Honor bands are a large part of the concert band season. These select bands range from informal to very prestigious. Many students apply and only the very best from each school are chosen to participate. Students from many different high schools are selected as a part of these honor bands. In order to participate in an honor band, you have to fill out an application and compete for a certain number of spots in the ensemble. If selected, a set of music is sent to the director and he or she will pass it out to the students. This usually happens around a month to a month and a half before the actual honor band takes place. The students are to practice and prepare the music ahead of time before they come to the honor band. Once at the actual honor band, auditions are held for each instrument to determine their chair placement. For younger students, such as sixth and maybe seventh grade, they usually just sit the students alphabetically. However, once you get older you are required to participate in the auditions. During the auditions, you are usually asked to play a short section of each piece you received in your folder. If there are solos, the judges typically ask you to play the solo section of the piece. The judge then determines the order of chair placement, seating the best players at the top of the section. Then, the day commences.
Honor bands are extremely taxing on all players. You will be playing your instrument upwards of around eight hours a day. Most students are not accustomed to playing their instruments this long and they will fatigue very easily. It is important to take frequent breaks and not over-do it. It is not the end of the world if you lay out on a few sections throughout the day to save your chops for the concert.
At single day honor bands, the students simply come in the morning, have their auditions, and rehearse all day to perform a concert that night. There is often a lunch provided, but dinner mostly happens after the concert. Some of the more prestigious honor bands last multiple days over the weekend. Students usually leave school around half way through the day on Thursday and arrive that night. They then rehearse all of Friday and Saturday and have a concert Saturday afternoon or evening. These honor bands are especially fun because you get to stay overnight at a hotel with all the other students attending the honor band from your school.
Many students are afraid to try out for honor bands because they are worried about getting in or they do not think it will be fun. I love honor bands and I suggest that everyone try some out some time!
Sunday, November 29, 2015
DCI Drum Corps Auditions
With the 2015 Drum Corps International in the history books, drum corps throughout the country are already preparing for a wave of new recruits, which means one thing-auditions. Every fall and winter thousands of marching musicians vie for a limited number of positions in Drum Corps International ensembles across the United States. Traveling to new locations, navigating crowds of unfamiliar faces, learning new techniques and overcoming nervousness; the audition process can sometimes be a daunting task! For those wishing to join a drum corps, preparation is essential. Fortunately, most corps offer materials online detailing all of their technical requirements and explaining their respective audition processes.
Many corps start their audition processes very early, usually beginning around this time of the year. The season takes place during the summer, so the groups begin auditions very early so they can start having weekend camps throughout the year to prepare for the summer season. Oftentimes the first two or three camps are just introductory camps so students can come and experience what the audition camps will be like and if they are really cut out for drum corps. These camps are typically overnight and last two to three days during the weekend. Then, there are a few real audition camps. Staff members watch the recruits all weekend long, not just during their individual auditions. Along with playing and marching ability, the staff also watches things like how well the prospect marchers interact with instructors and other students auditioning. You can be the best player and marcher at the camp, but you will not get a contract if you do not act like you want to be there. After the first one or two audition camps, some recruits will be cut from the auditions, while others will receive a callback and will be asked to return for the next round of auditions. There are usually a series of these and then finally the final members are set and contracts are sent out.
It is important to always stay relaxed when you are auditioning for a drum corps. Be confident and act like you are excited to be there, because it truly is a good opportunity and experience even if you do not get selected to participate with the corps that summer. It is always a great idea to listen to the instructors and take their advice because they are not criticizing you, they are only trying to help you improve. Auditioning is typically very nerve-racking for everyone, but you should always approach that nervousness with a good attitude and be open to stepping outside your shell.
Good luck to everyone who is auditioning these season, I hope you do well!
Many corps start their audition processes very early, usually beginning around this time of the year. The season takes place during the summer, so the groups begin auditions very early so they can start having weekend camps throughout the year to prepare for the summer season. Oftentimes the first two or three camps are just introductory camps so students can come and experience what the audition camps will be like and if they are really cut out for drum corps. These camps are typically overnight and last two to three days during the weekend. Then, there are a few real audition camps. Staff members watch the recruits all weekend long, not just during their individual auditions. Along with playing and marching ability, the staff also watches things like how well the prospect marchers interact with instructors and other students auditioning. You can be the best player and marcher at the camp, but you will not get a contract if you do not act like you want to be there. After the first one or two audition camps, some recruits will be cut from the auditions, while others will receive a callback and will be asked to return for the next round of auditions. There are usually a series of these and then finally the final members are set and contracts are sent out.
