smaller hug around the phoneme it fits me perfectly.

Nicholas Haffter Von Heide:

So it's really interesting that we're covering this dynamic of instrumentation because with so many of the other interviews in you know, we cover cover that but that brings me back to the reason why I don't personally play on Yamaha's is because they feel too too close. Too tight of a body for me. That's why I have my mind with one that's a much larger bodied is it was made for dhemaji Thurman and it's just I love the horn and but it's it's the each person's body type in what they feel comfortable hugging. I mean, they're gonna be hugging that for a good amount of time. length so you have to get comfortable in making that extension just like you said, it has to be a natural extension. That was a great point. Thanks. Um, so when do you when did you first start taking private lessons for euphonium specifically?

Amy Schumaker Bliss:

Um, I think it was, I think it was shortly after starting. I don't really remember because I mean, it was like I don't know how many years ago. It was. It was several it was several years ago. So I don't remember specifically when I started but my parents have always been extremely supportive. You know, anything that I showed interest in they they went and gave me the best possible. So I give the example of when I wanted to when when my dad found out that I liked writing, you know, there was an Atlantic magazine on my desk like two days later. So they there they were always very anxious to just support me in whatever. So I remember I started by going to the local community college and taking lessons with the the trombone euphonium I think he might have been the low brass guy at the community college. With John Olsen was Kent Stark for those people in Ohio Kent State branch. And then I remember, I would also go to University of Akron because that was like the closest larger university and work with Tucker jolly, who taught euphonium and tuba and and those are my teachers before I went off to off to undergrad.

Nicholas Haffter Von Heide:

That's awesome. You for the student artists, parents. That are watching this throughout us with the reach of this euphonium Summit. It what I see it happening. You I think you really hit a note personally as a parent who has a child that a student that plays well three of them that play instruments, you're going through this as well, which is really awesome to supporting your student who is just learning or is trying to find their way on this journey and you may be watching this with them. I sure hope that you're watching this with them, or they show this to you afterwards. And how else could this the student artists parent support Additionally, I mean, that that right there was a critical factor for you I mean, you lit up when you are talking about how your dad just went out and bought you and Atlantic magazine and put it on your desk two days later. That's that's really awesome. What other ways do you see or has have other parents let you know what how they support their student artists?

Amy Schumaker Bliss:

Yeah, I mean, I think I think I see in the in the local mother's Facebook group for the town that I live in. I see parents saying, My kid is playing fill in the blank instrument. How do I find them lessons? I can't find anyone. Go to your local University, go to the your local community college, and there will be someone and if there isn't someone, then then they will point you in the right direction to find someone

Nicholas Haffter Von Heide:

or you can just go down below and ask questions right here. Fill in the blank city where you're living in one of our community members will fill in the blank form

Amy Schumaker Bliss:

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Well, I mean right now, like like not to not to make a plug or anything but you know, now you can you can take lessons online. And I have students who have I have I have students in I have two students in Alaska. I have one in Hawaii. I have one in Malaysia. I mean, I gave a I gave a multiphonic lesson to someone in Norway. Why not?

Nicholas Haffter Von Heide:

Okay. You know, on a term that a lot of beginning artists do not know, you said multiphonics, can you give a quick descriptor of what that is for our newer audiences, especially to the parents, because that's like, such that's like beyond a lot of people's like, frame of reference.

Amy Schumaker Bliss:

Yeah. So I um, I wrote some about this on my my master's paper, actually, is your

Nicholas Haffter Von Heide:

master's paper accessible or can I give it away on through the euphonium summit here by chance?

Amy Schumaker Bliss:

Well, I'll see if I can all go back through and find you several computers ago. Um, but but the point is that I researched it a decent amount because I basically I took I did a questionnaire and I asked people were teaching euphonium Are you are you teaching these concepts? And overwhelmingly the teacher said no, and then and then at a certain point, you know, and then I asked people are you being required to use these these skills in your in your your solos? And overwhelmingly they said, Yes. Oh, wow. And so like, at a certain point, at a certain point, no one was teaching it. Get a solo with like multiphonics or, or tonality that's outside of major or minor. And they haven't, they haven't practiced any of these things and all of a sudden, they're like, ah, and all the things we learn as educators. You know, we should be teaching little bits of these things so that when they do come up, it's not like panic mode. But anyway, multiphonics are when you're singing and playing at the same time. So when you're when you're trying this for the first time, I recommend singing, you know, and, and then playing and doing that that alternately until you can sing usually the same pitch or that you're playing. So some people find it really comfortable to play a higher pitch some people find it comfortable to play a lower pitch, you kind of take your own you know how your body is is doing this however it comes out at first

Nicholas Haffter Von Heide:

seem really awkward. Yeah, yeah. And a few vibrations.

