Bridging the Gap: Uniting Euphonium Artists Across Borders, with Dr. Ian Lester

Meet a musician on a mission – a mission to bridge the gap between eager students and accomplished professionals in the music industry! Get ready to explore his unique journey as he interviews an array of industry personalities, from composers to conductors and euphonium players. The heart of this episode is a touching reflection on the passing of his mentors and icons, a poignant reminder of the impermanence of life and the importance of preserving wisdom.

Venture with us, as we navigate the creation of a platform that unites international artists, composers, and conductors, and allows them to share their narratives. This episode offers a unique insight into how this platform goes beyond sharing stories, serving as a remarkable tool for musicians to build their brand, document their adventures, and secure opportunities. You won't want to miss our exclusive chat with an artist in China, offering a unique perspective on how music serves as a universal language that transcends borders.

Finally, prepare to be inspired by the riveting conversation with Dr. Ian Lester, the award-winning euphonium player, composer, and teacher, as he enlightens us about his own musical journey. From his humble beginnings to acclaimed victories in the US Army Band Euphonium Composition Competition, the Oakland University Outstanding Student Composition Award, and the North Texas Euphonium Quartet Composition Competition. He shares his challenges, the pivotal role parental support played, and the importance of MIDI keyboards and software in music creation. Lend an ear and soak in the wisdom of these musical maestros. You're guaranteed to leave with a tune or two in your heart, and a wealth of knowledge about the euphonious world of euphoniums!

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

Transcript

Euphonium Interviews and Opportunities

Speaker 2 0:04

You can hear me .

Speaker 1 0:36

I sure can ?

Speaker 2 0:38

awesome , let me turn up your volume . Am I quiet , too loud , or am I ?

Speaker 1 0:46

okay , you're good , so zoom actually automatically dampens it original sound for musicians on the roof yeah , it's awesome , awesome .

Speaker 2 0:57

Yeah , I think I put the setting to like high suppression because it's like 90 degrees in my house and I have a fan just blowing on me right now , so , yeah , so let me know if that fan is a being too noisy , I don't hear it at all okay , awesome , cool . I'm just adjusting some my volume stuff , all right , so how are you doing ?

Speaker 1 1:26

wow , I , I just got like I had an earlier interview with Lynn mule hyzen , okay , from the ladies musical club of Seattle and they have a competition that has had two euphonium winners and a recent euphonium artist , william Lund , participate two year not this , this competition round , but the last one , and it's only artists from 20 years of age to 35 can be professional and can be what the phenomenal interview huh it's just I can't wait to release all this stuff .

Speaker 2 2:18

Loose on the euphonium world , it really yeah , I've been seeing that you've been getting a lot of interviews with some , like , really cool names is this gonna be oh , go ahead go .

Speaker 1 2:29

I was gonna say that's not even a tenth of what's what's coming awesome what's already like scheduled . I mean , I've got like Friday for me this and people are gonna be reading this in the transcriptions , in the order which my orders on the copilot here notes . But this this week is a wild week . I have seven no 18 interviews this week alone wow and each interview goes from not less than an hour to almost three plus hours wow it's .

Speaker 1 3:09

I mean , the stuff is gold yeah people have been like composers , artists , conductors , now competitions . I mean , I didn't know about that particular competition until I saw a post floating around with William talking about that particular competition and how well organized it was , and I reached out to them like , hey , I would love to you know , interview you for this internationally at the time euphonium summit , because I had yet to I don't think I had recorded anyone outside the US just yet , but since then I've interviewed Marina Bozelli from Italy , matteo Tundo , composer from Italy . I will have Andrea Hobson from Hobson Hobson . Hopefully I didn't pronounce that I'm a little tired . That's why I got another couple .

Speaker 1 4:09

Yeah , I'm not the only one I got my coffee to cheers cheers indeed so feel free to talk and drink your coffee and stuff like that throughout the interview , even the recording when we go live not live , but actual video recording . Yeah , let's see just and like within like five , ten minutes of the interview with Lynn and I just ended that interview about 40 minutes ago and that was booked from , I want to say , 10 am . So it was , it was a very yeah yeah .

Speaker 1 4:53

I mean everything . I mean Gales interview herself , her Dr Robertson . She came back on and did another hour plus . Wow , from her original interview I think we did an interview . It was like I want to say we her . Her interview content alone was like well over four hours .

Speaker 1 5:15

I want to say yeah it's just , you know , it's something that I always wanted to do from like a couple years ago , and I was too caught up on myself and not starting and worried about , you know , what other people would say or do or or just whatever I mean my own personal like insecurities and such like that and and and then I started seeing all of my mentors and my icons and those that I endeared very much to start passing away .

Speaker 1 5:53

I'm like this can't this , I can't let anyone else no , I this , this is too valuable for our history yeah you know , starting with , I mean I want to do this with every , every instrument and every voice and , you know , aspect of life is to bridge that gap between where students are currently , whether they're an artist or , you know , ambitious to go into neuroscience or genetics or engine , it doesn't matter . I want to help them get a speed . That curve of you know , looking at all these journeys before and with , with all my experience , the biggest need right now , with , with , like I said , with my experience in all these different , vast , different fields , euphonium is the one that's needed the most . I , yeah , my , my , my second oldest son plays euphonium and he doesn't see a career in euphonium , and it blows my mind because he knows that I play professionally for four years . But they also say that I don't know anything when it comes to music and that's you know . Do you have any kids ?

Speaker 2 7:08

yeah , I don't know okay , when , when ?

Speaker 1 7:11

in fact , if you do , yeah , I see it all the time , and even the band directors at my kids school , they're like , yeah , we play , you know we teach , but we don't know anything when it comes to their kids . Yeah , it's , it's amazing . It's like the left sock in the dryer you never know where it went yeah , yeah .

Speaker 2 7:39

I mean , I think it's such a cool thing you're doing though , such a valuable , valuable resource to just for these students . So is this gonna be like like I ? So I'm not super familiar with your work here . Is it gonna be a website ? Yes , that has all this , like you know , okay , available on it so it's going to be all the .

Speaker 1 8:03

The live recordings are the recordings . Info will be on YouTube for free for sure the transaction transcripts are free with with an email , but the transcripts are so robust I think I have to chop them up into each individual segment yeah the file . It won't , it'll crash . I'm guaranteeing it'll crash .

Speaker 1 8:29

So many computers out there , yeah , so I think bite size , like with each interview , will be a downloadable link and then on top of that they can buy , and I was just talking to my wifey about this yesterday and contemplating for weeks and I'm like I really would love .

Speaker 1 8:52

I'm such a book nerd , I love books yeah so I'm thinking about offering in and this is I'm throwing this out there for you to gave Jerry interest also is doing a hardcover book series of these interviews . Yeah , each book would be or the math , I mean , this book is probably gonna be thicker than encyclopedia Britannica after I'm done here , yeah , even just this summit , this year's summit alone . I want to continue this work beyond each year , so let me finish up the whole book idea . It would be it would have to cover the cost of the book and the shipping , but other than that , go hog wild on sharing it and all that good stuff yeah and with the creatives , I create all the creatives so far by myself .

Speaker 1 9:48

I'm hoping to somehow manage to find a team that wants to work and make a part of a big difference and a big impact , because this I can't do this alone . I'm yeah it's .

Speaker 1 10:03

It really is a massive undertaking . My one of my friends is , like you know , you can get your doctoral thesis for this . I'm like I don't even have a bachelor's , and it's not about that . I want to be able to impact students . I mean , I want to see my own kid to see the possibilities and potential of what's out there , regardless if he ends up continuing you , phoning him in college or not .

Speaker 1 10:32

The opportunities for them to , for each student to be equipped right now , where they're at , each student artist once they leave high school . They have six plus years already learning this instrument . Yeah , and in fact it just blows my mind they have so many more opportunities than we we ever did when we were , you know , graduating high school . I mean , you're quite a bit younger than I am , yeah , but you still , a lot of us faced the same . I mean I would even , you know , jump to consider that a lot of these opportunities , because they're not well known , haven't been this accessible really ever . Yeah , and for you to , I mean , the bridge point for you to even come to the realization yes , I would love to be a part of this is , you know , the kids that are in your studio and in your realm of influence , for them to to be part of this through you . Yeah , it's just mind-blowingly awesome to give them that one up on themselves , learning to become better at who they are , but becoming more intuitively aware of themselves , and the opportunities to really wow , make a craft their own dreamscape yeah . So to get back on to two other points yeah , so this year's a virtual summit .

Speaker 1 12:17

Well , from here on out , I want to hold a live slash hybrid summit in person in December for each instrument , specifically starting with the euphonium . Yeah , and , and I've got some really good feedback on that so far but the caveat to all that there's a couple caveats . There'll be a summer mastermind cruise that goes with this all package for the euphonium artists , whether they're a student artist to professional . Their families can all be a part of this . Come together in , perpetuate our , our , our family , our instrument and craft what we're doing now , and make it and push it forward to going further and farther than anyone could ever imagine yeah and I'll .

Speaker 1 13:16

I'm gonna pause and let you like . What's your input on that ?

Speaker 2 13:20

I'm curious yeah , no for sure , because I was wondering . You know , is the ? I was wondering if the extent of this was , you know , just a website with all this stuff on it .

Speaker 2 13:29

That's so cool , that's bigger yeah , that's so cool and you're right , it sounds like such a massive undertaking , but , you know , it sounds like such a needed and important one , like you were saying , and you know , when I was a young student , you know , if this was a thing that would have been so great because , like some of the questions you ask in that Q&A , like I have some answers that have to do with this , but it's like when I was a student , you know , there wasn't really any of that . There was no Spotify with , like you know , those , the podcasts and all that .

Speaker 1 14:05

So nowadays I'll be uploading the audio transcripts to Spotify so it's gonna be epic yeah , yeah .

Speaker 2 14:13

So like stuff like this is just like so cool to me and , I think , so useful for the future generation of musicians and students . Just yeah , it's really awesome okay .

Speaker 1 14:25

So , as far as the website goes , the whole idea and intention , intent , purpose for for dreams is to create a help student artists all the way to the professional level create their dreamscape portfolio and that's a terminology that I developed , the dreamscape part . Well , to paint that picture , that roadmap . And this is like the beginning element of that whole incorporating element it's . I've mapped it out on my whiteboard several times . I at one point a couple weeks ago .

Speaker 1 15:07

I'm gonna go here , hold on a second here , I had a huge whiteboard that covered this whole area , and this is part of my euphonium history . I was in the first Calorie Division band and we did some amazing things in Iraq . I happened to be one of one of only maybe two tops that have ever been decorated with the combat action badge well , that's really awesome yeah , it's a truly amazing band of brothers and that's an understatement , for sure , but to be able to create these portfolios .

Speaker 1 15:54

So I mean , even as a college professor and this is where I this is like I saw this working with the Houston Symphony Orchestra , the Corpus Christi Symphony Orchestra I need , over 10 years ago , that a performer , an artist , can take this like their bridging moment , like all that's been recorded here and with . So there there's a couple layers of tears to this . I'm really excited as the ability to showcase their own journey in accomplishments and achievements through the part , the actual platform itself and I was considering doing a membership base .

Speaker 1 16:42

I really I I'm not technically efficient in that area yet I'm hoping to uncover someone who is gifted in building out that stuff , but but being able to create a profile and it has their , their introduction , and will showcase their kind of , their bridging moment between who they are , who they were , who they've developed to be , and showcase their personality , their , their adventures , so to speak , yeah , their pitfalls , their , their , their weakest moments , whatever it may be . To be completely honest and vulnerable because these orchestras to brass bands , to college studios , when I went to school , when I got my full right to near the nearest only university , I didn't know who the instructor was , I didn't know what he was like , I didn't see that personality , I didn't know if we were gonna mesh and nothing . I was completely blind into it . You know , I sent my blind audition in . Well , not blind . I had a video recorded but I didn't . I had no gauge on that as entering freshman and I really would have valued something like this .

Speaker 1 18:06

This is a tool that I wish I had yeah and and I mean I cover this on almost every single interview now is getting to see your personality shine through , your journey shine through can make a difference in one of your studio members currently and or future . Sense . I mean , wow , like what potential . There's no dollar amount that I could even place a value on that to to make that kind of impact . Whom I to charge for that ? To see to have people grasp the essence of Ian Lester or Betsy wrong or Mateo Tundo , adam Fry , gail Robertson , dr Dimandre Thurme , mine blowing the awesome and being able to and I put this call out on my sound offs is getting a linguistic , someone who's gifted in linguistics , in Chinese , japanese , italian , spanish , norwegian , swedish , every language . I don't want this to be a barrier for anyone .

The Journey of Euphonium Artists

Speaker 1 19:26

Can you imagine the euphonium being the charge on ?

Speaker 2 19:29

this right . Yeah , that's crazy , but yeah , I think the having it just be accessible to everyone that's so cool , because there's so many international artists and composers who you know be so , so cool for this oh , and I forgot Ukrainian .

Speaker 1 19:47

There's a conductor who wanted , who wants to contribute , and he's like I don't speak English very well and I run into this with one of our fellow brother , euphonium artist . My English isn't that well , well done and haven't really worked on it and I unfortunately did the Google translate and it didn't turn out very well yeah and and I owned it and it's viral .

Speaker 1 20:17

It shows my vulnerable ability as a solo person , a solopreneur , really at the beginning of this in growing showing , showcasing even my struggles in building something , because a lot of these student artists , even collegiate in those transitioning from high school to college or high school to some kind of professional world , need to understand that that , that that transition of where they are now to building a business , marketing themselves , especially through this opportunity or being part of their community , is huge and especially , you know I'm being able to having this opportunity for free it's just like mind boggling nonsense and to showcase everyone's journey like this .

Speaker 1 21:18

My parents , I guess I would have to say my parents contribution and their , their desire in thirst for genealogy was a big influence in this like intention of wanting to document people's journeys in this way yeah and then reading us a couple different books on principles and and those that say I really regret not knowing what their principle was , and I'm like , and then hearing the passing of Roger Bobo in so many other artists , I'm like I can't wait and I can't wait , I have to , I have to , I have to get this going because we're we're not getting any younger and that experience that you have may never be , it will never be the same experience someone else is ever going to have yeah there's points of that perspective which the you know , the logo of farm for dreams , a diamond , carry those facets , that's the gold .

Speaker 1 22:30

Your , your , your bridge , specifically , will speak to someone , I don't know who , and you might get to see it , we might get to see it , which would be amazing , right , yeah , it'd be amazing . And and they actually pay you and commission you or buy an absorbent amount of souls , which would be awesome which you can check out the links that are attached to this and and really get to dive deeper into each composer or artist . I mean , yeah , it's , it's a really spectacular time and I have to think the pandemic for this , because , if it , if it , if that never happened , I'll be still doing coffee and doing really well globally . I mean , we're both drinking coffee . Yeah , I had two of my coffees in every single seven , eleven in the nation and if it wasn't for the pandemic and shutting all that down , and a lot of other unfortunate events that led to this .

Speaker 1 23:43

Right here , right now , with those that are reading this transcript , even before the reading , y'all are in for a definite treat . These , these , this is like wagyu beef , if I were to say anything . If you're a meat eater , if not , I'm sorry but I'm great , awesome . But that cruise I . Another brother of ours , alan Harold , funny player . He , he's like Nick . I don't think there's a buffet large enough for the euphonium players .

Speaker 2 24:19

Yeah , yeah , I agree with that .

Speaker 1 24:25

Oh man . So yeah , this has been a wild ride .

Interview With an Artist in China

Speaker 1 24:33

Oh , I was going to say five minutes before my interview with Lin today I got a message . He's been a very , very instrumental pun intended in all factory in China . I think you know who I'm talking about , maybe Wait what was that ? Instrumental impact in China .

Speaker 2 24:57

Oh , in China .

Speaker 1 24:59

Do you know who's the artist I'm talking about ?

Speaker 2 25:01

No who .

Speaker 1 25:02

The art director of Low Brass in China .

Speaker 2 25:06

Oh , don't know .

Speaker 1 25:07

Low Brass . I think his title is Low Brass , Director . I might ?

Speaker 2 25:12

know , but I don't know the name .

Speaker 1 25:15

I don't want to butcher his name so bad , but I will do one better . Let me go here and I've pronounced his name on a couple of other interviews . I really don't know if I'm pronouncing it right , because I'm not gifted in Chinese . I know a ton of languages , just not that one .