It is important to always stay relaxed when you are auditioning for a drum corps. Be confident and act like you are excited to be there, because it truly is a good opportunity and experience even if you do not get selected to participate with the corps that summer. It is always a great idea to listen to the instructors and take their advice because they are not criticizing you, they are only trying to help you improve. Auditioning is typically very nerve-racking for everyone, but you should always approach that nervousness with a good attitude and be open to stepping outside your shell.
Good luck to everyone who is auditioning these season, I hope you do well!
Sunday, November 22, 2015
The Band Hall
The band hall is a very special place for many high school students involved in band. It is not just a hall to the musicians, it is like a second home. Countless hours have been spent in that hall during lunch, before and after competitions, with friends, and many other times. Memories are made in this place every day. Band is considered to be your second family, so it is only fitting that the family needs a home.
Other performing arts and sports activities also have hallways in the school that are considered their own. For example, the hallway that leads to the main and west gyms is often referred to as the sports hallway. In this hallway, there are the gyms of course, but there are also meeting rooms for the teams' debriefs. It also leads to the weight room and multiple other small, miscillaneous rooms that are used for sports teams. Students involved in sports use these rooms and hallways quite often during the season, but they do not hang out there much any other time. It is not as special to them as the band hallway is to band students. Similarly, there is a small hallway near the cafeteria that leads to the orchestra and choir rooms. It is most commonly referred to as the choir hallway. More students hang out here throughout the day, but there are still not many because it does not have a lot of space. Most choir and orchestra students prefer to sit in the choir room or somewhere else throughout the school.
Clearly, the students involved in other activities do not care for their hallways as much as the band students do. The band hallway is much more important to band students because it is not just a hallway, it truly is like a second home.
Other performing arts and sports activities also have hallways in the school that are considered their own. For example, the hallway that leads to the main and west gyms is often referred to as the sports hallway. In this hallway, there are the gyms of course, but there are also meeting rooms for the teams' debriefs. It also leads to the weight room and multiple other small, miscillaneous rooms that are used for sports teams. Students involved in sports use these rooms and hallways quite often during the season, but they do not hang out there much any other time. It is not as special to them as the band hallway is to band students. Similarly, there is a small hallway near the cafeteria that leads to the orchestra and choir rooms. It is most commonly referred to as the choir hallway. More students hang out here throughout the day, but there are still not many because it does not have a lot of space. Most choir and orchestra students prefer to sit in the choir room or somewhere else throughout the school.
Clearly, the students involved in other activities do not care for their hallways as much as the band students do. The band hallway is much more important to band students because it is not just a hallway, it truly is like a second home.
Clarinet/Saxophone Reeds
In my previous post, I explained the workings and mechanics of an oboe reed. This time around I will be discussing saxophone and clarinet reeds. Unlike oboes and bassoons, saxophone and clarinet reeds are single-reed instruments. The reeds for these two instruments are much more similar to each other than to any other reeds. The way they are designed makes it easier to change between the two instruments since they are fairly similar. Many saxophone players can also play clarinet very well and many clarinet players are able to play saxophone.
Instead of just relying on the reed alone to produce vibrations, the single reed is placed in a mouthpiece that holds it in tightly. This is done by placing the reed against the mouthpiece and then sliding a piece of metal called a ligature around both the reed and the mouthpiece. The ligature is then tightened and it holds the two pieces together. Sound is created when the player blows air into the mouthpiece and the reed rubs against it, producing vibrations that make sound. Much less air pressure is required to play clarinet and saxophone than oboe or bassoon. It is easier to get the reed to vibrate against a mouthpiece, so you do not need to blow as hard to make a sound.