Amy Schumaker Bliss:

Yeah, a few tips is you're going to have to feel like you're singing very loudly because you're going to be putting two different sets of sound waves into your, into your instrument and and the instrument is designed to project what you're buzzing through it, you're gonna have to sing very loudly in order to hear that. And so, you know, have fun with it, play around with it. And I find that it doesn't show up in a whole lot. Of like undergraduate literature, but there's like a bump. If you go into like upper undergraduate literature. There's, there's a bump and all the sudden there it is. Yeah. So it's really nice. If if maybe you are, you're into kind of undergraduate literature at this point, just mess around with it. So it's not a surprise when when you get that, you know, Jan Bach or whatever, like, you know, so that it's not a surprise when when you have some multiphonic show up

Nicholas Haffter Von Heide:

as I'm looking over at my copy of jam Bach over there on my stand. You know, one thing that I've noticed with multiphonics is one genre of music that really as this down pat, down to the beat, beat boxers, Boxer tutorials. That's a great way to start laterally pro B boxers on YouTube and stuff like that. I'm hoping to have some of the interviews composed with some beat boxers to bring that element of those dynamic elements into our personal playing because I know several years ago, we had a young euphonium artists in the UK go on TED talks, and you can see the video. I might link it to one of the pages in this summit. I think he's in one of the brass bands in England. If I'm not, you know who I'm talking about that way. Yeah, Matt? Well, yeah, yeah. But he kind of put that on the radar of capabilities. And it's really easy, really interesting. To see that come forward. So going back to taking lessons and learning under Jonathan Tucker jolly and noticing certain elements not being practiced. What Where did you go to to learn that multiphonics was adjust on yourself?

Amy Schumaker Bliss:

Yeah, I just I just learned it myself. As i as i That's why I kind of did that questionnaire for my master's project, because it was like, You're just getting I was just kind of thrown in like you have multiphonics. Like, here you go. And I was thinking educationally this doesn't make a whole lot of sense. I've been taught all of these other things, all of these other skills, and it just seemed odd. that I hadn't been taught that. So I don't when I specifically learn them.

Nicholas Haffter Von Heide:

How does that work into your music theory class plug.

Amy Schumaker Bliss:

That was a that was a plug. We don't the the music theory class is is frequent is is for all kinds of I teach music theory for those of you don't know, I teach music theory classes online quite frequently. I kind of I get together groups of people who are kind of at the same level and we put together a class. And so we don't I mean, we're not talking about multiphonics in the music theory class, we're talking you know, I might have a harp player. I do tend to have a whole lot of low brass players in my music theory classes because they wonder why. I wonder why Right? Um, but I might have a, you know, some piano players I had, as I said, I had a heart player I have, you know, whoever in these classes and currently, I have some classes that I'm setting up on outschool which is the teaching platform. So I scheduled most of my music theory classes on there, so if you're interested, you can find me below, on the link below, you know, um, but I, I find that online, I can find those kids and adults who are interested in in learning more music theory. And I find that the music theory that we learn in our lessons is so much you know, this note and this note, it makes this many beats or, you know, we don't get very advanced in music theory. In lessons because that's not really the point. I mean, I always bring up some of these things in my lessons too. But we're not there for music theory lessons. I kind of just tie some music theory into the lesson. So for the people who want to learn music theory, I've learned that there aren't many resources and not they're not many places that kids can go. But yet online, we can take that kid from California and that kid from Toronto and the kid from Miami and stick them all together in the same class. And it works because we're all online. And so I get occasionally some kids I've I had a 10 year old who was solidly into college music theory three, and he was out in Australia. Wow. So occasionally you get some some really advanced kids. And it's fun. You know, it's kind of I enjoy it because of learning for learnings sake. You know, you're not being graded. You're not. It's low pressure.

Nicholas Haffter Von Heide:

Sounds like something both student artists and their parents could enjoy together perhaps. Absolutely. That's

Amy Schumaker Bliss:

a great idea. Yeah.

Nicholas Haffter Von Heide:

Kind of like painting with a twist but music theory with the I don't know. I don't know.

Amy Schumaker Bliss:

Yeah, right. Great fun. Yeah, fine.

Nicholas Haffter Von Heide:

So when did you first realize that you wanted to do this as a dream job, dream career.