Speaker 2 25:41

Yeah .

Speaker 1 25:43

I'll send it over to you in the Zoom chat . Sure thing . So you can sneak , peek and get excited as I am . But check that out .

Speaker 2 25:52

Let's see , let me open this up .

Speaker 1 25:56

I'm so excited for that interview as much as I am with every single person that is being part of this . Yeah , the VP of China's National Low Brass Committee .

Speaker 2 26:09

Yeah , that's pretty crazy .

Speaker 1 26:12

I mean wow I think that's literally the reason why it switched over to international , with artists and composers , conductors from all over the globe have just been like yes , yes , yes , and it's so , the energy that's reciprocated with yourself and others and it just lights .

Speaker 1 26:41

I mean , I've got lights on , obviously , but it just lights my soul on fire and for someone else that is reciprocal of that passion , like yourself and everyone else who's contributed . You and your students will get to see hours and hours of content . I mean , for all intents and purposes , your students can write research papers and thesis about this for years to come and there'll be new stuff uncovered , a different perspective . Hence the diamond . Yeah , I mean , what a great seed , what a great field to be in . I'm just the children just racing over me and I'm glad that you were able to willing and you were really quick on the trigger . I won't say any other words with that . You're quick to pull on the getting your time scheduled and going over and you just said it yourself going over the questionnaire and diving really into finding those key interests , those key , and realizing that that's what I was wanting to do , the intended purpose and the gravity of such , of what this entails . It's just , it's a lot like a kid in a candy store really .

Speaker 2 28:28

Yeah , I mean , it's such a cool project you're doing , such a massive one , but like I'm so happy to help with this , you know it's such a cool thing you're doing .

Speaker 1 28:40

Well , I am completely honored as well , as you know everyone that's reading it now or in the future , or you know , listening to it or watching , listening in any facet Boy , howdy , this is just . I think you're the I would actually have to go back and count . I want to say you're the 17th artist , composer , conductor . I want to say you're around that number of those that like yes , like automatically . Yeah and dive in with this , because these opportunities have never existed like this before .

Speaker 2 29:29

Yeah .

Speaker 1 29:31

And I want to showcase this to your students especially and those watching like the initiation that the , the , the opportunities a student artist at any level can take now to really make a difference . I mean to give you a really really cool perspective . The first person I interviewed for this summit was a high school student , I want to say his junior year . Really is a leader of a nonprofit called the low brass network in California .

Speaker 2 30:06

Wow .

Speaker 1 30:07

And he provides music lessons at no cost to the underserved demographic in the area . He wants to go global with this . I don't , and it's very ambitious and my hats off to him it's . It's a really ambitious . He just had a festival last month or the end of July End of sorry June , end of June , I believe and I reached out to him he had . He he's now good friends with Brett Baker , which is the principal trombone of forgive me , corey band .

Speaker 2 30:45

I believe he's like yeah , yeah , which .

Speaker 1 30:50

for the parents and those that are loved ones of artists who are reading this now that don't know brass bands , that's like the creme de la creme of all brass bands globally .

Speaker 2 31:04

Yeah .

Speaker 1 31:06

And to research that . Go back and listen to it . It's ironic that your last name is his first name Lester , you is his name , oh yeah , and so it's really fascinating how these opportunities really interconnect for our students going forward to be able to oh , by the way , that competition I , if I do slow , drip all these interviews out on a weekly , or even I have so many I might , I might do daily pretty soon here , because we're 20 weeks out from Christmas at the time of this recording .

Speaker 2 31:51

Yeah .

Speaker 1 31:52

And I have over . At the end of this week alone , I will have over 30 recordings .

Speaker 2 31:59

Yeah .

Speaker 1 32:01

Easily .

Speaker 2 32:02

That's crazy .

Speaker 1 32:04

That note that , I'm sorry not the end of by Sunday , and today is Tuesday . Yeah , I will have over 30 . And so to give your students , to give you extra value into you being willing to do this .

Speaker 2 32:19

Yeah .

Speaker 1 32:20

I am pleased to , and you might want to . You know what better yet I will send you . Better yet . That that's ladies . Okay . So this right here by far is one of the coolest competitions , and this is for your 20 plus year olds . November 1st is their their competition . When they start taking applications . They are I'll tell you Okay . So if you have that bookmarked and have it for your students ready to rock and roll , they're only accepting 200 applicants .

Speaker 2 33:04

Wow .

Speaker 1 33:05

November 1st starts and they have to have their own pianist for solo unless they're unaccompanied . They have to have an unaccompanied work part of their opening rounds , totally blind . It has to be a audio recording , no video . So with , with that said , the price package and the support , if I happen to release this interview before before November or before Christmas , somehow , the price package is way worth it . $3,500 per winner , up to mitre's gift , that is fine . And then you've got . You can't tell me the price page , både , hey , h unusual , not be fair , tority , hi , that's fine Dr wedding . Good morning , thank you , you know . Pacific Northwest , the coast side , yeah , from north to south , all the way to the Canadian border , just amazing . And then to make the finals round alone they end up receiving . They have to fly out there on their own dime . So far they're working at it and you can see all the details , but it's a $250 they get . After they compete in the finals round . That night they get a check for $250 just for finishing the finals round .

Speaker 1 34:52

Whether they make it to the winner's circle or not . They also get to be the winners , get to be featured on a really amazing classical radio station , 98.1 classical I mean , look at all these notes . This is ridiculous . So the Northwest Focus Live , 98.1 FM , sean King FM and he just recently the last year's solo winner I'm really bad with names , when it comes to first names too . The last year's winner alone was featured on their live broadcast hosted on NPR . Oh , wow , okay , and whether I may be mistaken on that , but it got picked up as the premier artist , young artist to watch Wow On NPR . And so the I mean the in her video alone we show her 64,000 views at the time of what's being written on my order and this conversation right now . 64,000 views on that just alone , wow . So the price package is really worth it for the students . And yeah , they had two artists winners Euphonium winners Daniel and James , james , gilliam and Daniel .

Speaker 1 36:38

I have it saved in here . Question is , where did I save it ? It saved as a PDF too , so go pick . Oh well , and you getting back to the actual interview with you . It's really exciting opportunity and I just interviewed , so you're actually the first one to get to know about this competition for your students . Awesome . So extra value added yeah , if this wasn't value added enough to refer out to and maybe give a few shout outs on your social media , I can't wait to create the creatives concerning this particular interview with you and to create the blog posts in every associated thing . I could think of Any other questions that you have for me .

Speaker 2 37:41

Not at the moment , I guess . Is my camera really blurry on ?

Speaker 1 37:44

your .

Speaker 2 37:45

Okay , let me try and fix that real quick . It could actually be the camera itself . Give me one second .

Speaker 1 37:52

Sure , that's a clear picture .

Speaker 2 37:55

Yeah , I'm going to try on a Windex actual camera real quick .

Speaker 1 37:59

Sure , well , while Windex is the camera and this is still being recorded on the my order here , personal notes of my take , with Dr Lester here and every single passionate individual that comes on to give y'all the opportunity of a lifetime , it really truly is . I hope parents that are listening to watching hearing will offer this as a part of their legacy to reach out and to pass , to pay it forward , this work with hearing , all these artists , composers , conductors , chair personnel from all these organizations that are providing so much value at no cost on these recordings . If YouTube somehow goes to paid or something else , whatever you need , I mean if this is still free when you hear it , by all means share the dickens out of this please , not only because Dr Ian Lester needs euphonium studio members because that's always awesome , or if you're looking for and I say this on a lot of the interviews for my composers that if you're a person that has a significant other of any kind or a friend that plays euphonium or I saw a piece that he wrote for Fluids and many , many , many , many , many other pieces or have a school music program or a community band program that you want to buy music for Chiching , right here I give you Dr Ian Lester , even though it's only transcribed , might be audio too . I'm still getting to understand all the ironically dynamics of social media and these technical facets of really gold that we have as artists now that we never had when we were your students age at all . I mean , I was born before they invented the internet , in a way , and before Google .

Speaker 1 40:53

So for those that are watching this , thank you all for your support in wanting to read through this . If you do see this , take a screenshot of the page that this is on and send it to your friend and say , hey , this is really gold . Or send it to your bestie , or whatever word that y'all end up using here in the future , coming up . Send it to a friend that you really want to see successful in your life and that would be a great gift of friendship to pay it forward to them and saying , hey , listen to this stuff this is this really can make a difference in your life and in your , in your future family's lives , because this , this right here , hopefully , will be continued instead , with or without me , down the road and one way or another , and in perpetuation . We thank you so much for joining us . I can't wait to press the record button for the video here .

Speaker 1 42:00

So , with that being said , dr Ian Lester , thank you so much for joining us and I'm going to go ahead and start the recording on this recording in progress . Perfect , thank you so much for joining us live on the recording for the international euphonium summit on the host , nicholas Hochtruvon-Idee Farm for Dreams . You can check us out at farmfordreamscom .

Euphonium Summit With Dr Ian Lester

Speaker 1 42:25

For the first ever international euphonium summit and , to be honest , I didn't know it was going to grow this big , this fast , going from just regular euphonium summit , virtual , to now we're . We're into the international waters , global , and we have an amazing guest with us today . Please welcome , dr Ian Lester . I'll go over your bio in just a second . I'll let you say hi , sure thing .

Speaker 2 42:50

hi everyone , I am super excited to be here . I was talking to Nicholas earlier . This is such a cool project and I am again more than happy to be helping out with this . Just talking about my whole musical self .

Speaker 1 43:03

What's really funny , it's really ironic is I used to live in Michigan in the St Joe Bering Springs area . I don't know where I was with that .

Speaker 2 43:12

Yeah , yeah , awesome yeah , michigan such a big state .

Speaker 1 43:16

It is . You know that wasn't covered in the transcripts . I believe we have in our transcripts for those that haven't gotten the transcripts or purchased a hardcover copy at some point in the future as almost an hour of conversation in transcripts before this , before I hit record for the video here , just to give you all a reference of how amazing this summit has turned out to be . There's some really some really gold content there . So with further ado , dr Ian Lester is native of Michigan , who's music has been described as high energy , innovative and very thoughtful , with concise and precision . I yes , I did add a word there international TV euphonium association , provided that quote , and it's a really awesome organization . If this is the first interview or transcription you've read , get to know that organization . Such an impact .

Speaker 2 44:26

Wow , dr Ian Lester , born 1984 . Did I ?

Speaker 1 44:29

say 84 ? It's okay , I can go over the order . It must be my Michigan accent on my Texas . As an award-winning composer , euphonium player and teacher , holding a doctorate degree in euphonium performance , a master's degree in composition for the University of Missouri at Kansas City , where he previously received his master's degree as well in euphonium performance two master's degrees . That's a dedicated lifetime learner there .

Speaker 2 44:59

Yes .

Speaker 1 45:00

Ian received his bachelor's degree in euphonium performance and pursued additional compositional studies at Oakland University in the home state of no , not California , michigan .

Speaker 2 45:11

Yep had a lot of people go oh Oakland California . Nope different .

Speaker 1 45:16

Oakland . That's awesome . Ian's works have been performed , recorded by soloist chamber ensembles , wind bands , brass bands , at venues such as Carnegie Hall , fort Mayer and many universities and recital halls around the globe . Really , y'all . It's truly amazing to interview these amazing artists and composers geeking out here , sorry . Notable achievements include winning the 2016 US Army Band to be euphonium composition competition . Receiving the 2018 Oakland University's Outstanding Student Composition Award . So if you're into composition and you don't know where to really go into , we might cover it actually on this interview , and it's not in California , so be ready for cold weather . The winning day 2018 North Texas Euphonium Quartet composition competition . The 2021 Merari brass quintet cult for scores and the 2022 UMKC composition competition .

Speaker 2 46:23

Say that 10 times Tongue twisters Right .

Speaker 1 46:26

Do you have your students working on that tongue twister , by the way .

Speaker 2 46:30

Yeah , and I myself am always working on it . When I have to say composition , competition , it's always good . Yeah .

Speaker 1 46:37

Also being selected to attend the 2021 Julia String Quartet Emerge Solstice composition workshop , along with winning both the inaugural of 2023 North Texas ITEA . That stands for what ? International ?

Speaker 2 46:52

Tubi Euphonium Association . Yeah , I was going to quote from below , but that's okay , given the answer .

Speaker 1 46:58

I mean , that's what we're all here about right now on this International Euphonium Summit providing a , the answer key to life . It really is with what we're doing . Holy smokes , can you imagine this kind of content for maybe your master's classes that they gave you this kind of a key to ? Hey , you know , here's the answer key . Now go do life . So the North Texas ITEA chapter composition competition and the 2023 ITEA , our Winston Morris Award for excellence in tuba euphonium ensemble competition . Everybody welcome , dr Ian Lester .

Speaker 2 47:42

Thank you . Thank you for having me .

Speaker 1 47:44

I have to hydrate after all that .

Speaker 1 47:46

I don't blame you , with coffee too , yeah man , wow , what a treat y'all , every single interview , every single participant within this , this particular International Euphonium Summit or the years to come . Boy , how do y'all are spoiled . I don't know if you all understand the gravity and think wow , wow , wow , wow . So I want to dive in here . You're not only a composer but a euphonium artist and in as I'm diving into this even further , as a professional euphonium player myself or have been years back is I never considered duality , a dual purpose , a dual identity , duality between composer artists , with , before this , all this amazing exploration , all this research and and getting to reach out to artists , composers , conductors , geeking out with you ? When did you start playing euphonium ?

Speaker 2 49:05

Yeah , so my euphonium journey began all the way back in fifth grade . You know we had it luckily yet fifth grade . At my elementary school we were lucky to have euphonium as a starting instrument , not baritone , correct , it was actually like a student euphonium wasn't a baritone Talking about the white , the Yamaha 321 .

Speaker 2 49:26

Yeah , it was the top four valve Yamaha , yep . So we had that in fifth grade . I was extremely lucky . Yeah , I actually I believe I remember trying out violin and , like the guy who was , you know , in charge of letting the students try out the violin , got angry for some reason . He said go try that thing . And I went to try it and made a sound and it was euphonium . They're like yeah , this is the one for you . It wasn't a good sound , but it was a sound , so started euphonium in fifth grade .

Speaker 2 49:57

As I went to middle school , I picked up trombone as well , continued euphonium , started taking private lessons , I think freshman year of high school on euphonium . Continued trombone as I was taking lessons throughout high school . I was getting better and better and we'll get more into this later . But there was a camp I went to between my junior and senior year of high school called the music for all summer symposium and that was really the turning point of when I knew I wanted to do it as a potential career . We can talk more about that in a bit . But yeah , ever since I've just been , like you know , riding the euphonium wave . I really started taking the music and euphonium seriously during a little bit before that camp . But when that camp happened I was like okay , I really want to , you know , double down on this and make it a like my life .

Speaker 1 50:53

Let's , let's , with the same respect . Yeah , composition . When did composition come into that right there ?

Speaker 2 51:01

Yeah , great question . I would say senior year of high school I was writing , I didn't have any software except for note flight , just a website . At that time on my computer it's a free music notation software , it's okay , there's MuStoor , I would say , is the best free software . But at the time it was , there was note flight . It was just a website at the time , not even a software . And I would be in , like you know , the back of math class with a staff paper just writing down melodies that I had no idea what they sounded like .

Speaker 2 51:34

I have okay , relative pitch . I don't have perfect pitch . I wasn't , like you know , hearing them in my head and writing them down . I was just writing down these melodies . Then I go back home , put them in note flight and they would sound terrible but I've , you know , tweaked them a little bit and you know I got really hooked on writing melodies first and foremost , and I think that actually still comes through my music . My music is really melodically based and a lot of tonal stuff , but really melody drives a lot of my music . Yeah , um 18th birthday I got the music notation software Sibelius . My parents gave me that . They really saw my interest in composition and , to go on a side , tangent , tangent . They've always been super supportive of my musical endeavors .

Speaker 1 52:22

Um , when you brought home the euphonium first in fifth grade , what'd they think ? What they you ?

Speaker 2 52:27

know I'm I'm sure they had no idea what it was , um , because none of my family , um was , you know , musically inclined or involved . My mom was in the church player but she didn't read music . Um , she would use a tape recorder and record rehearsals and , like , listen to it and sing by ear , which now that I think back , is such a more complicated way . But , um , you know , I was the first one to really dive into music in my immediate family , um , but they , they were supportive , like when I graduated high school , I ? Um , my graduation present was a Besson prestige euphonium , which is the one I still use to this day . Really , it was one of the best gifts I've ever gotten , if not the best gift . But they got me Sibelius from 18th birthday and that really opened the door to my composition , my compositional life .

Speaker 1 53:23

So going back over to the phonium side and around your music , music for all music and phonium let's pick the trail back up there .

Speaker 2 53:35

Yeah .

Speaker 2 53:35

So this was like the turning point in my life , I believe Before this camp I was going to go follow my family's footsteps and go into nursing . I had almost all my family was or is in the medical field in some way and my mom was a nurse for like 40 plus years and I really I've always felt like I'm like a helper , kind helping person . I was like this would be great for me and I was taking med skills classes in high schools . In my high school , getting ready to become a nurse , actually applied to a few colleges at that point . But between my junior and senior year I got a scholarship from my school's band program it was the Norm Logan scholarship to go to this camp . The Norm Logan , one of my still good friends and a great mentor who I played with in a community band back in Farmington , michigan where I went to high school . He was a former band director at my high school and he created the scholarship to send one student per year to this camp to go into the concert band track .

Speaker 2 54:44

At the camp . There's like a marching band track , color guard , you know orchestra track . I went into the concert band track and once you get there you audition to be placed in one of the bands in the concert band track . I was very lucky to not get super nervous and played well in audition . I placed in the top band and you know we had rehearsals multiple times a day throughout most of the day for full week and a lot of like team building , leadership exercises and games too . But the thing was this was the first time I had been in a group of people , in a band or an ensemble , who every single student there was so dedicated to the music and was there because they loved what they were doing and just rehearsing with that group . We had guest conductors , just we built up the rep . It was such a great experience . And then the cumulative concert at the end of the week . This was at Ball State University , this camp it still is . It was in there , you know , great music hall . My mom was in the audience and it was just .

Speaker 2 55:53

That concert was the feeling of pride and joy and you know , knowing that , you know , as a part of this and it just felt so great . And I think that's the thing about music you don't find anywhere else is you feel emotions that , like you know , like things , like Bernstein said , you know music speaks , speaks when words fail . But in this case it's like you know . Nothing else replicates the emotions you feel in that kind of scenario when you're playing , and it's either you know whether it be an amazing quality performance or just you know you're putting your heart and soul into the music . So I knew at that point , like during that concert , I was like I want to feel this feeling again . That's the only concert I've ever cried while I was playing too . It was like that's emotional . Yeah , I was like I want to feel this feeling again and if I ever become a teacher , I want my students to be able to feel this too .

Speaker 2 56:50

So that moment I knew I wanted to somehow pursue euphonium playing and or teaching . I didn't know how to do that at that point , but I was like you know what ? I definitely want to go to college for music at this point . So , yeah , I disregarded the acceptance letters from nursing from some big schools . They're like , oh , a male nurse , we need those . And it's like , sorry , I need to follow my heart . And I applied to several schools for euphonium performance and I ended up choosing Oakland University , which we can talk more about it , but I think that was also one of the best choices I've made was to go to Oakland .

Speaker 1 57:29

So first , have you ever expressed these same emotions , this same experience to Norm , since you're friends with him still ?

Speaker 2 57:41

Did you let him go ? I haven't . I need to , I need to . That is a great point .

Speaker 1 57:45

So you can send him this recording . I will .

Speaker 2 57:49

Norm . Yeah , Norm , we're going to send you this , and I want you to know that your scholarship was , honestly , probably the best thing that's ever happened to me , so I'll tell him in person too . I'll see him again . I'm visiting Michigan later this summer and if I run into him , he'll definitely be made aware of the impact he's made on me .

Speaker 1 58:07

It would be a really awesome thing , since there's a scholarship after him . Instead of him , it would be an honor to get to interview him for the . National Euphonium Summit . Do you know what his instrument is ?

Speaker 2 58:26

Yes , he's a trombone player . He's a low brass people unite . He also conducts a lot . Like I said , he was the former band director at my high school , but such an amazing guy . I remember I asked him I have some trombone students , do you have any good warm-ups You'd suggest for trombone students ? And he gave me this whole packet of his amazing warm-ups he developed and collected from other sources . I mean , he's really been an inspiration and I haven't expressed enough to him how much he has been .

Speaker 1 59:01

Well , what goal , then , for this interview to be able to be that segue into showing the appreciation ?

Impact of Parents on Career Path

Speaker 1 59:11

Now I want to share that same sentiment as I have in other previous interviews and future interviews , for that matter is the parents and those that are involved in someone's life . You don't know the impact that you really have or that you're going to have in someone's life . You're not the first one to say that , in a way , fortunately , but unfortunately as well , because a lot of times we pass these moments and take those moments for granted , that we don't reach out and say hey mom , hey dad , or those moments that were critical in our light bulb moment , or that special aha , or it really does matter to those . I mean , we'll eventually get to know the impact that we make , or maybe not For someone that needs to hear this right now that's going through this , whatever it may be , share your impact .

Speaker 1 1:00:28

Share that aha moment with your teacher , with whoever made that big impact . I implore you , I ask , I beg you to reach out to that person who made that difference in your life , that made that , that brought you to that bridging point of that decision , made my life where it is today for good . It's impacting tens of hundreds thousands elsewhere , but it's because of you , norm Logan . Thank you so much for being so willing and , wow , what a legacy .

Speaker 1 1:01:14

I can't wait for him to hear this interview and see that authenticity that was captured on camera . There's nothing like it . But I'm curious when your parents , both in the medical field , knew that you had both applied for music and nursing in the medical field , when you turned down , did you let them know that you turned down those programs or did you just say I accepted this program at Oakland ?

Speaker 2 1:01:52

Yeah , so , if I'm remembering correctly , so my mom , I have two moms , so my mom and my stepmom . My mother , my birth mom , was a nurse with postpartum parents after just liver babies . Stepmom , I think . I don't know the exact title , but it's like blood lab specialist in a hospital and works with tech too . But stepmom was a little more hesitant about the whole music thing . Like , are you going to be able to get money out of this ? Will it be a career ? The big question everyone asks about music in general , but especially euphonium .

Speaker 2 1:02:36

But my birth mom , Denise both of them have been so supportive my whole life , but my birth mom Denise has always been my number one fan and she instantly was like no , this is what your heart's telling you , go for it . And I think she had seen my progress and my dedication in the lessons she would drive me to during high school every week and my first private lesson teacher , glenn Anderson . He unfortunately passed away several years ago but he was my first really main teacher that I studied with for a long time who made a difference . He also encouraged me my band director in high school , michael Steele , at Farmington High School under another one of my biggest inspirations and biggest advocates for me to be successful in music , even my middle school band director , rob Wilson . He's the one who taught me to take music seriously and start learning how to read music .

Speaker 2 1:03:34

But yeah , my parents , though they didn't I don't think they were too put down or anything when I decided I want to do music instead of this plan of doing medicine . Again , my stepmom was a little worried , but I think the dedication that I was showing and my drive was enough to put those worries to rest a little bit and she was at least like , okay , let's see how he does . And yeah , in general they were really supportive .

Speaker 1 1:04:04

So , going back to the composition side it's of course so privileged to have you on is when did you first have an idea to write a note down in starting your composition ?

Speaker 2 1:04:19

Yeah . So again , like the first , you know , memories I really have of writing my own music were through the sketch pad in math class and I remember in high school there was a music theory extracurricular class you could take . Wow , I never had room in my schedule for it . I wanted to take it and I would see the students in the music wing on these keyboards , like writing music through MIDI keyboards , and I was so jealous and I remember asking my band director , michael Steele , if I could sneak in there after school and work in the lab and he was like , of course . So you know , oh , what , really yeah , so he locked the door for me and I'd use NoteFlight or whatever it is on there . So sometimes I'd just be at home , but sometimes I was able to do this and that really you know , along with getting Sibelius later that year and just working with this MIDI keyboard for the first time , we're like , oh , you can play this piano and then inputs notes into the computer .

MIDI Keyboards and Undergraduate Challenges

Speaker 1 1:05:22

Okay , so for the beginner artists and the parents that are watching , can you break down like what is a mini keyboard ?

Speaker 2 1:05:30

So a MIDI keyboard or a MIDI controller is basically . I can actually show you right here . Let me unplug it . Mine's a small one , but it is a . It can be large , it can be a small keyboard that you plug into your computer or laptop . It basically controls the input of notes . So you don't have to go with , like you know , point and click on a mouse or a regular keyboard on a computer , and it makes it so much easier . I'll admit , I'll be the first to admit , I am horrible at playing piano . Don't tell my keyboarding techniques teacher that , from Oakland she's also been a big supporter of me throughout the years . But you don't have to be super proficient at piano to you know input , you know notes into a software and , yeah , you just use that keyboard and whatever software you want . There's things called DAWs , digital audio workstations . There's a variety of them , but you can use them to really start writing music . The one I use for my acoustic music , the non-electronic stuff , is the Sibelius software I was talking about .

Speaker 1 1:06:39

So yeah , do you use GarageBand by chance ?

Speaker 2 1:06:41

I don't , I don't . I only have an . The only Apple product I have is an iPad and I know I can do GarageBand and iPad , but I have all PC and you know Windows and stuff . I think GarageBand is an Apple thing .

Speaker 1 1:06:54

I think so , but I'm not certain if they've crossed over on me to .

Speaker 2 1:06:58

They might have by now . But I don't use that . I have . I used it like briefly at Oakland's composition lab . They had that on their Macs but I never used it like seriously . But I know it is a good program . Yeah , if you have an Apple product , it's one of the go-tos .

Speaker 1 1:07:18

So when you were going through your bachelor's degree program , how soon after did you want to dive into your master's programs ?

Speaker 2 1:07:27

Yeah . So honestly , like , one of the most both turbulence but also self-inspirational times in my life was during undergrad , when I started my bachelor's degree . I was not ready to live on my own in the dorms , like mentally I wasn't there , wasn't mature enough , and I was so easily distracted . And at that time I had undiagnosed sleep apnea . So those 8am theory classes were like like pardon my language , hell on earth , where I was falling asleep in class and it just appeared that I was being lazy and I didn't know what was wrong . At the time I thought I was just tired , even though I was getting , you know , 10 , 12 hours of sleep and that affects you through the day too . So , anyway , the first few years I went from , you know , the starting top GPA when you enter in you have a 4.0 or whatever . By year 2 , midway through I was at 1.9 . I like failed almost all of my classes . I had lost .

Speaker 2 1:08:28

What was your scholarship ? I was , and I was on a housing grants which paid for full housing and a full talent-based scholarship sorry , full academic scholarship and partial talent-based . When I left high school I had a GPA of like 3.7 or something , but my parents , you know , kept me on track . I was living with them and they didn't like do my homework for me . They always reminded me to do my homework and all of a sudden , why am I alone ? It was like a nightmare and I lost all of my scholarship , all of my housing grant , had to move back in with my parents . They had to take out , like those parent plus loans , and ton of loans , and most of my student loans that I have accumulated are from the last several years or a few years of my undergrad . But you know , year 3 , I was contemplating dropping out . I was like this can't be for me , even though I really love music and like this is what I thought my life should be . I can't keep up with the academic stuff .

Speaker 2 1:09:26

And I think the turning point was a combination of sort of like this meltdown not meltdown , but like you know , I was sobbing in my car alone . It was like raining and sort of like classic sad setting . It was dark and raining and I was just crying . I just knew , like you know , unless I get my stuff together and accept that I need help from others , then I'm screwed , because I had always been one of those people who thinks they can fix everything themselves and I think one of the most important things I've learned , musically and non-musically , is it's okay to need help and to get help and don't think that you need to do everything by yourself . So that sort of was the turning point .

Speaker 2 1:10:13

And then actually the next day , my professor , dr Ken Kreshe , professor of Lowbrass at Oakland again one of my biggest inspirations and most important mentors in my life called me into his office for what I thought was a lesson . It was him and the head of the theory department sitting there and I was like , oh , this is going to be bad , and what I thought was going to be a stern talking to and like you need to drop out type of thing was them being there for me and you know what can we do to help you like succeed . And they were there . Yeah , that was .

Speaker 2 1:10:50

I think my favorite part of Oakland was how supportive everyone is there , whether it's faculty students , they like , even this kid who appeared to be lazy , falling asleep in class , like they knew , you know , someone was up and they wanted to help and you know I they got me into tutoring , which you know combination of their help with you know the tutoring is being there for me and me , you know , dedicating myself to becoming more organized and more on top of things , really like , gave me a 180 .

Speaker 2 1:11:23

And from that point on I got all A's and all of my classes and the thing was so what was supposed to be your four year program altogether ended up being six years including the masters not including the masters because my bachelor's I started as a performance and ed double major and after year two I was called into I think it was the Dean's office and they explained to me that because I kept failing all the music theory classes and keyboarding classes I was not able to progress in my ed classes .

Speaker 2 1:11:56

You needed to pass all the I think keyboarding classes to keep going in the ed classes . So they were like if you want to keep the ed degree , you're going to be here for eight years and your financial aid will run out after six . They'd recommended that I drop one or the other At that point . The last ed class I took was observing fifth grade classes and I had taken all the instrumental techniques classes . So it's pretty far in that degree . But I realized , I think , like out of the two I wanted to pursue the performance degree . So I dropped the ed degree .

Speaker 1 1:12:34

But I want to kind of bring a note . Did you realize that you started band in fifth grade and you went back to fifth grade to right ? That's really for me , listening to your story and your journey , that sounds like it's that portion right . There was almost serendipitous .

Speaker 2 1:12:57

Yeah , I almost picture it as like a full circle moment and even though I decided that you know ed music education degree wasn't the path I wanted , I do feel like jumping forward to now .

Speaker 2 1:13:10

I'm teaching a lot of students at the middle school level right now as a low brass coach for a lot of sixth graders who have just started euphonium and tuba . We can talk more about it later , but just being able to teach them knowing they're in the spot I was in as a young student who's just so excited to learn this instrument and it's just a great spot to be in for me , just knowing that I can influence these young kids in the way that I am . And yeah , but I mean jumping back to the full one that I just wanted to do is a master's degree . As I started , you know , doing that 180 , trying to really be on top of things . I went to sleep , study , got the CPAP , you know , sort of with my psychiatrist Messed with some of the medications I've been on since I was a kid , Increased some dosages , that and the tutoring and just you know , really honestly , the hardest I've ever worked at anything was the last three years of my undergrad .

Journey Through Vulnerability and Overcoming Challenges

Speaker 1 1:14:14

I want to stop you and say thank you so much for your vulnerability .

Speaker 2 1:14:18

Oh , of course .

Speaker 1 1:14:19

No , it really is . It brings I mean this whole interview . It brings with every single one that's contributed this authenticity that we see and to know that you're not the only one , that you know you have to reach out and to ask help from someone , from your teacher , from your counselor , from someone that you think that may or may not be there for you but you won't know unless you ask . Your vulnerability , dr Lesser , is just . It's really , it's really rich , it's really authentic and I want to share how much that's appreciated Just you being vulnerable , on this recording and in the notes that you'll read , or even from when you eventually share this with Norm Logan and everyone that's impacted your life to see your journey that hadn't known your backstory at all , I can imagine all the light bulbs going off .

Speaker 1 1:15:38

Oh , that's why .

Speaker 2 1:15:40

Yeah , because , like I think one of the big things is like even some of the really successful people out there like we're all human , like no one is perfect A lot of people had like a really easy ride up to where they are and yeah , it's like I think being open for me , being open about my experiences and my life , has been really valuable , because it's like there's so many other kids in my shoes who are , you know , could be debating should I drop out because I'm failing all my classes ? Or college is really hard . I was not expecting this , you know . I'm just happy to be able to provide at least some kind of reassurance and comfort for those who are struggling , Because , yeah , I mean , when I was a kid , I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and ADHD and for a while during my undergrad that was really affecting me and it was because , you know the freshman 15 , they call it when you gain like weight for just you know , freshman year I got more like the freshman 50 .