Amy Schumaker Bliss:

Um, I when I was growing up, I was between one wanting to be a journalist or a writer and wanting to be a musician. Yeah, exactly. Yeah, who would have thought? So I I remember, I wanted, I decided I wanted to go into music because when I saw myself as a journalist, I saw myself doing like little stories and fun stories. But when I saw myself as a musician, I wanted to be a leader. I wanted to be up in front of an ensemble. I wanted to be first chair. And so I think that that was that was my sign that that's where I that's what I wanted to be doing. And so I told my, I told my parents I and I also, I always wanted like an education component. To it in some way. I didn't know what it would be. So I started out, I went to Capitol University. It's an Ohio in Columbus, and I started majoring in music education. And then I added performance. And then I also started playing trombone to So capital is a private school and I got significant scholarship money, but the scholarship money was done in four years. So I graduated with with a double major with essentially a trombone minor in four years. So but I didn't know what and then I when I graduated I didn't know if I wanted to go into the job market or if I want to go to grad school. And so I thought to myself, I will audition at my like my dream schools. If I get in at my dream schools, I'm gonna go on. If I don't, I'm gonna go and teaching and I want to emphasize that I never saw teaching as the backup plan. It was just that one had to be more timely than the other. I felt that I had to audition, you know, at a certain time, and that was before school was was largely done. And so then if I didn't get into those schools, then I would go and get a teaching job. So it wasn't a backup or anything. So at that point, I I told my my friend, Pat stuck Meyer, we were talking through ame because that's how people use you know, so I was talking to him and he said, he said, What are you planning for your senior recital? And I said the LRB and a few other pieces, and he said, that's on the the audition list for the Royal Northern College of Music. And I was like, oh, no, you're not you're not saying that. He's like, Yeah. Oh, my gosh, you should do it. You should do it. And he was there. So I emailed Steve, me to see if I could get an audition and I think he was busy. He didn't email me back or something. And then pat stuck my drop my name and said, Okay, I dropped your name. Now, email him so I emailed them right afterwards and he was going to be at Battle Creek for for music for brass band at Battle Creek. And it was the weekend after my senior recital. Oh, wow. So he was like, is Battle Creek close and and I joke that he could have been like, is is California close? And I would have been like, yes, yes, absolutely. I will be there. I will be there for the audition. So I auditioned I got in. Clearly if you can read my bio I got in. Um, I had an audition. I and I want to also share that I auditioned at Indiana and I did not get in. So we always share our successes. And so I make sure that that I share kind of the things that didn't work out. I didn't get into Indiana. But I already gotten into the royal Northern College Music which was like so much of a level of dream school that they're even dream, if that makes sense.

Nicholas Haffter Von Heide:

So a lot of the a lot of the beginner artists or even high schoolers. I know as even when I was going to college for euphonium I didn't know about Steve Meade and those resources all the way out there across the pond. As a lot of us older folks know those terminologies. These things exist outside and Steven mediate is be the epitome of community and euphonium and just an amazing icon for euphonium. So being able to study under him and being in the same room with him even he's just got such a joy for life zeal for passion for euphonium it's really cool. How's that seeing that live though? Every day?

Amy Schumaker Bliss:

Um, it was it was a completely different experience from school in the US. We had we had very few classes lots of practice time. I got a lesson with Steve every week. And he would start he would fly in from wherever he was. And then he would drop off his clothes at the laundromat. They would do his laundry and then repack him and he would go to the school and teach and we used to joke through the through the class list and teach us and then if he got to the bottom and it wasn't time to go back to the airport to go to the next place he was going he would start back up at the top again.

Nicholas Haffter Von Heide:

Oh man.

Amy Schumaker Bliss:

So whichever grad student because the grad students went first you if if if that person got the call, they text everyone else.

Unknown:

Because like he's he's starting back at the top guys. And we like study something or like Oh, what am I going to bring? What

Amy Schumaker Bliss:

are we going to bring? And then we it only it only happened twice but when it happened like everyone rallies they're like, go go go. Yeah, and then we got a I got a lesson with Dave Thornton just about every other week. He was the other the other euphonium professor there. And so we had so if you're keeping tally one to two lessons with Steve made a week, one less of Dave Thornton every other week. And then we had two hours of euphonium class with Dave and two hours of euphonium class with Steve. Yeah, we also had an a warm up class with Steve whenever he was in town. So we would have we would we looked at in this euphonium class. It was a repertoire class, but it was also a music history class where we learned about the history of different ensembles. We learned about the history of different pieces, different bands, the history of the euphonium. We will look at the music theory behind a specific section and figure out why. Why is this transition. Why is this transition so hard to tune? Well it's this chord going to this cord go into this cord and you have this part of the cord on top and it's just it's very difficult. So this is how you tune this as you're going through this section. Wow. You know, and so I looked at most of my subjects through the lens of a euphonium player as opposed to in the US I think we when we go to music history, its music history of the orchestra, the choir, piano. It's we don't learn a whole lot of wind band and we certainly don't learn a whole lot of of brass band. And so after not seeing euphonium in my music history classes for four years of undergrad going to the UK and suddenly learning specifically euphonium everything was fantastic.