Speaker 2 1:16:44

It was I lived right by the dorm cafeteria and it was open all the time and I over ate and I think what happened was the sudden weight gain made the medication dosage not effective . So I was really struggling . But going back to that , you know , reversal , where I really dug deep mentally to , you know , make things right . And my professor , I remember him telling me , if you because I expressed interest early on that I wanted to pursue euphonium as a career , and he told me this was the first year of undergrad , he's like , all right , well , you'll probably need , you know , to go to grad school then if you want to pursue euphonium as a career . So , and he said you need a 3.0 to enter into a master's program .

Speaker 2 1:17:31

As a GPA Q , me beginning a third year , I'm at like 2.1 . I climbed up a little bit . I did the math . I would need at least like a 3.7 , like early on , like an A minus in every class until I graduate , to get like a 3.01 . It was like I would be right on the edge of being able to graduate .

Speaker 1 1:17:55

And the proverbial skin on your teeth .

Speaker 2 1:17:57

Yeah and I knew I was like , okay , I'm going to have to work harder than I've worked my entire life to make it into a master's program . And in fact , when I was in my sixth and final year of undergrad , I was at a 2.99 , one of those times audition for grad schools and I had one semester grades left . If I would . At that point it was like if I got what I thought I was going to get , I'd graduate with a 3.16 . And I had a little wiggle room so like I could get 1B and I would still get passed . But I had to . Each professor I auditioned for I had to tell them I don't have a 3.0 right now but like , if you look at my transcripts , you'll see that I've been making like extreme steady progress the past three years and I almost guarantee you I will have a 3.0 at the time I graduate . They all were fine with it .

Speaker 2 1:18:45

I auditioned at multiple schools . They all trusted me . But you know , the one I ended up going to was with Tom Stein at UMKC and he was , honestly , he's one of the most genuine humans I've ever met , even one of the best teachers . But I remember knowing , after I went to a lesson with him before auditions . I made sure to drive to take lessons with all the professors . I think that's an important thing for incoming college students and you know grad students to do is go take a lesson with the professor before you audition .

Speaker 1 1:19:24

Or even yet , especially now we get to do an awesome thing with the summons .

Speaker 2 1:19:30

Yeah , yeah , this too . And like I have a friend who's doing trying to do DMA trombone stuff and he's taking a lot of zoom lessons , which are great too . The thing is just get to know the professor before you go to audition , because it's like having that interaction and personal connection before you audition such a big advantage that no one , not enough people , take advantage of . And you know if you're going to , you have a better idea if you're going to mesh with that professor or not .

Speaker 1 1:19:56

You could have said it better .

Speaker 2 1:19:58

Yeah , so I auditioned or had lessons with each one . I liked everyone and really Tom stuck out as like this hidden gem that I didn't know about before I auditioned . I actually had no idea what UMKC was , where it was , until 10 Crescia , Oakland , told me like last minute I had already auditioned at , like Tennessee , Knoxville , Illinois , other places that you need to add UMKC to your list they have a GTA spot open . I was I don't know where that is and I applied and had the lesson with Tom and I was like I this has to be the place . If I get this GTA spot , I'm definitely going here . And he called me up after my audition after I went back home to Michigan . He's like you want the spot and I was like oh , definitely yeah , On your way back home .

Speaker 2 1:20:48

No , sorry , it was already when I got back and I was . I was waiting for a bit . You know there was that timeframe , like I'll call you during this time and it was the waiting .

Journey Through Music Education and Achievements

Speaker 2 1:20:57

But you know the audition was interesting because the lesson I played for him a lot , the audition I played the first like three notes of the Horowitz and he's like all right , stop playing , let's talk . We just chatted the rest of the audition and because he had heard me play in the lesson and he wanted to know how I was like , when I look back on it I know now that he wanted to know how , how I was as a person you know a learner and how I would mesh with the rest of the studio .

Speaker 2 1:21:25

And again , one of the one of my favorite things about Tom was he's one of the best people readers .

Speaker 2 1:21:32

There's not one person who has been in our studio at UMKC who I have found was a mean person or damaging in any way to the studio atmosphere . We're all so supportive of each other the conservatory as a whole there is like that but he was , I think , more keen on having someone in the studio who would work well with others and be a better learner than someone who's just talented and a great player . And I'll admit , like my lesson I played okay . I don't think I played enough to beat out everyone for a TA spot , but I think he saw on me a good learner and good person and like okay player with potential . So but yeah , as I studied with him , I grew so much as a musician in person . But yeah , it was really the third year of my undergrad is when I realized , you know , I want to go to grad school for sure , but I just need to work my butt off to get to the point where I can go .

Speaker 1 1:22:35

So you went to UMKC , first as a euphor , performance and then composition . You didn't do it concurrently , you did it one right after another .

Speaker 2 1:22:49

So here's the thing I was going I wanted to apply for composition and you fit the same time . Like I didn't know how to do it , but I looked it up .

Speaker 1 1:22:59

You had to have before you got your TA spot .

Speaker 2 1:23:03

So yes , yes , before I got the TA spot and before I decided on just euphonium , I was interested in doing composition right after undergrad because by the time I was done with undergrad I had won that Pershings own composition competition and I believe , I think I won the North Texas euphonium quartet , like the summer of , you know , between schools . But anyway I thought I was doing enough with composition , where I wanted the major in it as well as euphonium . The thing was , at most schools you needed a certain amount of live recordings of your works and at that point I had one . It was the . Actually I didn't have it .

Speaker 2 1:23:42

The premiere of that tuba sonata that won the Pershings own competition wasn't recorded . It was just premiered live . I'm sure it was recorded . I never got a copy . So I had no live recordings and I tried to send in , you know , midi files of my works with the PDF scores , but they're like oh , you need live recordings . So I that was the reason I couldn't enter into composition program in 2018 to 2019 because no live recordings . I had a lot of works written , not a lot , but some but just no live recordings yet and you know I should have taken advantage of that more . At Oakland there were opportunities to get my works played . We had this thing called Arts at Noon , where every week there'd be a Noon recital where , like people could , like you know , have pieces played blah blah , perform their own works , other people's works .

Speaker 2 1:24:32

And that's yes , you can get it recorded . Actually , my first composition teacher at Oakland who I took lessons with , terry Harold he , I believe he still is he's the whole sound guy at Oakland . He takes care of like recording everything . So I definitely could have gotten hooked up with some good recordings from that . But I actually took while I was doing my master's neophonium . I , you know , as I emailed , some of the composition faculty at UMKC wanted to introduce myself . Let them know like I was there and that I was interested in composition . I asked if I could take lessons on the side but they were obviously really busy with the whole studios and stuff of the composition studios . But I took that time during my master's to get some of my pieces recorded . I won a few more competitions which resulted in recordings . I had the in modus tuba quartet which is Chris Dickie , genevieve Clarkson , aj Miller and Sarah Miller up on , I think , the Northeast coast . I don't know if they're all located up there , but they recorded .

Speaker 1 1:25:41

I think Genevieve is over at OK State now .

Speaker 2 1:25:43

Okay , yeah , and then Chris is at Washington one of the schools in Washington , I think , I think . But yeah , so they had a quartet I think they still do when it gets together so they recorded one of my works on their Halloween CD , so I had that . And then I had a few competition recordings so I applied at the end of my master's degree in euphonium for the composition degree , as well as a DMA in euphonium Hold on Hold , on Wait , what ?

Speaker 1 1:26:18

So ? You had already completed your master's in euphonium performance .

Speaker 2 1:26:22

Yep .

Speaker 1 1:26:22

So you went back for a dual and a master's in composition , as well as a doctorate in euphonium at the table .

Speaker 2 1:26:33

Yeah , it was insane . And when you think about like here's this kid who had a 1.9 , maybe like six years ago , who was struggling his butt off , and now here's this guy who's really determined to give it his all and do well , it was crazy how far I had come in that time and I was confident , like by that time I was so confident that I could do it and I'm glad I did . I talked to my academic advisor before , you know , picking that I wanted to do a DMA in euphonium and composition masters , and I immediately asked her , like will this be like really hard ? And she's , like , you know , we can spread it out a little bit to where it takes four years to complete both . At the same time you can , you know , do the three year track , where you'll just have a little more heavy core slow . And I decided I was going to do the three year track mostly because a lot of my friends were going to graduate in three years and I wanted to graduate with them .

Speaker 1 1:27:33

And I was like you know what .

Speaker 2 1:27:34

Huh .

Speaker 1 1:27:35

That's a good motivator .

Speaker 2 1:27:36

Yeah , yeah , and I also was motivating , knowing it was going to be a challenge for me and you know if I could overcome this . I could overcome anything and you know it was a good choice . I don't think it was overwhelming for me but with how hard I worked during my undergrad , I was ready to take this on and I knew it wasn't going to be as hard as that because , like I had conquered that , I was in a horrible headspace in that time of my life and like got into a great headspace and now that I was able to work that hard in a great headspace , I knew I could do it . And it was a lot of hard work , like doctoral comprehensive exams . Oh my God , I heard no joke .

Speaker 2 1:28:16

I remember , yeah , the past year I waited until my third year of my DMA slash compositions masters to take comprehensive exams . I didn't quite feel ready during my second year . The thing about taking it during your final year of your DMA is , if you fail one of the areas of the comprehensive exams , you have to retake it the next year . Wow , if I didn't pass every single part of that DMA exam , I was going to be there next year with no classes to take because I had already completed most of my classes . So I studied harder than I've ever studied for anything in my life With this group of other amazing students who are great friends to this day . We studied our butts off and we .

Speaker 1 1:29:02

A lot of coffee , probably .

Speaker 2 1:29:03

Yeah , a lot of coffee , A lot of like early morning and late night study sessions . Man , like for anyone going into DMA comps exams , I think it's worse thinking about it and studying it than it actually ends up being . But part of the exam is you have to do a listening exam where they play a two-minute audio clip and you have to in 250 words . What 50 years was it composed in In history ? What genre is it Possibly like ? Who might the composer be and just give details about terms and descriptions of the track ? There are like 11 of those and some of those were hard . But we had so many mock listening exams in those study sessions where I started at like minute 12 in symphony number whatever by whoever and would like you know take however many minutes to write these 250 words .

Speaker 2 1:29:57

But yeah , getting that email that I passed those exams was such a relief . I knew I did well . But there was one part where I was like , oh , did I fail the essay but passed all of them ? And at that point I knew I was safe and I was like I'm going to graduate and , yeah , this past spring I walked with all my friends , with my DMA and masters and it was such a great feeling . I had been in college without any gap years from 2012 to 2023 . Or , sorry , fall of 2012 , yeah , the spring of 2023 . So , great feeling being done . I had never been one to get senioritis , but at that point I was like I think I've done enough school and yeah , now I'm at the point where I am , for now , like doing some coaching at some middle schools and high schools , while simultaneously looking for and applying for college teaching jobs in theory , composition , low brass , really . Whatever I see at this point that I think I qualify for , I'm applying for it , just trying to snag that first job .

Speaker 1 1:31:11

So where would the ideal location ? If you could pick anywhere in the world you'd want to live where ?

Speaker 2 1:31:19

would it be so if we're talking about just like living I ?

Speaker 1 1:31:23

think yeah , dream spot where you would be .

Speaker 2 1:31:27

Yeah , so I'm actually . This will confirm this or not . I'm visiting my sister in Portland , oregon , later this summer and I've just seen so many pictures and heard great things about the Pacific Northwest . I think that might be an ideal place . This will be my first time actually visiting it in person , so we'll see if my opinion holds up after I visit her in Portland . But yeah , I think somewhere where it doesn't get really hot and Missouri and Michigan in the summer just get pretty darn hot , I know .

Speaker 1 1:32:00

Oregon gets humid . That's where I got . My first case of heat stroke was up in Michigan .

Speaker 2 1:32:05

Yeah , people don't think Michigan gets that hot , but , oh man , those summers are almost as brutal as the Missouri summers . Right now in Missouri it's like we're in the middle of 100 , 100 to 5 degree day stretch for about a week , and this Saturday I'm going up to visit family in Michigan apparently it's not that bad up there and we have a cottage on Lake Huron , so I'm planning on spending a lot of time swimming .

Speaker 2 1:32:30

So yeah but I think , just like somewhere where it's honestly I love the rain , I love cool weather Somewhere a little bit up north , but I think I really , for now , want to stay local to Kansas City . I have a lot of things going on right now here where I have a good amount of students , schools . I'm working at Fountain City , I play second baritone with the Fountain City brass band and that is such an incredible experience and a great group of people to play with . Everyone in there is again like back at the Ball State Camp . Everyone in this group is so dedicated to being great musicians and making this group as great as it's been . And knowing Lee Harrelson , who's the principal euphonium and artistic director of Fountain City yeah , if you want to interview someone , interview Lee , if you haven't already . He's a fantastic person , insane euphonium player . He honestly we did the Missouri Music Educators Conference .

Speaker 2 1:33:38

Fountain City performed at that last year and he I remember he was the interim UMKC professor when Tom retired and they were searching for a new professor . He was interim and I went to a lesson . I heard him , like you know , doing a little bit of Harlequin , the Philip Sparky phony solo , and it was like I think it was in the early stages it still sounded good and I was like , oh , you're playing Harlequin for something . He's like , yeah , I'm just working on something a little bit harder and you know , play with Fountain City . So skipped to this like conference like a month later . It was the best live performance . I've heard someone play Harlequin in my life .

Speaker 1 1:34:15

It was stupid good and he had whipped it up in like two months and I'm going to share with you something after we stop recording and everything that it's not totally confirmed , but really amazing info .

Speaker 2 1:34:33

Okay , I'll look forward to hearing it .

Speaker 1 1:34:35

Yeah , it's just a little teaser , especially for those that are listening or watching or reading . Oh boy , I have a treat for everyone . We have a treat ,

Job Applications and Euphonium Recommendations

Speaker 1 1:34:47

but anyway . So , getting back to your dream location , so maybe not Portland or Pacific Northwest just yet , yeah , so you have the city area .

Speaker 2 1:34:59

Yeah , and a lot of the jobs I'm trying to look for are drivable from Kansas City . My car isn't the most reliable . I guess one of the worst cars is the 2011 Ford Fiesta . It is not no offense to Ford . I would not recommend people get a Ford Fiesta if they have this option .

Speaker 2 1:35:19

I was actually gifted this car by my parents , who were gifted it from a neighbor who got the car pretty soon before she entered assisted living and wasn't able to drive anymore and she had known my family for decades . So that was the car I was given to drive to Kansas City and live down there , which I've been thankful for , of course , but it's given me so many problems . But anyway , I'm trying to look in drivable areas , especially for adjunct jobs where it's so tricky whether , like , are they worth moving for these small adjunct jobs ? It's like I've seen one pop up in Georgia . I'm like man , I'll apply for it just to get my name out there , but I can't move across the country for an adjunct job where I'm not sure you know that won't give me barely income . So I'm looking for adjunct jobs around here . There's like a theory composition position at Drake University in Iowa that if the application's still open .

Speaker 1 1:36:15

I'm gonna apply for so that's a full time , so I'm gonna talk about this and exactly what I was talking about earlier on the transcripts per se , is that this , the concept of what this is going is working toward the full reveal and being able to take this recording and send it to even Drake . I'm gonna say , hey , this is what I've done . Here's a great interview that encapsulates my entire life , my well , where I was , what I've struggled through , where I'm at now . If this fits within your cadre or your consortium , your other professors and colleagues , if I'm a good fit for you , if you see that I'm a good fit , I would love to come and see if we are truly a good fit . Can you imagine that ?

Speaker 1 1:37:09

I mean I might have to send you this recording just so you can do that and see if you would want to do that . Oh yeah , I would love to . This would be a great resource for that .

Speaker 2 1:37:21

But yeah , man , the tricky part for now is applying for jobs when there aren't a lot of local jobs . And I admittedly started applying pretty late in the summer where it was like a lot of jobs already had found person . People were wrapping up their hiring process . So you know , has anybody applied for the Appalachian State gig yet ?

Speaker 1 1:37:42

I can't remember off the top of my head . I'm sure they have , is that ?

Speaker 2 1:37:46

just a question , yeah , uh-huh . Okay , maybe I'll be applying for that then Beth .

Speaker 1 1:37:54

Beth , Beth , Beth went up to Vanderbilt . Vanderbilt , yeah , because Jarrett's at Vanderbilt is now the new professor at UMPC .

Speaker 2 1:38:03

Yeah , yeah , yeah , precisely .