Nicholas Haffter Von Heide:

That's that's a that's a jewel right there. I can't wait to dive into more of that at a later discussion because that's, that's a whole nother episode that I would love to have you back on Wow, that's just fantastic. So when you're going through that and solidifying that as your dream career when you came back where what was that next step of like, okay, this is definitely my my ideal career. This is my dream.

Amy Schumaker Bliss:

Yeah, so I I moved back I moved to the US. Just about in 2009 was the end of 2008 and we moved in I moved in to my apartment in Philadelphia because my now husband was finishing up his his degree out there. And with the recession, we thought at larger populations that it would probably be a smart move and it was so I got off the bat I got a job in general music. And I was teaching private lessons doing general music and playing in the Atlantic brass band. And gradually they gave me more and more responsibility and let me solo a few times and I could kind of slowly step that up more and more. And at a certain point, I left my my general music education, my general music job because we moved east and that Job was way out west beyond the city. So that didn't work anymore. But I kept on teaching private lessons and I at some point I got a job at the local community college and I started looking into going back to get my doctorate so I auditioned at Rutgers I got in and that's when I got that's when I got the call. Tyrone Brinegar had passed away and that was like that was a moment because your your you know part of you is just feeling like in the dumps. Because you know, it's Tyrone Brinegar who you know euphonium player trombone player in the in the Philadelphia Orchestra. Someone I looked up to a ton I remember saving up money to buy as his album when I was in high school. But also the fact that Tyrone Brinegar taught euphonium at the college that was 25 minutes away the same college that I had been playing euphonium at for Atlantic brass band. And so it was like it was like half of you is feeling you know upset is at his passing and half of you was like oh my gosh, oh my gosh Go Go get you know, get everything you know situated because this is your chance. So I got all my materials together and applied. I was I think 26 Like I think I was I was significantly younger than all of the other applicants. We're all kind of like chillin together in the conference room waiting for our turn at the audition. And I was I was the only woman there and I was probably a foot shorter than all of them to and Rowan University is close enough to DC that we had some we had some people

Nicholas Haffter Von Heide:

Yeah, the higher Yeah, yeah. Yeah.

Amy Schumaker Bliss:

So um, so I went in and it was like, Well, this is this is the time and I got the gig. I got the job. I was at Rowan for nine years. And that was kind of my launching point. I think that because that gave me that give me turns as a as a faculty member to solo and when I wanted to win and and that gave me kind of the platform to create and to perform whenever I wanted to. Yeah, when when or whenever I wanted to put something together I could because I had those those resources. And so from there, I started getting more more solo gigs, more clinician gigs going out with frequently my my fellow members of Atlantic they you know, a band might hire like the section leaders from Atlantic to come out and work with with a brass band for something or I would, you know, be a guest lecturer at another college and solo with a band or something like that. And so those gigs started coming in and so that's that has become that was kind of my my end, you know, to expand that network and get out there and more and more. So I recently I moved to Ohio recently from New Jersey and it was a little scary because it was like Rowan was my platform. And and you know, gave me all these opportunities and am I going to be able to make this jump away from a college and and keep this going and I have, you know, I've been hired to do I've soloed with an orchestra. I have gone out and played, especially the Lucy Pankhurst piece. I've played that with three different ensembles. Now. You know I'm doing a lot of of this solo and clinician work that I love doing. And I feel like I'm very fortunate. I feel like I'm living the dream.

Nicholas Haffter Von Heide:

Precisely and that's exactly what I hope to inspire have inspired through bringing artists like yourself in all the ones that have collaborated and contributed to the phoneme Summit. I wanted to bridge back into the beginner artists and the families. Some key words that you brought up that may not necessarily are in their vernacular, the vocabulary gigs, as music jobs. I mean, we, as we really take advantage of every opportunity we can to play at a restaurant or a church or a any venue any, any open space any closed space for that matter. Anybody that will have us is a gig. And I mean even at a your business dinner, your company's launching or a holiday recital or you know, anything can be classified as a gig to give your student artists a chance to get known and get those get that playing ability like really ramped up there. And just there are some phenomenal ways to activate your student and their talent that they've been developing for one to five however many years what are your I've got around 30 plus years on euphonium you're about the same or there abouts. A lot of us as artists, we really it's our hope in ambition is to see all these student artists really take on this mantle of Yes, I am an artist and you know, it's not about well, I can't do this. I can't do How can you do this? How can you make something happen? And if you're not sure, just ask drop a comment below. Ask a question. How can I be more prominent in my local area or get involved in a brass band? And that was another terminology term that I really wanted to get our parents in soon artists used to for brass bands because they hear concert band they hear marching band, they hear solo ensemble, sometimes in beginner or even community bands if they're lucky enough to be in a community like Dublin or locally here where I'm at near Copperas Cove Texas, Harker Heights band room or wherever it may be, is how can what is a brass band specifically i You're you're like one of the experts on this thing how you know? Just take it just go