Speaker 1 1:38:04

So there you go even more value added , yeah , so yeah , just applying for a lot of jobs , whether it's low brass or theory or composition or , you know , combo .

Speaker 2 1:38:15

That's what I'm doing right now .

Speaker 1 1:38:20

The richness that you would bring to any student body to impart your knowledge and your experience by far is truly , I mean , it really is inspiring . Thanks , I mean . And that's not just , that's not by any means any smoke . Yeah , I mean , you're able to . You won so many composition competitions . I got it right , you did . I didn't even have to think about that one and you had such a rich past . I think you would really resonate with the student body who would be applying to these universities to study , and to be able to do that , to study at four . There are euphonium studies or composition or both , and I don't there's someone to be this vulnerable on video with me , and we just met .

Speaker 2 1:39:26

Yeah .

Speaker 1 1:39:27

And we only had a short conversation on social media and he jumped in because he saw potential somewhere that this might be great for a greater good and that initiative . Right there is where I wanted to show even more appreciation and give you a recommendation toward something even you know , even though I don't have a bachelor's , even through doctorate , but I do have professional experience in the military music arena , being in the first Calvary Division Band , and professionally , but alongside of other artists and composers who have also stepped up . Alongside of Dr Ian Lester is , we have Dr Don Sontag , we have Dr Devanjay Thurman , dr Adam Fry , elizabeth Betsy-Rom . We have competitions that have massive pull , like the Ladies' Musical Club of Seattle . We have Dr Brian Mikezner , we have the Doctor of Student , jason Casanova . We have Dr Don Palmyer , over at Eastern Carolina University , I believe , which performed and was stationed with Pershing's own and President's own as Principal Euphonium Player , if I'm not mistaken . We have so many don't forget Marina Bozelli in Italy . We have so many artists .

Speaker 1 1:41:12

So if you get to see this before all the videos are put out , by any means contact me . I'll send you the entire list of everyone who's provided or scheduled to be interviewed on this International Euphonium Summit and if you even want to host International Euphonium Summit in the coming years , you will find no more authentic person than anyone that's been interviewed on this . I mean , you can see it in his face . He didn't even know that he was going to get this spot right here in this recommendation . I really do honestly feel that , whatever he sets his mind to post his first two years of undergraduate studies , he's one of the phenomenal . It would be a great hire and with just hearing his vulnerability , not very many will be this vulnerable and this authentic , especially with a stranger on a video camera .

Speaker 1 1:42:28

For millions of future Euphonium artists , low brass musicians , otherwise Wow , anyway , getting back to the interview now . So what would you consider to be key elements to a great warmup ? Wow , actually , that would be fitting to these interviews that you want to do . So what are some key elements for a great warmup routine ?

Speaker 2 1:43:00

We're all right into that one .

Ideal Students and Low Range Studies

Speaker 2 1:43:02

Yeah , for me , I always start with a little bit of stretching and breathing . I mean , I don't do a ton , but a lot of upper body , simple stretches . I'm the most flexible person in the world . I don't do a lot of yoga , but just some stretching , simple breathing exercises get loosened up a little bit .

Speaker 2 1:43:21

One thing that I have been doing a lot recently but that I've done throughout most of my musical life , since I started taking lessons , I was mouthpiece buzzing . I've been doing a lot of that , teaching that to my sixth grade students in my coaching sessions and my private lessons students during undergrad . When I was studying with Ken Kreshe , he was big on you know you can buzz it , you can play it , you know buzz everything and I've been buzzing a lot . But yeah , so , breathing , stretching , buzzing .

Speaker 2 1:43:53

I , with Tom's sign , I developed my own daily routine sheet or packet and , as someone who has a lot of experience in putting music into software , I've developed my own daily routine packet that I have in Sibelius .

Speaker 2 1:44:10

It's not for sale , but if anyone was ever interested , just email me and I'd give it to you for free , for sure . But it starts with long tones , some lip slur exercises that I've made and or collected from other sources and exercises , articulation , interval , sort of a collection of , you know , a mini-arbon with some more , you know , tone-oriented and phrasing exercises at the beginning , and I've also curated it , a version of it , to my own playing weaknesses , where I've always thought my low range was my weakest point , so I put a lot of low-range stuff at the end of it too , because that's , I think , one area a lot of euphonium players don't pay enough attention to is the mid-low range , where it's between pedals and , you know , mid-range . That's the point where it's like , you know , if you play it a lot and work on it a lot , that's where you get the good tone , but not enough people play it enough .

Speaker 1 1:45:08

So it's really interesting , you bring the low tones up .

Speaker 2 1:45:10

Yeah .

Speaker 1 1:45:11

Really , and this is definitely not part of the questionnaire , so it's going to be interesting . I was talking to a fellow euphonium artist , marina Boselli of Italy , talking about multi-phonics in the Harmonics series , and you , being a composer , you know exactly what I'm speaking about . And those low tones are the foundation of those harmonic structures . What's your . So can you dive a little deeper into kind of your low notes , low tone , kind of gym study like ?

Speaker 2 1:45:52

what you do . Yeah , so I'll start my low studies by doing long tones , starting on , you know , B flat , just second line of the bass club staff going down to pedal B flat . And then , before I start getting the pedals , I'll do some Bordoni , Roshus , usually one or two of them down the octave . Or I'll just read out of the Tuba book but playing those , disregarding the dynamic in the book , I'll play them all full , with a good sound , a full sound . You know , if I'm trying to work on my quiet low playing , I'll play one quietly , but I usually try to do them with full sound . And then I'll go do some arpeggios that take me down , maybe some scales to end the pedal range .

Speaker 2 1:46:37

I'm going from pedal B flat working my way down to F . I'm still working on , you know , below pedal F , getting those smooth Unifonium , yes , unifonium . And one thing I've always struggled with was smoothly getting into the pedal register without doing a big shift in the embouchure . And I still really struggle with going from . You know that shift happens for me at pedal G , from A flat to G and getting from , you know , even pedal A going past G without having to do that shift is something I'm still working on but yeah , I think I spend about 30 minutes about of each of my practice sessions , just in the low range stuff , if not more , depending on what I'm doing .

Speaker 1 1:47:24

And that's your personal study .

Speaker 2 1:47:26

Yes , that's most of my personal study . I have a Jesse Orth's new book Into the Depths has been really good for me . It takes you down to those depths and that book I'd recommend . It's a pretty new book , really useful for just working on your low and pedal range . Trop Chops by Matt Trotman Again , that book's not afraid to start taking it down really into those depths of your range . But it's also good at working you into it and not just like I mean like do this now . So my study and then some other books I've been utilizing as well .

Speaker 1 1:48:06

So let's get back into I want to bring that with and tying that into your ideal position , potentially in your position at a university . Right , what would be your ideal euphonium student and or composition student that you would love to teach to insert coach , yeah .

Speaker 2 1:48:31

Excuse me , I think my ideal student would fall a lot in line with my professor's ideal students that I've had in the past , where I would love to have a student who's just willing to learn , who's engaged and has potential . I think that those are the biggest things for me . Really , it's like if you are engaged , dedicated and are willing to learn , I think those are the most important qualities you can have as a student . I think I was selected for that T-spot not because of my playing ability right off the bat , but because of my ability to adapt and learn and listen to the instructor , be engaged with the lesson , ask my own questions if I had any . But that's definitely my ideal student and who I strive to be as a student and teacher sometimes is just someone who's engaged , listens , asks questions , all that .

Speaker 1 1:49:26

Would you encourage and I already know the answer , but for those that are listening and watching would you prefer a student who comes out and already know where this is going to go ? Because you've already kind of answered this before Would you prefer a student who would drive all the way out to visit you at your projected campus , your ideal campus and your ideal student ? You'd have them come out and take a lesson or a few times with you before they actually committed to you the program , the school .

Speaker 2 1:49:59

Yeah , for sure . Yeah , that shows to me and to professors out there that shows dedication and engagement and if you're willing to especially drive or travel to the school to take a lesson , that alone shows that level of dedication , that I am really interested in the school and studying with you and seeing how I would work with you as a professor . But we were talking about earlier , like nowadays , even zoom lessons , like just getting to know that professor and taking the initiative to set up whether it's an in person or zoom lesson and working with them .

Speaker 1 1:50:33

Who's trying to schedule a lesson ?

Speaker 2 1:50:38

Yeah , yeah , so definitely somehow get in touch and work with that professor before you go to audition or commit to a school .

Master's Degree Auditions and Musical Development

Speaker 2 1:50:48

When I was applying for my first master's degrees at various schools , I went to each one and this was before COVID and zoom was a big thing . So I drove to each one and made I actually brought in unless they had specific stuff I had to work on like specific breath to audition with I brought in the same material to each audition or teach lesson , brought in the same solo and excerpts each lesson to each different professor so I could get each of their views and feedback on the same stuff and like have an easier time knowing how I'd work with them . Because I think that's important for me is you know if you can bring in the same stuff that you're working on for each person and you sort of get that each of their views on the same thing .

Speaker 1 1:51:37

That's amazing . So , with doing all that , what are at least about three things you wish you could have applied or would have applied when you first started learning euphonium and composition , that you do teach and coach your students now ?

Speaker 2 1:51:55

Yeah , sort of . I think the biggest thing for me and this is sort of a musical slash , non musical thing , it ties back to my undergrad studies and even before that , you know is not being afraid to , you know , ask for help and also just being on top of things . So by that I mean I have so many students who when they first start lessons with me , they don't write anything in the music , their music's like loose in their euphonium , like shoved in the bell and it's like so disorganized on multiple levels . So I quickly , you know , make sure they know , you know it's so much more enriching of an experience and easy to do well , just by being a little more organized and being more engaged in the music . So I think , just , you know , being organized , being on top of things and being engaged with the music is one .

Speaker 2 1:52:49

Two is a simple thing using a metronome when I practice , when I throughout high school , and you know , when I was in lessons in high school they put on the met and I'd be fine . But when I was practicing on my own I was sort of getting away with playing stuff okay , without a met . But when I got to Oakland Dr he taught me and he's like , yeah , you're using the met when you practice now because you're swinging the dotted eighth , sixteenths . That dotted eighth was like a dotted quarter . By the way , these are all 30 second notes and you played them as sixteenth notes and I was not used to playing with a met . So I found once I diligently started practicing in efficient ways Sorry , not inefficient , but inefficient ways with a metronome , it really helped me with , like the obvious things like rhythm and being more , again , organized and strategic in my music making , being more consistent with the music .

Speaker 2 1:53:57

When I was practicing on a met I was just guessing at something . So I think one thing I always insist my students do when you're practicing something , use a metronome . So many students hate it , but you know it's so important and there are ways to make met work fun . There's so many free apps and low cost apps out there now for , like on phones and iPads that have so many customizable variables to set the met to . The one I use is Total Energy and it has that smiley face in the center when you're in tune and like any metre you can imagine with any subdivision . Yeah , so that's two .

Speaker 2 1:54:37

And then the third one is really again sort of a not strictly musical thing , but it's , you know , be yourself , I guess , be yourself musically too , you know , express yourself through the music . And it's easier said than done and you know . But I think for me , I'm a very stoic person when I'm just talking to people and , like just said , I've had multiple people ask me are you okay when I'm just sitting there resting , because my face is just stoic . But I've found that , you know , my just mindset and my way of expressing myself has been through music and it's been one of the most valuable things for me and it's really just helped my , I think , mental state overall is being able to express myself through the music and I think it's one of my strongest suits as a player , is my musicality and the way I phrase things and all that stuff . But I think , yeah , being organized on top of the music , use a met and express yourself in the music , don't be afraid to be musical .

Speaker 1 1:55:46

So I want to kind of go back over your low note routine . Yeah that goes with articulations . Articulations are really hard . It feels like kind of you're like a woodcutter at a big oak tree or something like that . How do you approach articulations in the low register ?

Speaker 2 1:56:06

Yeah , that's a . That's a good one . I think several years ago , euphonium player from Europe , glenn Vin Lui , put out a short video on YouTube where he was talking about , you know , some of his warm up routines . I don't know what the video was called . It was like from six , seven years ago .

Speaker 2 1:56:25

At this point he did this one exercise that was so simple but seemed very effective . It was a B flat major scale , starting on pedal B flat where you play like groups of four pedal B flats and then two extras of those pedal B flats and then go up the scale one , two or three octaves , then play the top B flat , whichever top B flat you choose , either four , eight , 12 , 16 times in a row , two extras , then go back down , so all together it sounds like 1234123412 . But just that like , and it's our tongue in all those notes , no slurring it . So you're doing repeated pedal be pedal notes in this case be flat and traversing through the range , articulating the same way throughout the entire range and coming all the way back down to those pedals , trying to make all the note sound just as equal in tone and quality . That was one huge thing Dr Cresci and I worked on during my undergrad was I had great mid range sort of singing high range and starting pinched early up there . My low range was what I call the Squidward low range , where it sounds way nasally like , sounded like this , very pinched . So we were working a lot on , you know , doing different things to stabilize the tone and consistency throughout the range . So that exercise I've been doing for years now where I'll start it Once I've done some of the low range stuff I've talked about some days , I'll do this one where I'll do a pedal B flat you can vary up the speed of it too is if you're trying to work on fast and you did it or even just trying to get it consistent and really dive into the sound quality , I do it a lot slower .

Speaker 2 1:58:13

Start on pedal B flat 3 octave , pedal B flat scale and then go to A , 3 octave , a , a flat , g , g , flat , f and I'm starting to really try and dive into like the E , e , flat D , pedal B , flat , c range .

Speaker 2 1:58:28

But yeah , I think that exercise alone has helped me a ton with articulation in the low range and articulation getting out of the low range and back into it from other ranges and you can like vary up which articulation style you do , obviously . So sometimes I'll do staccato , sometimes I'll do tenuto , accented , different dynamics . But yeah , I found that , you know , when I first started trying to work on articulation in the low range , it feels so different and it is so much more difficult at first to , like you know tongue down there just as effectively and sounding just as good as you know just tongue in the middle F right . So yeah , I do think working on articulation down there is super important because , again , a lot of people don't do it enough . Like we all practice in our mid range and high range as euphonium players . Everyone loves ripping up to a high C but no one ever works on like low D flat and like just tongueing . You know those boring notes that are just muddy . But you don't have to make a muddy if you know you work on a lot .

Speaker 1 1:59:31

Right .

Speaker 2 1:59:32

Yeah .

Speaker 1 1:59:33

So how important is sight reading to you ?

Speaker 2 1:59:36

Yeah . So sight reading , I'm going to be completely honest , I did it a lot before and I've sort of like let it go recently . But I think I was thinking about this and I was like I don't remember practicing in my own practice sight reading a ton . But then I realized I've been in so many ensembles and groups and done enough pieces where I feel like , you know , the first time I get music and I'm sight reading , that I've been in so many groups or I'm just reading stuff for the first time where it's really challenged my sight reading abilities and when I first started in Fountain City , for example , the first time I played with them , you know , put the music in front of my stand , hard stuff , not easy , you know , brass and humidized those things level stuff and I'm expecting everyone's , like you know , play okay , because the first time we're applying it that open my eyes to . You know , maybe I need to work on my sight reading a little bit because man , people knocked out the park right away , me not included . So it's been sort of an on and off relationship with me , with me actually practicing sight reading . You know , I think for me one of the ways I've done it was , you know I have so many etude books and exercise books that I've looked at maybe a few pages of where you know I'll open up a page I've never looked at before and you know , run it , hit it , try and , you know , take a few minutes to , or take a minute before I end to look it over . I remember in high school they would when we did solo and ensemble competitions and in all state you'd get that sight reading , get a minute to look over it and then you got to play it . That sort of the approach I practice , my own practice , when I do sight reading , is get the music , take a look at it for a minute , study it and then do it to the best of my ability and then never look at it again . You know as a sight reading thing and I honestly just like sometimes I will not quite sight reading , but like improvising is right now Not jazz improvisation , because I'm horrible at jazz , but I like to say I can improvise .

Speaker 2 2:01:42

But the way I improvise a lot in my practice is through drone work . I'll have there I'm Spotify , there's these two great tracks , they're just called organ drones , and there's a bagpipe version too , where they'll play drones at different pitches . Then I will just improvise over those drones and it's both a tuning exercise with the drone but also just one where I'm developing these melodies . It's like the composition and performance just fuse into one and I'm just developing stuff on the spot and I'm so teasing . I think that alone I've been doing that consistently for a while has Helped my composition and how quickly I'm able to develop melodies in my compositions . That's helped that .