Amy Schumaker Bliss:

so a brass band there are several different kinds of brass bands. When you hear the term brass band it could mean a group of players down in New Orleans It could mean a group of players you know maybe in like Brazil, it could mean several different things. What we're talking about right now is is called a British brass band. It was started in the UK a little more than 200 years ago as basically their form of of kind of a community band that usually was made up of people who are working in the same coal mine or factory. They'd get off work and you know, they couldn't go home and watch TV or whatever. So as kind of entertainment and to keep morale up. They would play in a brass band. Over time those the instrumentation became standardized. And if you can imagine, think of the different factories in your hometown or the different places where people work eight people mingled and you can only imagine with people mingling in different bands, it only took so long for somebody to say pretty sure my brass band can play better than yours. So I started getting together for competitions and competitions. are kind of a fun way of challenging, challenging ourselves within a brass band to play our best. It is not necessary to be to go to a competition to be a brass band. It's just an aspect of brass bands. But the cool thing about brass bands that is that I want to bring up to everyone who's listening is the inner brass band. The phoneme is one of the most important parts in the band. So when you're in Wind Ensemble and you're playing half notes in and you're just kind of like can I have something else you can look you can look for a brass band because the brass band is the euphonium partner brass band is very frequently lined up with the coordinate part. So the melody the volumes get the melody the phonemes get what I call the noodley bits were diluted and they're moving along scales and stuff like that fun stuff. The fun stuff and youth brass bands are the are the the fastest growing kind of group of brass bands out there. brass bands are growing a ton in the US I know I said that it started in the UK. But we have brass bands in Canada. We have brass bands in the US we have brass bands, a ton of them in Japan. There are brass bands all over all over England. They're everywhere now. And so this this style of brass band is really taking off as a as an ensemble, the literature is being turned out. So if you have look look to see if there's a brass band, a British style brass band around you if you want to be challenged as euphonium player. If you're in an area that doesn't have a British style brass band, a few things you can do. You can easily adapt the British brass band parts by by taking the instrument there's an instrument called a tenor horn which is pitched in E flat by taking those and bumping them up to F you can play them on French horn. And you can take the there's a there's an E flat tuba Park and so you can just play those on either euphonium or you can play those on on a smaller maybe an F tuba and then boom you have you have a you can have a brass band played by bands by instruments that you would have in your band. Another thing is just look up some brass bands and listen to them because you can listen to things even if you're not near a brass band. You can listen to brass bands and you can hear what they're doing, how they're creating sound. You can listen to what kind of repertoire they're playing. You can you can learn a lot what kind of what kind of how are they blending, what's their style and you can learn a lot even if you don't have a brass band in your area and you just listen to some of those best brass bands out there.

Nicholas Haffter Von Heide:

And we can if you want to find out more about brass bands. Dr. Amy has a link below for her own brass band that's on there. Yeah, it's live right.

Amy Schumaker Bliss:

I have to update the dates. We went through a transition with our website so hopefully the new dates will be up there. Yeah, but the Dublin youth brass band is fantastic. We are a we're a PE optional band. So. So it really is

Nicholas Haffter Von Heide:

that we have the premium.

Amy Schumaker Bliss:

So, so yeah, so it's

Nicholas Haffter Von Heide:

fundraising. You're fun. You're raising funds for your own existence as a pay for play, as you will.

Amy Schumaker Bliss:

Yeah. So So if if people can't if people don't have the funds and people don't have, we have we have instruments we have, everything is set up. So so there are some kids literally just walk in the door and here you go. That's great.

Nicholas Haffter Von Heide:

That's awesome. That's really awesome. Oh, man. There's so many things to go dive into. Like, often just that one right there. Let's so we you talked, you spoke about all the practice sessions with Steve. See me and David Gordon, and stuff like that. Did you all work on stretching breathing mindset when it comes to some mindset with how how certain things fit in within the overall context. But like mindset as in preparing you for your practice time as it relates to our beginner artists, like how would you bridge that across to the younger students? How to get in that mindset of practice?