Teaching Sight-Reading and Different Clefs

Speaker 2 2:02:25

But I've had several students Come up to me and be like , hey , should I be working on sight reading ? Like how do I do this ? And I've always , you know , encouraged them to , you know , look at stuff they may have and they never looked at before . You know , look at music that , like , you know stuff they haven't seen before , and dive into it , approach it with a strategy but Decide , read it because I think it is important . But , like for me personally , I haven't incorporated it as much as I think I should have , because there are instances where , again , get to fountain city , I'm like if I was a better sight reader , this first read probably would have went a little smoother .

Speaker 1 2:03:08

Sure so do you teach other clubs besides just bass clef ?

Speaker 2 2:03:14

Yeah , I'm a big advocate . For you know , knowing treble clef , b-plot , treble clef and tenor clef , what am ?

Speaker 2 2:03:22

I , huh , I'll take left . I mean , if they want to learn that I'll teach it . But I've never had to encounter that . I know , you know , got like some ultra-chamber bars , but I've never as a phonium player had to play an ultra-clef or soprano clef . But I have had , you know , students who are interested in you know , joining like fountain city Academy brass band or you know Stuff , where they're gonna encounter B-flat treble clef . And I've had some students start on treble clef and you know , then I'll be like , alright , let's turn bass club to . Because you know , as a high school band student , you're gonna encounter your band director handing out parts and they're like , oh , this composer doesn't have a treble clef part , here's a bass buff part . Or you know , they just have trombone parts , here's the trombone part as a treble clef . You go in player it's like , oh , you don't know bass clef , so yeah , I especially those students that Come over from the trumpet side .

Speaker 2 2:04:18

Yeah , yeah , especially , and I've had a few students have been , you know , trumpet converts and yeah , teaching them bass plus been really good . Me personally , I started in bass clef . I didn't know there were other clefs to read until I got to undergrad . And yeah , cuz I didn't take anything except for band in a high school and we never . I'd fortunately Rarity I never encountered a treble clef , euphonium part in high school and which will not happen for most people . But I somehow got away with it . And Then , first day of undergrad , dr Cresci , I think it's a book by think called a tenor club study .

Speaker 1 2:05:01

The tenor club studies yeah .

Speaker 2 2:05:03

Yeah , yeah , and that got me into the tenor club . Then he had me work out of I think it was Fern Reynolds trumpet atudes there's some challenging ones in there and they're all beef like treble clef or trumpet . And then I myself got what's still one of my favorite books to this day is by Lynn's lip flexibilities With a lot of lips or stuff all in B flat , triple clef . So I also was thrown into the fire and first baritone in the Oakland brass band . My first day there I couldn't read treble clef and we're in rehearsal .

Speaker 2 2:05:41

Yeah , I in stuff , and so you know , I do think for a lot of cases , you know , best way to learn something is to be thrown in the fire like that , as long as this is a supportive environment . But yeah , I quickly learned treble clef to keep up with that brass band stuff . And my last year of undergrad I , I , I went to the E flat bass and our brass band and played in the tuba section and Like it was another like instance of like just learning a new almost clef all over again as the new fingerings on E flat tuba . That was the first tube I had ever played and it was just mind-boggling . Once again we're like , okay , I really got to learn this . And Again thrown into the fire , learning some hard to the parks and yeah . So I'm a big advocate for knowing different clefs and , you know , being able to read those efficiently .

Speaker 1 2:06:34

Cool . So we've already covered Quite a bit of your journey , yeah , influences and such like that and who you learn from , but we didn't . I Like to give you an opportunity to kind of showcase Any elements that you picked up from learning , that you received from Tom Stein or King crashy or or Michael Steele or norm Logan , or or any elements that you pick up that you utilize with your students now .

Speaker 2 2:07:10

Yeah for sure . Um , I would say like let's not quantify it 80% of my teaching is just mashups of the best stuff that I gathered from my teachers and you know I try and make a little bit of that my own .

Teaching Kindness in Music Education

Speaker 2 2:07:27

The first thing is when I was in middle school I was , you know , goof off . I didn't care about band . My middle school teacher , rob Wilson , like sat down with me and like one-on-one and would teach me , you know , how to read music and he's so nice and kind and patient with me and like that kind of patience , welcoming this and warmth , I Really think was the reason I started getting invested in it and like I was interested . You know it would have been so different if he was impatient and , you know , just like not willing to sit down with me and teach Me , but I think you saw the potential . So something I try and do is just , you know , be there for my students , be kind and like , be open to you know what they might be Experiencing , sort of treat them as their own individual .

Speaker 1 2:08:16

So how do you teach that to a beginner ? Beginner and collegiate level artists ? That's going into music education .

Speaker 2 2:08:25

Yeah , especially with music edits , Like they're going to be encountering so many students , all these different individuals . I think you know the big thing is for me treating each person like their own person , and you know it's a lot , it's a big answer , right ? But , um , I think that that's so important Is just be patient , be kind . Um , I I hate , like the idea of you know every student's the same , like standardized testing , all that it's like . If there are ways to be more individual , go for it . But I think the big thing for me is the teachers I've I still respect the most and have had lasting impressions of me have been the like kind of the patient , the like , you know , picturesque Mentor type of people .

Speaker 2 2:09:14

I had an English teacher in high school who still remains like one of my favorite teachers of all time just because how patient he was with me and um , like I wasn't a bad student , but you know he he had a great balance of um , like being able to control the classroom but also just being like one of the nicest people I've ever met . Um , so teaching my students to be kind to people and accepting is important . I think if I do become a professor and I have my own studio . Um , I'm going to follow in the footsteps of all my teachers , especially toms stein , of Really trying to include people in my studio who are genuine people and like kind and accepting , and like Makes continues the sense of Acceptance in my studio , like I don't want anyone who will make anyone feel unsafe or unaccepted in my studio .

Speaker 2 2:10:09

I think for me that's the biggest thing , is not even a musical thing , but just like every , I want to be associated with . You know , accepting people , kind people I think my students will learn to be that too . You know it's Not that hard to be kind to others and it's interesting . Now I feel like so many people have gotten a little short tempered since the pandemic , um , and you know More impatient , but I think you know it's important to be kind to others and um , like for me in undergrad , like I was going through so much and no one knew , but the fact that People were there to support me and were willing to be there to support me not knowing that I was like on the verge of a mental crisis Like really saved me , um they also called you out too .

Speaker 2 2:10:57

They did , yeah , I do yeah , they called me out and it's like I needed that like again , like my English teacher , I needed that balance of calling me out , you know , being like , hey , you need to like do something and but also them doing something and being there for me . Um , so there's that . Um , I think that's the big thing . I think um Trying to think of some other big things , all little things , like you know , putting the focus on low range . Sometimes I've had almost all of my students when they first came in , you know that seemed to be the one range where it's like everyone struggles . Um , yeah , the extreme high range too , but you know , that range where it's like not an extreme range , but it's like one no encounter . So I've um Incorporated that a lot into my teaching of my own students .

Speaker 2 2:11:47

Um , I always encourage them to do any festivals , competitions that they want to do , um stuff like that that's so important . Um , there's like there's some competitions I like more than others . I don't dislike any , but it's like , for example , the one I loved myself the most was mtna . Um the music teachers national , national association . They have , you know , young artists and students and senior level . Uh competitions with performance and composition In brass , woodwind , piano , vocal , blah , blah blah . The thing I liked about that one is you can pick your own set list of reps . It's not assigned , and so I would always pick stuff that highlighted my strengths as a player and that I , in turn , I would be the most confident performing . And something I haven't said yet is I always struggle with nerves really bad on stage , like I Get poor . I still get really bad stage fright , especially in a solo setting or public speaking setting .

Speaker 1 2:12:51

Like , um such , like recitals and such .

Speaker 2 2:12:55

Yes , recitals , especially competitions , where I figured out it's when I'm not . It's not that I'm not prepared , but when I am not as comfortable with the music as I could be , I am a wreck , um . But also it depends on like um , there have been things I've been wondering why I still get nervous . Um , I did a solo , for example , at the North American brass band championships last year that I had spent a year , solid year , working up with Lee Harrelson . You know he was a great teacher with me . We worked that solo up . It was a , a slow melody but it was , you know , pretty hard . It was a Capriccio , capriccio , maybe . The Haganini Um went up to Heidi Flats , you know a bunch of range but I had it really high level .

Speaker 2 2:13:39

And when I got to Naba in Huntsville , alabama , um , it was a combination of you know we had to drive overnight To get there from Kansas City because we had a rehearsal with fountain city that day when we got there and we didn't want to fly there , you know . So it was a scheduling thing where we took turns driving me in our studio . But then also the piano we used in the performance was like this tiny piano that it scared me . It like made me paranoid , that like , oh , this isn't like a piano I'm used to , am I gonna be able to hear it ? Um , and then , like I was just getting in my own head and all these like external factors that didn't really matter besides the driving , I think that did contribute to my shakiness , but like the piano , I was like , oh , is the company's gonna like take it too fast ? We're only rehearsing once before the performance . I just got in my own head and , um , it ended up being one of the worst , like in my opinion , solo performances I've ever done , and this was just last year and I had done so many better performances .

Speaker 2 2:14:40

So I still think about you know I I'm big on thinking back and like figuring out stuff , and you know whether that's just in my own practice like One big thing I try and teach my students is you don't always have to be on the horn when you're practicing . Like , um , when you're doing repetition of repeating stuff in practice , which I think is important , it has to be like Relaxed but focused repetition . Um , so many people repeat stuff and just get frustrated as they keep repeating and it's not getting better and they're not thinking about it . And so what I do in my own practice is , I'll , you know , do some reps then take like , put the horn down and think about it and like , okay , how can I make this better ? What's going on here ? So , the same thing with that .

Speaker 2 2:15:25

I've been , like you know , thinking about , okay , why did I got extremely nervous during that performance ? The mandrae thurman was the judge , um , and we we've talked since too , but he's great . But I was like , did I get nervous because it was the mandrae ? That's probably not it , because I auditioned for him at Indiana for my first masters and it was a very strong audition in my mind and I was comfortable playing for him and I was like , was it the people in the audience ? It's like all other brass players and like crashy was in the audience , like people I look up to and I , you know , I don't think that was it and I think you know what I came down to was Some factors like the overnight drive , and I think part of it was .

Speaker 2 2:16:03

I realized I that performance was at 8 30 in the morning and I didn't do any breathing or stretching like I usually do , like I sort of Accidentally went against the grain and didn't do my usual warm-up , um , and I think for me , consistency in a daily routine and consistency in practice has been my keys to success and that one day where I was like , okay , I'm running a little bit late , I'll do a quick warm-up , screwed me over for that day . I didn't get a good warm-up in , then started getting in my own head and I was like , oh , that wasn't a good warm-up . And then , you know , I think the breathing would have helped that a lot . I do . I don't do meditating , for , say , but I do a lot of just like trying to get my head in the right space before I perform . But I just rushed myself and over thought for that performance . So , um , that's another thing where , just like I try , and you know , I think something I like to teach my students is if they're doing a competition and if they get nervous .

Speaker 2 2:17:04

I always ask my students do you get nervous when you perform ? And most of them will say yes to some extent , whether it's , you know , every time or Only when I'm doing a solo or only when I'm talking in front of a crowd , um , I try and teach you know the importance of getting in that headspace , not thinking too hard about it , and you know , I personally know it's easier said than done to not overthink things . I'm a big overthinker , um , but I just try and give them . You know , think about , as cliche as it sounds , you know . Think about whatever relaxes you the most , like Whether it's , you know , visiting family , being on a tropical island , you know , or just envision yourself playing the crap out of this , like if that helps you .

Speaker 2 2:17:46

Um , thinking positively , I think that's a big thing . Um , that's actually , yeah , a really big thing . I've I used to go into performances Not realizing I was thinking about what could go wrong . Um , and I would always think about the hard part of the piece . You know that , that one part that I've been practicing a lot , I've gotten better , but it's the hard one , um , and then , sure enough , if I went into a performance with that mindset , I'd mess it up , that part Um , so over time , I um you know what ?

Speaker 1 2:18:17

you trained yourself .

Speaker 2 2:18:18

your training , yeah , I trained myself and others , like , told me their experiences too . Um , I trained myself to go , you know , be confident . No , trust the work I put into it . Um , and go in . Just envision myself , you know , creating the best music I can , and that doesn't always mean you're playing 100 accurate . It's like if you are putting your soul and heart into that music . That's what it's about . All the way back to that camp I went to , it's like that's the feeling Musicians chase after , is that like Incredible feeling of you know , I just put everything into that . I left nothing on stage .

Speaker 1 2:18:54

Wow , that's incredible .

Speaker 2 2:18:56

Thanks .

Speaker 1 2:18:58

That's .

Coaching Euphonium Artists on Buzzing Techniques

Speaker 1 2:18:59

You know , each time I do these interviews , I don't . That's how I have a framework that I've developed and I love to uh dive deeper on some questions Over others and others . You know , uh , you , you've looked through the list already and you've combined some uh fluid answers and uh encapsulated a lot of content . And and then getting to know you personally through this interview , to seeing where you are at currently and how Further I can assist or provide extra value to where you're at and where you want to be , um , especially in , in , in , and with the ability to Kind of adapt questions to where you are going to face . On this next uh Pay , this next chapter shift in your life .

Speaker 1 2:20:01

That's , uh , whether it's at Drake or or , uh , portland University or or you know when , wherever you may uh end up , um , I mean , it's always going to fit where you're at currently and that's that's going to be an amazing thing to where um you bring those experiences the ability to teach your students , to not teach coach , because you you've mentioned , even from the uh In initial uh moments of our interview , uh , you coach , you use that word specifically and I think that is , uh , a great framework to start with is Seeing yourself as a coach , not a professor , not a teacher Coach um , I also love the word guide too , I think , um , you know , us being our own teachers is big and I , I think you know , the best teachers I've had haven't really been Teachers , they've been mentors and guides to me .

Speaker 2 2:21:03

Um , and that's why I try and pass on to my students is , you know , at the same time I'm guiding them Through their stuff , they're also learning to become their own teachers and their own mentors and , you know , being able to practice on their own effectively and productively .

Speaker 1 2:21:20

And and you know that's , that's a really great way of Incapsulating this whole interview is uh , you , it sounds like you coach them into being self-accountable .

Speaker 2 2:21:31

Yeah .

Speaker 1 2:21:33

Yeah , that's . I mean you had to learn that with the encouragement and the mentorship you went through in your undergraduate years and spinning that around to where you , that's a bedrock element in your foundation . It sounds like .

Speaker 2 2:21:51

Yeah , yeah , and it's like you know , if I know so many students struggle in college and in addition to them , you know , wanting to let them know , yeah , it's okay to get help and reach out to people . Being able to be self-accountable is really important . I learned that the hard way , like I almost dropped out . It took me so long to be self-accountable because you know as great of teachers as I had . I do wish there was someone who was like you know , a little bit sooner , sat me down and was like you need to get your stuff together , but I think part of that was like . For a while it just did seem like I was being lazy and you know a lot of stuff that people didn't know was going on .

Speaker 1 2:22:34

Yeah , do you think if someone were to have sat you down any earlier , then that precise moment you may not have heard what you needed to hear to become self-accountable ?

Speaker 2 2:22:45

That's a good question . I think part of it was like if it would have been sooner I don't think so . As time went on before I got that sit down , talk type of thing I think I was getting in a worse and worse mental state where I think if maybe someone would have you know , if I would have learned to become self-accountable sooner , it wouldn't have had the same impact on me . Because by the point where Dr Kreshian or head of theory did like you know , say you need to get your stuff together , I was at a point where I just needed someone to tell me that and , like , help me become self-accountable . But yeah , it was like I guess timing of it was the perfect timing where , like that was the point in my life where I absolutely needed to hold myself accountable or else I was done .

Speaker 2 2:23:36

One thing I've tried to get better at myself in the past is not waiting . So the absolute last second before I do something , being proactive , like one of the big things again being open about my health and stuff is like I really I guess I have high blood sugar and high blood pressure . We have a family history of it . I'm trying to tackle that ahead of time . A lot of males in our family have had heart attacks at young ages and I don't want to follow that route and I've had in my past . Throughout my life I've always waited till . I've tended to wait till something absolutely needed to be done , to do something and it's not quite procrastination , but you know , some of it is like homework and undergrad I waited till the last second to do it and it was always a bad job , right , you can't rush it . So I've , the past several years I've worked hard on , you know , jumping the gun and being proactive on things that you know if I wait it's not a good idea . So yeah , that's great .