Amy Schumaker Bliss:

Yeah, um, I when we did warm up classes with Steve, we would do stretches we would do. We would do breathing exercises. Sometimes we would get our heart rate up by jumping around or doing jumping jacks which we all really appreciate it at eight in the morning when I'm when I'm on my own, I'm getting ready to I don't know jumping jacks. But I but I do. I you when you asked me this question like flashed through my mind various habits that I have. Some of them are just it may look like I'm just walking around and I'll just kind of I just want to like make sure that I'm loose and uncomfortable because I'm about to take out 11 pounds ish of metal and interact with it. So if my back is tense, if my shoulders are tight, this is going to make it worse. So I don't make a big deal out of it. I'm gonna like hey, everyone on stretching, but I do find that I've kind of swing my arms. I kind of roll my shoulders a little bit. I kind of make myself loose and just kind of make sure that I'm comfortable. And, and that's kind of that's something that I do and I found over time that that gets me in the mindset to it's like I'm I'm now kind of like I'm I'm kind of loose and I'm ready to go you know this is this is my habit um, as for the mindset of of practicing and the mindset of playing too. I have an author that I would recommend. He wrote several books that are probably just fine for for those of you who are high school to digest I'm I have trouble with his name, but I've heard it Mohali percent Mahali. He has done research into what's called flow state and hyperfocus mode. And what he said was sometimes when we're doing something that is just the right amount of challenge, and that we get, we get excited about meeting that challenge. And we go into what's called flow state and I'm sure all of us have been in flow state. It's where we're so

Nicholas Haffter Von Heide:

in video games Yeah. For artists. Yeah.

Amy Schumaker Bliss:

It's when we're so into something that time passes and we're like, Oh, I lost track of time. You were probably in flow state. So we can establish triggers. You know, I do my little, you know, that kind of signals to me like this is time to focus. And, and I have I've taught my brain to go into that that state to because it's time to focus, it's time to practice. And over time, you can get better at getting into that focused state of of working on on stuff that you're learning. So this is something that has taken me quite some time but but you can learn about it the the book was very the book was very readable. He's he has several books, but you can read all the links below. You can you can learn about it. And, and you can kind of figure out how your body works. And I would encourage you because I know if you're here to learn more about euphonium and you're if you're here, and you're interested in all these things, I am willing to bet that you found yourself in flow state playing euphonium at some point.

Nicholas Haffter Von Heide:

So we have a piece, definitely not hot cross buns, right?

Amy Schumaker Bliss:

But it has to be kind of like you're trying to achieve something you're working on that piece that you're that you really want to learn how to play. So I would encourage you to check out that stuff and kind of learn about maybe how is there something that helps you to focus because it may be that that you know doing that doing your stretches before you play or something Something might trigger your brain to say it's time. This is practice time, and I'm going to focus now. So I like having kind of that routine, and it tells my brain it's time now for me right now I have two little kids. So flows. I don't get to I don't get to do that but but it's a valuable skill to have and when the kids are off at school then then I'll get back to it.

Nicholas Haffter Von Heide:

Right I understand that completely. Oh man that's that's really great value. Yeah, I'll put the links to the books below. So you can go check that out and possibly pick one up here, student artists or for even if it's your boyfriend and girlfriend or significant other that really enjoys euphonium playing and they've just done it as a hobby and anniversary birthday gift. Hey, I caught this on a podcast caught this on a summit. You know, here you go. Really? I mean, I would love my life to get me these books. So maybe she'll see these just a hint for a birthday gift or something. You know, whatever. I'm sure you have all those all these specific books in your library of what what did you say? 820 821 868 I think it was 68 was the final number. Yeah,

Amy Schumaker Bliss:

I mean, I wrote a children's book you can tell that like I'm a that like I liked children's books and my mom taught first grade for years. So

Nicholas Haffter Von Heide:

we count Did you count magazines in that number by chance? No. This is a really sidenote to a conversation. So back to the topic. We've already covered equipment that you started with and grew through. What apps are you recommending? Are your students, student artists to utilize in practicing and their daily habits?

Amy Schumaker Bliss:

Use total energy tuner. Absolutely. I used to require every one of my college students to have it. I think that the most useful part of of it is there's you can go excuse me, you can go into the you can go into the metronome and you can start your metronome and then you can swipe over from the side and you can record yourself playing. And then you can stop your metronome after you're done playing and then you can slow yourself down in the recording and play it back. Wow. Yeah, it's amazing. So I used to have my when I was teaching the college students and I occasionally do it to my high school students. Notice I say I occasionally do it to them because they don't like it but it's very useful. I would have them play their clerk studies with a metronome and then play it back slower because it's so hard. It's so hard in real time to hear if we got something right, like myself included. I record myself all the time and play it back. Because sometimes what we hear in our head and what is coming out of our bell is different. And so when we're practicing, having that ability to play it back is fantastic. And then be having the ability to slow it down and have the metronome playing so that we can hear, wow, every time I go from second valve to open. I'm too fast. Or every time I go from open to one, two and three, I'm late. So having that knowledge is fantastic because then you can kind of even it out by maybe like I call it I call it swinging and rinky tinking it, when you swing it, you swing it, done that and that and that on that on that and then once you get comfortable with that your data data data, data data, and that gives you more time between every other note to think about what's coming and then you smooth it out and it's like magic. You can you can play it smoothly. But having that that total energy Tuner app, it's fantastic. I also utilize the drone feature. So there's a feature where you can have two notes play and I would have the the note if so if you know what key you're in, you want to play the note of that key make sure you're in concert pitch. And then you go to the fifth note you count up 1234 And so one is the note that you're on and you go up 2345 And you sustain both of those. And then I like putting putting my ear button in one ear so I can really hear it and I can hear my playing through the other ear. And then I'll play through a section and it's really great for getting that intonation worked out.