Speaker 1 2:24:42

That's really actually that captured right there , I think , some really crucial elements to future endeavors . I'll just leave it crunched like that right there . That's really awesome . So let's dive back into , because when you go back and hear the other interviews , you'll understand why this at the two hour mark or so , like that , when we get to this , when you get to hear this , maybe it's the hour and a half mark . Let's see the 350 we started .

Speaker 1 2:25:28

It's at the two hour mark on the actual video where this will be is this particular question sequence that I developed and you'll see why it's talking about off-horns elements to increase performance abilities . You're buzzing and that's one thing that I've encountered a lot doing these interviews . Conducting these interviews is we're not necessarily in this , those of us that do buzzing off-horn . What does that mean off-horn buzzing to you ?

Speaker 2 2:26:10

That for me means buzzing on the mouthpiece with intent to , like you know , not just buzzing to buzz , but for me buzzing really has helped me with tone , airflow and disresponse and my ear too . When I worked on buzzing with Dr Kreshe he'd have me buzz like singable melodies , you know , like I think his go-to might have been God bless America . No , it was my country , tizzi , and he'd have me buzz that . And it's like again , if you can buzz it like you're working your ear , you're using a lot of air getting that good buzz and I think it helps with the tone on the instrument .

Speaker 2 2:26:50

Tom Stein was big on , or is big on , getting a velvety buzz where it has , you know , a lot of freedom and that velvety quality to it , that warm quality where it's not pinched , it's not completely airy but it has that full , just supported buzzing sound . And having that sort of descriptor helped me a lot when I was when I've been buzzing since I heard that from him is like having that like sound that I wanted in a buzz . I think a lot of people buzz and don't think about what sound they're getting when they buzz and that sound you get when you buzz is a like tell-tale sign of like you know , are you really tense or you're pinching it ? Is it too airy ? Like you want to pay attention to that sound when you buzz .

Speaker 1 2:27:37

So let's go on to that a little bit more . Yeah , so , if I may be able to , how would you coach a euphonium artist that's coming into your studio or that's currently in your studio ? How would you coach their awareness of their buzz , of their lip structure , of what they're doing on their , with their lips and their mouthpiece ?

Speaker 2 2:28:03

Yeah . So I've like sort of taken a little bit of what Tom Stein has taught me and I've incorporated my own thing too . So Tom was really big at , like you know , letting the air do the work , and if you know the air is working properly , a lot of other things fall into place . Ambisher-wise and like all that stuff . I do think you know I include a little bit more like ambisher talk with my students .

Speaker 2 2:28:31

With , like , for example , my sixth graders I'm working with right now , I like to use , like you know , fun , like scenarios where it's like pretend you're like blowing on hot soup and you're splashing the person across the table from you with that soup and you know , keep them engaged . But like , if it's a you know , incoming euphonium artist , it's going to be more about , you know , for me I like to think of foreigners engaged . I like to think of a flat face where when your ambisher , you should think of like vertically flat , not lips pushing out , like kissy face or anything . But again , I put most of the focus in making sure the air is flowing freely and you're using a lot of it when you buzz , because I found with my students , if you're using a ton of air when you buzz , getting a big , full buzz . The ambisher is usually not too tight or anything . It's usually not too loose either . It usually falls into place with that air and I found that all the way from like my sixth graders to like the one undergrad student I taught when Stein wasn't there . He was sick one day and I taught an undergrad student but yeah , it's really like a lot of air talk and you know flat face but mostly air .

Speaker 1 2:29:44

And keeping the aperture open .

Speaker 2 2:29:46

Yes .

Speaker 1 2:29:46

Yes , that's another thing .

Speaker 2 2:29:49

Like if I feel like they're getting that really pinched like buzz , like a you know trumpet player or whatever I do . Yeah , I do talk a little bit about aperture . I'll just be like you know the hole between your lips , make sure it's not completely closed . Try and keep it a little bit more open . Yeah , and then not necessarily with just buzzing , but I take I think it was Lee Harrelson who taught me this , maybe it was Stein , it might have been both Picturing a tennis ball in the back of your throat with like the openness when you're like exhaling , and blowing through the insert mouthpiece . I just think that mental image and just the feeling you get of really getting that open vowel shape and back of your throat has helped me tremendously as a player .

Speaker 1 2:30:36

You know one thing that it's really interesting when I was going through and teaching my kids how to open up their components and opening up their sound , my private lesson my instructor at college would always tell me suck an egg .

Speaker 2 2:30:55

Yeah .

Speaker 1 2:30:58

And my kids would always bust out laughing and it doesn't really it's not really a good sequencing of terms nowadays as much as it was 25 years ago or so , and so it's really fascinating learning how people coaches , mentors , private lesson teachers their perspective in teaching certain elements of euphonium , performance or musicality I think you really hit it on the head with the musicality portion of you know , it's not perfection per se , but it's passion . What would you say your strength would be in ? What's your strongest element of teaching and coaching when it comes to ? Maybe it's something different than what we've already spoken about , but what would you say is your bread and butter of your coaching ?

Speaker 2 2:32:08

Yeah , I think my current strong point that I've sort of realized is sort of opening up students' minds to interpreting music and again being as musical as they can be with it . And I'm a big advocate if you are doing a one-octave major scale , it should be the most musical scale you ever play in your life . Everything can be musical . I don't think there's benefit to just practicing an urban technical study without putting music into it . Yeah , it gets your fingers better or whatever , but what's the point of it if you're not playing it as a piece of music ? Is it really making something ? Musical Just promotes great airflow and momentum in the air . I've always been taught , you know , forward moving air , always , always air is moving forward . I found when you're being musical and phrasing things , that really promotes that just forward moving air and just building that momentum up . So I think that's been my bread and butter .

Speaker 2 2:33:13

I think a lot of students have come to me where they just played in band and they've played their band parts . You know whether it's the tuba part that doubles the bass drum or whatever , where it's just boring as heck but just like right . Or euphonium players , where it's like the trombone three part is doubled or whatever . But it's always interesting seeing their reactions when I tell them . You know , when I'm playing the Clark number one chromatic scales , I'm always adding dynamics like Robota .

Speaker 2 2:33:48

I'm doing whatever I can make it more musical with Even things like with those chromatic scales . I always practice the metronome . So maybe not Roboto , but sometimes I'll have the metronome where the beep is on the offbeat . So I'm trying to feel it in a different way . Or I'll do it as triplets or half time , but I'm always , you know for sure , adding phrasing to it . Whether it's a single tonguing , exercises in Arvin or whatever it's like , I'm trying to make it musical and they're always blown away by . Like you know , I can make anything music like , no matter what it is , and it's interesting also seeing their . They always become , they always use their air better when they're thinking musically , from what I've experienced , sure .

Speaker 1 2:34:35

So , as a potential euphonium professor , how would you coach your euphonium studio members to , whether they're performance or music added or just taking lessons with you to keep your skill out while in your studio ? As a different major , how would you coach them in reaching out and taking initiative and building their own practice , building their own , what we're doing here , Building their own job marketability yeah .

Speaker 2 2:35:18

That's a great question because it's like such a . It really depends on the individual Like you know yeah .

Speaker 2 2:35:26

Yeah , and for me personally , I sort of with the help of others , but I think mostly myself I realized that I , first of all , I was not going to be able to be a military musician . I have enough health problems where I , even if I weighed less , I'd be not eligible , so I knew that was

Pursuing Passion in Music Composition Career

Speaker 2 2:35:51

out of the question . For a job I , you know , I sort of knew during I think I want to say , late undergrad that I wanted to teach euphonium more than play it as a living and I sort of figured out on my own , as I started finding more success with composition , that I wanted to pursue that too . I think you know it is for the most part up to the student to find that inner passion and what their strong suits are . Yes , like we're all here to help them and we will like guide them and mentor them and help them find that .

Speaker 2 2:36:27

You know , okay , what can we do here ? You're really good at conducting . That's awesome , you've got to . Or you know you , you arrange stuff really good . Have you ever tried arranging like a marching band chart ? And like you know there's there are a lot of opportunities and like I think it's nowadays especially , it's so competitive where you need to have your own little like niche or and be really good at like what you do and be better at be good at something that's not just playing your instrument .

Speaker 2 2:37:00

In my opinion , in today's economy and yes , like you have people who are so good that you know they get jobs and are set for life just playing their instrument , but for a lot of us , it is really smart to start learning and getting good at something , whether it's musical or non musical , that you have in addition to playing your instrument , that you can be like . Hey , I think I would be good at this job that I'm applying for , or this gig , because I also , you know , double in trumpet or blah blah blah , where I conduct , I blah blah blah , play tuba , trombone , and I think you know finding that and you don't have to like be good at it , like right away , I think .

Speaker 2 2:37:41

I wasn't yeah , and I was . I wrote the stupidest melodies when I first started composing . That made no sense . I remember I actually went back to my note flight account the other day .

Speaker 1 2:37:56

After you got my questionnaire or before .

Speaker 2 2:37:59

No , it was before . So we had I'm part of this thing called the Millennium Composers Initiative which is run by like some great composers like Kevin Day and Kataj Popli's in it and plenty of others Chris Haas , chris Evans Haas and we had this little social hangout on Zoom . We played like some Zoom games and stuff and someone suggested as a joke , the next social get together should be us sharing our first compositions , and everyone was like , oh no , because all of us , no one , has a good first composition and nowadays , like as the composers grow older , we all like look back on those first pieces . Like that was so cringy . But I went back to my note flight account and , sure enough , like there's one piece I wrote where it was . The day we learned what suspensions were in music theory , one and every bar was a different kind of suspension than it was . Oh , no , so bad . It was for like six euphoniums and like euphonium one was like in the stratosphere the whole time . Nothing was good about it , but you know .

Speaker 1 2:39:05

So that's way beyond our , some of our student artists and parents comprehension currently on suspensions and that's definitely music theory and there's a ton of yeah . So pardon the techno babble , the momentary yeah , but that's definitely something . I would love to see you post some of those as a means .

Speaker 2 2:39:32

Yeah , I might . Honestly . I was looking back and I was like man , some of these either make no sense or aren't playable or , you know , just are really funny . Because you could tell I learned a specific thing that day . I was like , oh , that's so cool . Or I like listened to , or I learned a piece in music history and the piece I wrote sounds exactly like it . It's interesting .

Speaker 1 2:39:55

So I want to . I want to get to a question that's not it's not on this questionnaire that I took off because you're a composer artist is what's your favorite condensed score ? That you have a favorite condensed score that you go back and reference or just get inspiration from ?

Speaker 2 2:40:14

Yeah , I like the first to find condensed score .

Speaker 1 2:40:17

Like a new kind of score of music .

Speaker 2 2:40:19

Okay , yeah , so currently my like , really currently , like recently , I found out this piece was so at the end of NABBA , the North American brass band championships , last year , they announced the test pieces for this year for all the bands to play in the championship section . All the bands are going to be playing this piece called Other Lives , by Oliver Wespi . His last thing is like W , maybe AESPI , it's something easier peeing guy , but it's this piece I believe is based on or surrounded by like Schubert . But it is such a cool piece it's like 21 minutes of either beautiful writing or really exciting writing , so that for , like , brass band stuff right now , that's my go to and I've actually I'm like looking at the score and like studying it , because a lot of the orchestration is really great too , and that's one thing I've struggled with as a composer when writing for large ensembles is balancing the orchestration and having it sound really seamless and smooth and balanced , and I've gotten better at that , I think through the score study .

Speaker 2 2:41:37

I've been meaning to buy the score to Kevin Day's Concerto for Wind Ensemble Because that is such a cool piece . Newer piece If you haven't heard it , I recommend listening to it Because it is first of all for those listening and watching . Kevin is an amazing human , also one of the leading composers of today of just music , not just euphonium stuff . A lot of euphonium players know him through his euphonium Concerto but he recently wrote a sort of recently wrote a Concerto for Wind Ensemble that I think was nominated for a Pulitzer . So , yeah , it's incorporates so many different like genres of music , like jazz , and so many different inspirations funk , jazz , gospel , classical , whatever it's like but it works so well .

Speaker 1 2:42:27

It's really interesting . You mentioned a word that I showcase on my previous interview just today Pulitzer and if those that aren't watching these in sequence or however , whatever order , pulitzer is not an award that we associate at all with music , music composition , music performance anywhere in the musical field , and so for it's really , really interesting that both my interviews today alone have included that element specifically .

Speaker 2 2:43:08

Yeah , I mean the Pulitzer Music Award is like I think , in the composition world very sought after and very prestigious .

Speaker 1 2:43:18

It's like basically like an Academy Award or Grammy Award for Classical Composers and like almost every serious composer would apply for it , and it's like so super competitive , so would you consider yourself someone that competitive that when you're a professor , you would have the ability or the ability and or encouragement from your colleagues in your workplace that you your dream job that would encourage you to write music in such a way that would bestow this award ?

Speaker 2 2:43:58

Yeah , I would really hope that my colleagues and my dream job would be supportive of that and potentially like enable me to have some resources to write a piece where it could potentially be a Pulitzer winning piece . I think there's a history of the Pulitzer . I think a lot of operas and orchestral pieces win , usually every year . I've never written an opera . I think Kevin Day is actually planning on writing an opera soon . I think I saw a post from him but I'll have to double check it was him . But anyway , yeah , I'd be like , I think , writing a large scale work , whether it's orchestral opera , even wind band , you know , writing those big pieces I've always wanted to do . I wrote some shorter wind band pieces and like a 10 minute brass band piece , but I've always I plan to write some big works in my future and I think an important part of that is , you know , having a supportive environment around you and like , yeah , just having support of colleagues , having resources if they're available . So , you know , pull that kind of thing off .

Grants, Composing, and Overcoming Challenges

Speaker 2 2:45:10

When I was an undergrad , I was fortunate to win the Provost undergraduate research grants which enabled me to perform John Stevens work , prometheus and the Gift of Fire , with orchestra and or string orchestra and I was able to hire a string orchestra and that piece I think was originally for I can't remember that if it was original . I saw C trumpet and tuba euphonium ensemble as instrumentation . Yeah . And then Matt Morellis , a euphonium player and a professor , on his CD called Prometheus has the only recording of it with euphonium and string orchestra . And I looked everywhere for the sheet music for the euphonium and string orchestra version but could only find trumpet and string orchestra . So I eventually just bought the music and then put the trumpet part to bass club euphonium . But if I was really good at reading C trumpet which I should have been I could have just read that . But yeah , I think grants like that are great too . You know , having resources like that , I recently wrote a trombone and fixed media piece for my colleague and friend , brent Mead , who is doing this really cool tour .

Speaker 2 2:46:30

I think he just did the last performance at ITF of this piece that I wrote for him in Salt Lake City . This tour was sort of a recital program . He took around a few different places , he commissions . It was around I think seven , maybe a different number , but it was around seven composers .

Speaker 2 2:46:49

Each one wrote a piece about things that people deal with . That you know he wants them to know they're not alone and there's , like you know , light at the end of the tunnel . Not in terms of , like you know , you can cure everything , but everything can be managed and , like you , there's health out there . You're not alone . It was a really cool concept that , like I think , was great with resonating with young people who again might be struggling and not sure what to do . My piece I wrote was called Social . It was about social anxiety which I struggled to with some extent , especially like in person with someone I don't know it might not seem like it with this interview , but I feel like for some reason I have such a more easy time virtually talking to someone than just like in person .

Speaker 2 2:47:35

But I wrote that piece but that was only possible through him getting fortunately getting a grant through his university to like fund this whole recital series . Gave him a grant to purchase the electronics equipment because it was for also my piece involved guitar pedals , so it was like amplified trombone with electronics and guitar pedals . That was that really helped him bring the whole idea to life . So I think that's super important . But I think the big thing is , yeah , being confident in yourself and having supportive friends and colleagues who are just there to you know , help you keep rising up .