Nicholas Haffter Von Heide:

That's really great because that also brings in multiphonics right there. Oh man, that's because that also brings in the whole how important is so far edge or even musical number musical numerical notations with the 12345678 How often do you use that in your practicing and your teaching?

Amy Schumaker Bliss:

So I go frequently with the with the system of the kids. So sometimes they come to me with with what's called fixed dough outside of the US, where C is always dough and D is always re or we can have we can have moveable dough so whatever key you're in, that first pitch is going to be dough. So I use it honestly more in my music theory, stuff that I teach than my lessons when I do in my lessons. Is I'll usually go over I have a piano you can't see because the because the background but I have a I have a keyboard. And so I go over the keyboard and we'll play that pitch. We'll sing it and then and then play it on the phoneme. So I do that more on euphonium than then solfege. I think that soul fish is a fantastic tool. I think the reason I don't use it more in in my lessons is because I find that my my kids that I'm teaching, haven't fully gotten comfortable with it and you have to get fully comfortable with it first. So those of you are listening, it would be valuable to have that skill because your teachers know it. You know most of your teachers know it and can use it but if you're still learning it it's difficult to pull that out as a tool. It's just another tool in the toolbox. We might not always use it but when it would be a when it would be a time that would be helpful. It would be nice to be able to pull that tool out.

Nicholas Haffter Von Heide:

Absolutely. And start preparing yourself for that. Especially if this is going to be something that the sooner artists is wanting to evaluate this as a long term career or option for monetizing it down the road.

Amy Schumaker Bliss:

If you're going to college in as a music major or music minor, you will have to know selfish so you can learn it when you're in college or you can jump ahead and start getting comfortable with it now and use it now.

Nicholas Haffter Von Heide:

Absolutely. And if you if you don't know where to start, just drop a question in the box below. We'll figure it out. Right? Yeah, so that really was all the way down to the sight reading also, and in in getting the Learn the articulations the phrasing, the breathing, you've already covered a lot of those elements and even when did when you started teaching others to play? We've covered a lot of the questions. One question that we kind of hit on throughout our interview here is the opportunities that are so prevalent for euphonium students now as opposed to when we are going through school and such like that are in the future like what can our euphoniums student artists take advantage of now as far as opportunities to learn like dropping comments below or the competitions that are throughout the world now. I mean, we there's so many creative ways of finding financing for those student artists that do make those final rounds that there are people in our community that will fund your vision fund your gene if that's what you so desire. Share your passion. What opportunities do you see euphonium artists current New those of us in our older years that are pursuing it as a hobby maybe? What do you see? I mean, you brought up brass man, that's a great opportunity. Absolutely. Yeah. What other opportunities you see.

Amy Schumaker Bliss:

Yeah, so I think I just got back. I just got back from the brass chamber music workshop out in California. And there were I think was 12 Work Study positions that went unclaimed. What? Yeah, yeah. 12

Nicholas Haffter Von Heide:

for families and student artists. What does work study

Amy Schumaker Bliss:

mean? So it's, it's simply because it's held at a university. So these to take advantage of the work study stuff. You work in the library at the brass chamber music workshop. And this to give you a little bit of background. This is the largest brass chamber music library in the world with over 7000 Brass chamber pieces. So working in the library is awesome. So, so five hours during the week you work and you get I think it's$250 off tuition for the week. Wow. Yes, and 12 of them went unclaimed. So that is I think it's a hidden gem. It's up in the Redwoods of Northern California usually in mid to late July. So definitely look at that. It's at Cal Poly humble. Put the link down below. Yeah, yeah, check it out. The other thing I think another hidden gem is the International Women's bras conference. Because I think people think that you have to be a woman to go supporting. Yeah, so it's a it's a conference for supporting women in brass. So the competitions are all open to anyone. And, and it'll the pieces that you play will probably be written by women because it's a conference to support women, you know, composing for brass instruments and stuff like that. But everyone is welcome. And that organization has has the same funding for prize money as some huge competitions. Yeah, yeah. And but the competitions tend to be a little bit smaller because it's still kind of developing and getting it's getting the name out there and people are finally realizing that you don't have to be a woman to participate.