Speaker 1 2:48:12

I know if you . I don't know if you know how Aaron Copeland got to write Fanfare for the Common man ? I don't . You should go look that up . Okay , it was the great commissioning for , I believe , the Great War initiative . It was this . Oh man , I need to do my own , go back into my own research , but it's on the internet . And all these greatest composers were commissioned to write a piece of nationality to get the war efforts going and just really inspire America to you know , get going and maybe I'll I'll send you the research that I found .

Speaker 2 2:49:05

Yeah .

Speaker 1 2:49:06

And it was a commission of several , several , several composers around the , I want to say around the world , and it was , as I was looking up the reason why , as I'm like , okay , so it was those engaged in World War II and it was commissioned man I , I hate dead space in , oh yes , that's why I . So I was doing research on Eugene Goosens , the conductor of the Symphony Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra . He commissioned a large consortium of American composers to write patriot , patriotically titled Fanfares for Brass and percussion to open each of his concerts during the 42-43 series . And Copeland , like yourself for this interview for the International Symphony Summit , responded enthusiastically and I'm reading that description right off of the Rhode Island Philharmonic . I actually have quite a few books on Eugene Goosens in my own personal research .

Speaker 1 2:50:23

Yeah , I love to geek out on stuff like that genetics , neuroscience , all sorts of really for me , intercollect and connecting stuff . So to give you kind of more , even more value with previous interviewees that I've had with composers and some ways to go over kind of writer's block when it comes to composing larger pieces , is some things I've gleaned from learning from composers is take those full scores and rewrite them in your own hand , each note specifically , not cheating by going in just entering it in with the MIDI keyboard or Phinellia or Sibilius , but writing it by hand , learning the chord progressions . And these are some of the top techniques that I've gleaned from these amazing composers , so from other lives , or even the Concerto for Wind Ensemble , going over each of these amazing scores that have inspired you , obviously , and writing them by hand . And then I like to say , put a if you haven't watched Finding Forester , I do refer to that movie a lot . Have you seen that movie with Sean Connery ? What was it called ? Again , finding Forester .

Speaker 2 2:51:56

I have not .

Speaker 1 2:51:58

It's about a basketball kid who is really gifted in writing and he's coached by Sean Connery in this movie and award-winning novelist , the magnum opus of novels in the movie , and he coaches Jamal , the student , to utilize some of his words to find his own . The same concept applies to this technique and so I kind of wanted to share that with you as we continue this amazing interview . I really want to appreciate anyone who's watching these extended interviews on YouTube and stuff like that . I mean the content is you're not going to find this content anywhere else in the world , these interviews at length and this raw passion , this raw authenticity that it just doesn't really exist anywhere else that I know of . I mean , I could be wrong , but I don't see the authenticity like this anywhere else .

Speaker 1 2:53:21

So , as far as everything else is concerned , and as we wrap up our interview for the International Phone Names of Emma Ellis , part one , if not two , maybe down the road here , because I really would love to see where your career takes off , takes flight , and how this is a stepping stone in your journey forward how would you ? But there's so many ways to go on wrapping this up and I want to provide the most value I can with our student , artists , families and such like that , so why don't we go with this ? Any final thoughts or principles that we haven't really covered , and there's been some that you've laid out that have created some tremendous impact on your life , especially with Norm Logan , and even with your professor , dr Ken .

Speaker 2 2:54:30

Penn Crashe yeah .

Speaker 1 2:54:32

Yeah , your theory teacher . What other principles saying or thought that you could leave us with in regards to maybe practicing or performing or a daily life ?

Speaker 2 2:54:52

Yeah , I think for me , more of a daily life thing is , in addition to always striving to be kind and patient and welcoming to others , be kind and patient with yourself .

Consistent Practice and Patience in Music

Speaker 2 2:55:08

I have a lot of students who get so easily frustrated with themselves , whether it's you know they're playing and their grades , all that , but it's like you know , going back to not just practicing the practice and repeating it over and over and getting frustrated . Take some time off the horn in your practice sessions to . You know really think about things and pulling yourself down . Music is hard .

Speaker 2 2:55:34

Being a musician is not easy . A lot of people are like , oh , that must be the most fun job in the world . It is , but it is not easy and I know a lot of people , myself included , go into music and college thinking it's going to be just like playing in band all the time . There's a lot more to it and you know be patient with yourself and others . Don't feel like you're alone . You know reach out for help if you need it and then , with practicing , you know be consistent with it .

Speaker 2 2:56:06

My students I always make sure they're practicing consistently throughout the week and not just like hitting band stuff , running through it and leaving it . You know , have a daily routine . My teachers have always told me you know most of your practice should be your daily routine , like your fundamentals . It shouldn't be mostly , you know , running through your solos and band stuff . I mean , yes , work on it , but to get really better at your instrument you got to really have solid fundamentals and put in the time . To keep putting in the time it's a lifelong thing , right ? You don't just stop playing low-range once you get good at it .

Speaker 1 2:56:43

You got to keep doing it .

Speaker 2 2:56:45

Yeah , so consistent practice is key in my mind , and then just being patient with yourself and reaching out when you need it .

Speaker 1 2:56:53

That's perfect . Wow , what a great wrap up to this recorded version . This part , one of many , many more interactions that we'll have with Dr Ian Lester here on the International Unfoning Summit . For the first one , 2023, . Wow , what a gem , what an amazing time . Thank you so much for being willing and taking the initiative and saying yes to booking your time to record , to share your vulnerability , your weaknesses and just your processes of how you approach life and music in general .

Speaker 2 2:57:37

Yeah , of course I mean thank you for having me Everyone watching and listening . Like you said , this is a gem of a resource , Even not even just my interview , but all the other interviews . I really hope people get it the most out of them , because I'm sure there's so much stuff in these other interviews that are so worthwhile for these people here . So , yeah , take advantage of this resource .

Speaker 1 2:58:02

It's amazing . I can't wait to see what impact you're talking to those that are watching now and will watch in the future . I am specifically looking for your impact that you've had with Dr Ian Lester's , his vulnerability , his practice , where he's going to go , and if you're a current student of him , watching down the road many , many years to come , or have been impacted him with just this talk or in your practice , or , as we covered at the beginning of this interview , himself saying that he really hasn't connected back with Norm Logan and reaching out and saying what an impact he made . Leave that impact here . Let us know what impact that Dr Ian Lester has had on your life with what he brought to the table here or what he's brought to you in past lessons at the camps that he's taught at or at the university he's going to work at , eventually , or as a doctoral candidate over at UMKC , when Tom Stein had left for that one day being sick .

Speaker 1 2:59:24

This is for y'all , this isn't for me , this isn't for him . This is sharing our journey , our walk , our struggles , our journey that we had , so you don't have to , or if you're going through right now , that you can say , wow , okay , yes , I can do this . Wow , someone else has had that same struggle or has gone through and make that connection , see that . Or if you know your loved one that's struggling through this , even as a hobbyist a hobby phony player , hobby musician or any station in life is , yeah , these times come that you're going to want to quit , that you're going to want to stop because you don't feel worthy enough or you wear our own worst critics . And as a musician , that's not any easier . Actually , it's exponentially harder in a lot of cases .

Speaker 1 3:00:27

And you heard it from Dr Ian Lester reach out , connect with someone , connect with if you're at the college level and you can be a part of the honorary fraternities like Kappa , kappa , psi , symphonia , talbe to Sigma or any of those resources , even at a high school level or middle school level , those and those organizations , brown Capices across the US , if not the globe I don't know if we have any global brothers and sisters that way or thereabouts they're here to help you all . We're here to mentor anyone who's willing to just ask for help . We don't know if you need help if you miss US .

Speaker 2 3:01:11

Yeah , and I myself am an alumni of a Phi Me Alpha Symphonia . Some of my closest friends still to this day are from there . Like Nicholas was saying , great resource , but also not everyone has supportive family . The people at the university , faculty , everyone there , is there for you to succeed . They want you to succeed . Reach out to faculty . If you do have supportive family , of course , reach out to family , but there are so many more resources than just family that I think are valuable to you as a student .

Speaker 1 3:01:50

And if you're in that moment , in your struggle or in your journey right now , and you're seeing this as a kind of a last ditch effort , there's always someone watching . There's always someone who's willing to answer that call or be that person , say , message someone . That's been a part of this International Euphonium Summit . We've all been there . We've all been there .

Speaker 2 3:02:22

We've all been there . Yeah , I mean , go for it . Yeah , I mean , if there's anyone out there who would want to shoot me an email just because I've been through a lot , because anyone's been through something similar , shoot me an email . I am more than happy to listen if anything and just be there for it .

Speaker 1 3:02:37

I'll put the links to all his stuff below , or somewhere along the lines of these incredible resources you have as a family member , because , as a parent , we can't speak to our student artists like someone else can , because , frankly , we apparently don't know it all and don't know what our students are going through . But someone else can bridge that gap , just like us , bringing in Dr Elon Leicester on and showcasing his journey and struggles . There's always a way . Take that initiative , reach out or however this needs to happen . We're here for y'all specifically for y'all to succeed in this life , no matter what . It's worth driving on and giving this life all you have , even when it sucks . To be honest , there's going to be times , I hope . Yeah , I'll just leave it at that before I start welling up . It's really important . It is .

Speaker 1 3:03:54

Yeah , thank you for sticking by , sticking with this interview and this conversation and so many other interviews . They're really great conversations . Yeah , I'd like to dive into all these reach out , be a part of these if you want to be interviewed because you have a story to tell yourself , maybe not for this International Euphonium Summit , but maybe for another Summit down the road , or share your story or get on Facebook Live or Zoom Live or whatever social internet or media , or just record yourself on a video and upload it to whatever platform there may be at your time that you watch this . Let people know , be vulnerable , take initiative , be the first If there's no one else , be the first , create your blue ocean .

Speaker 1 3:04:51

That's where I wanted to get back to is create your blue ocean , just like Dr Ian Leicester was getting at , with finding your special niche and focus on making yourself stand out when everyone seems to be a Waldo . If anybody understands that term , now where's Waldo ? Thank you , dr Ian Leicester , for being part of this and sharing your journey . Everyone , thank you so much . Have a great day and serve well , and we'll see you for the next interview and the next version . Take care y'all .

Interviews' and 'Sharing Personal Journeys

Speaker 1 3:05:37

Recording stopped .

Speaker 2 3:05:39

Wow , that was good , that was .

Speaker 1 3:05:45

I mean , I'm not surprised . It went over Just like every other interview I've conducted , a conversation that I've initiated .

Speaker 2 3:05:58

It turned out to be such more of a conversation than an interview . It was really cool .

Speaker 1 3:06:03

I'd really appreciate any . When I do create the creative , I'll send you the image before I post it .

Speaker 2 3:06:14

Okay .

Speaker 1 3:06:14

Anything . You know I'm going to take you in it . Seeing how I was with you , don't put a S-bamp . No , I'm joking . But if you could reflect those same notions that you just did , I would be forever grateful that , continuing to pay this forward into showcasing other journeys that could really showcase I mean , even with norms , norms story in your life that you know . Maybe there's other artists or composers or whoever that's out there reading this , that haven't made those gone back in their life to think or to appreciate . Unless opportunity like this presents itself , I would love to , and be honored to serve in that purpose .

Speaker 2 3:07:18

Awesome yeah .

Speaker 1 3:07:20

Man , I really appreciate you stepping up and being part of this initial euphonium summit . It really means a lot to me and I know I am honestly assuming at a 90% level that this is going to impact at least one person- yeah , I hope so .

Speaker 2 3:07:47

Like I said in the conversation , a big thing for me is just hoping that students realize they're not alone . I know so many people . Others are students , young students , college students , even adults go through performance anxiety , bad grades , dark times . It's important to me to at least be there for people who might be gone through similar things and letting them be aware that other people have gone through and there is light at the end of the tunnel . Like you said , things get tough . No one can avoid a tough time in life .

Speaker 1 3:08:27

But we can definitely make it easier .

Speaker 2 3:08:28

Yeah , for sure , and that's the thing is giving , whether it's strategies or just my own experience on what helped me through those times and what gave me that ability to do that 180 and really reverse my life path for the better . Yeah , so yeah , exceptional .

Speaker 1 3:08:52

I seriously don't think that I'm going to be able to fit this in one massive volume . I mean this interview alone . It's over three hours long . I'm not surprised . It's like this new industry standard right here is the authenticity and just the complete like . There is so much like Wagyu beef or back to that state concept from earlier . It's like sitting down to 10 Wagyu steak dinners at one time . There's no way , there's absolutely no way . And you know , at the inception of the first thought that oh , I am actually doing this , I actually set this in action and I'm like I don't know if I know that it's not going to be enough time . But I didn't understand at the preeminent , the starting point , how rich and mind-blowingly awesome each and every one of these interviews has been and will be from here on out , and the gravity of which it's out of this atmosphere , Kind of like those suspension cords .

Speaker 2 3:10:35

Yeah , exactly .

Speaker 1 3:10:37

So I really appreciate your time .

Speaker 2 3:10:40

Yeah , of course , I was happy to be here and , again , I genuinely think it's such an important , cool thing you're doing and I hopefully get a team together to like really , you know , make this a little easier on you because it is such a massive project .

Speaker 1 3:10:57

Well , if not now , then somewhere in the future it's perfect . It says God allows . You know , I believe that everything happens for a purpose and reason , no matter if it's a dark time or light .

Speaker 1 3:11:11

I mean , I've had a an enormous amount of struggle in my life and gone through and I've yet to share maybe even the tip of the iceberg moments on other interviews and nothing near is a lot of in a Because very few people in my life know the darkest struggles that I've faced . Fortunately , one of them has already interviewed on here and he was one of my lesson teachers , dr Dan Sypes , down in Corpus Christi . Just being that , where you're at right now , being open and willing to listen and to and to be there in that moment , it really means the world to someone like us Now reflecting back and paying that forward in doing that for our own studio members or those that are watching or reading or listening to these amazing , amazing conversations .

Speaker 2 3:12:30

Yeah .

Speaker 1 3:12:32

Gosh , can you imagine 10 , 20 years down the road , the compilation of these records there's . There's nothing like it .

Speaker 2 3:12:45

Yeah , Making history Exactly . I mean again , I can't say enough like how I think , especially down the line , how useful this is going to be and how important to , and just even for students now , whether it's like you know the struggles I was facing that they might be facing , or whether they just want to hear , like some really cool insight from Dimandre Thurman . You know , I feel like not having heard the other interviews yet . I'm sure there's so much variety of like useful stuff on them where I think everyone can get something out of all these .

Speaker 1 3:13:20

Oh , absolutely . Yeah , you know , for right now Dimandre is provided a written . You know where our own worst critics are .

Speaker 1 3:13:32

Yeah , and with that being said , we also think that we don't have enough time to do certain things and some artists and composers , I mean across the globe and professionally speaking , we don't think we have enough time to do certain things and in the end , it's like what's going to be value in the long term aspect and he personally , speaking upon that per se is he's provided his interviews written , which is great because I can just upload that part of the transcription series and hopefully in the future , you know , the day that we provide a live interview like this is going to be different every single time , like a live audition or a live performance of any sort . Today is not tomorrow . Today is the day . And to have that stepping stone , that dreamscape of what I was talking initially , with grabbing and being able to push that forward , it's just truly there's nothing . There really isn't nothing . There's nothing like this .

Speaker 2 3:15:11

Yeah .

Thoughts on the International Euphonium Summit

Speaker 1 3:15:13

And I do find that we find ourselves in a very interesting ocean now moving forward with this particular interview and with where I was letting you know about the where we're going with this at the beginning of all this and seeing putting that to practice and , if you know , those at the certain universities would even consider listening to a three hour interview process , or really as a conversation , and seeing if they would be even willing to listen would be a great control to see if this this is going to be time and purpose now or for the future , or both .

Speaker 1 3:16:17

And so , with that being said , I'm going to stop the recording in just a moment on my order and clue you in what's going on . So I want to thank everybody for tuning in or reading this wherever you're at , bring this up to someone who needs it . If you've already received the things that you've needed to receive , pay it forward and serve well . And thank you all for stopping by and being part of this International Euphonium Summit in its first showing , even to however many versions come out for the years to come . Take care everyone . Thank you so much , dr Inlester , for joining us for this conversation .

Speaker 2 3:17:05

Thank you Okay stopped Otter .

Speaker 1 3:17:13

So whether this is being recorded still on Zoom , I don't know . I have the video portion per se . Philip Spark , oh Okay .