Nicholas Haffter Von Heide:

Opportunity

Amy Schumaker Bliss:

it's a Yeah, it's a fantastic opportunity. To and they have they have mark their military band auditions and orchestral auditions. And those have cash prizes too. I didn't know that. Yeah. And so they also they have and the judges are straight from military bands and from orchestras. So if you want to try out if you're if you're kind of building up to try to get into a military band, or or maybe audition for an orchestra or something that would be that's a hidden gem. You know, there are other things obviously it EAA and stuff like that. The regional conferences that they put on are great, but every but lots of people know about those and lots of the you know, lots of people are there, sometimes finding some of those competitions and those, those venues that that there aren't as many people is kind of a chance to get you some more feedback and some more attention. I do want to say that the I ran the I was co co chair of ITEX young artists to be phony some competition. That was the euphonium half of that.

Unknown:

There were three entries.

Amy Schumaker Bliss:

Three can it can I say to get three um, so that's another one that you would have thought that there would be 1000s Yeah, yeah, there were three. So that's another one that I would strongly encourage you and they're working on linking. They've started linking that to the Leonard Falcone competition. Wow. Using the mage choosing most of the same literature

Nicholas Haffter Von Heide:

repertory. Yeah, I've seen

Amy Schumaker Bliss:

a change one thing I wanted the horror of its to be in there because I wanted to have a I wanted to have a you know, chestnut in there. So I put one of the moments the horror of it's in there, but they're working to have both of those competitions have very similar literature. So I would advise you to sign up for both of those because it's a double it's a double whammy. You have two competitions for the same pieces.

Nicholas Haffter Von Heide:

And so, a really cool trick that I've learned as a personal librarian, and having a large repertoire, as when you start playing where you're at right now as a student artists just beginning or in those first years, start looking at these competitions and going ahead and Christmas gifts, birthday gifts. Go ahead and start utilizing those as pieces that you're going to want your students to have access and have a copy of because it's illegal to play copy pieces. I don't I don't authorize that at all have the original and a lot of these competitions you have to have the original to play. So go ahead and get those birthday gifts out of the way and get those get those pieces knocked out and put them in in a collection if they do decide to play. Hey, this is a great graduation gift into high school war, graduation gift into, you know, college, or if they don't, and they don't even know that you've collected these. There's a whole market of euphonium players that would love to have that collection. And they're willing to pay for that. Because you took that time to procure those to get those pieces. One last thing on our euphonium summit with Dr. Amy bliss thank you so much for joining us on foreign for dreams in providing this amazing content and great interview. Any final thoughts, sayings principles that have made a tremendous impact on you as a euphonium player what if it's in regards to practice performance or trends in in, like trips into your daily life that you want to impart on our audience?

Amy Schumaker Bliss:

Yeah, yeah, I have one. One final thing. I used to keep quotes that Steve me said to me and lessons and he was hilarious and lessons so one of the one of the funny things he said was you sound like you're riding a motorcycle with square wheels because I was mine was playing like a robot. But one of the one of the nice things he said that has stuck with me is he said play your instrument like you're telling a story. Connect with your audience. You know, if your audience isn't connecting with your performance, it's because you're not telling the story. You're not letting your perspective shine through its past. Go past the notes and the rhythms and the dynamics and tell your story.

Nicholas Haffter Von Heide:

That's amazing. What a what a end to a wonderful interview. Thank you, Dr. Amy Shoemaker bliss you're having and Yeah, can't wait to have you on again. So many more questions. Look forward to the follow up. And we'll talk to you soon. Thank you everyone for joining us. recording stopped. Thank you. So golly, that was amazing. Great. I mean, what do you think of it? I think it went well. Yeah, yeah. All right. I have so many more questions. And just so many like things to like so many like cross reference paths and holy smokes man. This was a phenomenal interview. I mean, every single interview that I've been on with the kid that started the nonprofit to Adam Frey, Don pahlmeyer. Brian, Mike's there. Dan sipes yourself and oh. Guess what? It got to me not I know you're sitting up here stuff there.

Amy Schumaker Bliss:

I'm still listening now.

Nicholas Haffter Von Heide:

Guess who I got to possibly do an interview? Oh, Phil spark I'm so excited. Like I messaged him. Yeah, he's he's commissioning a couple pieces right now. But he's like, I want to help out. I want to contribute. Send me the stuff. Oh, my. I'm like, yeah. I'm super excited. I would love to get Lucy on and talk about her Illuminati. He's just, there's such a dreamless like I hope it's amazing putting this together and getting your energy and providing the value back to y'all to showcase your what you're doing. Oh, so exciting. To

Amy Schumaker Bliss:

be in touch. I need to get into this lesson. Let me know you know what else and all that okay, we'll talk soon. Thanks. Bye.

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Nicholas B. Haffter Von Heide

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