Unlike oboe reeds, you do not adjust saxophone or clarinet reeds at all with your own tools. The reeds are bought in a store in packages and you can simply pull a reed out and start playing without any adjustment. Due to this, these reeds also last much longer than oboe reeds. Students have claimed to have used the same reed for the entire marching season in past years. In my opinion, this is an absolutely gross habit and I do not recommend doing the same. When buying packages of reeds, there are many different strengths you can choose from. The strengths range from one to five in half increments. The lower the strength, the softer the reed will be. The higher the strength, the harder the reed will be. Generally younger students start out on softer reeds and build their way up to harder ones as they mature as a player.
The top section of saxophone and clarinet reeds are similar to oboe reeds. The top section contains a tip, a heart, a set of rails, and a shoulder. The shoulder is equivalent to the back on oboe reeds. This is the entirety of an oboe reed. However, this is only the top section of a saxophone/clarinet reed and it has a whole second part below that. The majority of the bottom section is plain bark that has been untouched and left on the reed. This is called the stock. At the very bottom of the reed, there is a short edge called the heel of the reed.
While many reeds are fairly unalike, saxophone and clarinet reeds are extremely similar in mechanism. They are also complex and interesting to analyze.
Instead of just relying on the reed alone to produce vibrations, the single reed is placed in a mouthpiece that holds it in tightly. This is done by placing the reed against the mouthpiece and then sliding a piece of metal called a ligature around both the reed and the mouthpiece. The ligature is then tightened and it holds the two pieces together. Sound is created when the player blows air into the mouthpiece and the reed rubs against it, producing vibrations that make sound. Much less air pressure is required to play clarinet and saxophone than oboe or bassoon. It is easier to get the reed to vibrate against a mouthpiece, so you do not need to blow as hard to make a sound.
Unlike oboe reeds, you do not adjust saxophone or clarinet reeds at all with your own tools. The reeds are bought in a store in packages and you can simply pull a reed out and start playing without any adjustment. Due to this, these reeds also last much longer than oboe reeds. Students have claimed to have used the same reed for the entire marching season in past years. In my opinion, this is an absolutely gross habit and I do not recommend doing the same. When buying packages of reeds, there are many different strengths you can choose from. The strengths range from one to five in half increments. The lower the strength, the softer the reed will be. The higher the strength, the harder the reed will be. Generally younger students start out on softer reeds and build their way up to harder ones as they mature as a player.
The top section of saxophone and clarinet reeds are similar to oboe reeds. The top section contains a tip, a heart, a set of rails, and a shoulder. The shoulder is equivalent to the back on oboe reeds. This is the entirety of an oboe reed. However, this is only the top section of a saxophone/clarinet reed and it has a whole second part below that. The majority of the bottom section is plain bark that has been untouched and left on the reed. This is called the stock. At the very bottom of the reed, there is a short edge called the heel of the reed.
While many reeds are fairly unalike, saxophone and clarinet reeds are extremely similar in mechanism. They are also complex and interesting to analyze.
Oboe Reeds
Many woodwind instruments require the use of a reed, such as oboe, clarinet, bassoon, and saxophone. However, oboe reeds are far different than any of these other types. It is most similar to a bassoon reed because they are both classified as double reeds, but they are still not that much alike.
Oboe is a double reed instrument. This means that instead of just having one sliver of wood vibrating against a mouthpiece to make sound, there are two slivers of wood that are pressed up against each other. These two pieces of wood are made out of cane. Sound is produced when air pressure is applied to make these two pieces of wood vibrate against each other. The two pieces of can are held together by wrapping them with string around a tube that is connected to a piece of cork. The two pieces of cane are held together around the tube very carefully while they are wrapped and tied off with the string. The piece of cork on the end is then inserted into the top of the oboe and it is ready to be played.
There are three main parts of an oboe reed: the tip, the heart, and the back. The tip controls the vibration and response of the reed. The heart provides stability and control for the sound. Finally, the back controls the tone and sound the oboe produces. These three parts are very distinguished and the place to go when something is not working right. There are also more, less known parts that you can go to work on when something is not right, also. The rails are the parts on the very end of the sides of the reed that provide support and hold the two pieces of cane together. In the middle of the reed on both sides there is a thin layer of bark that is thicker than the rest. This is the spine. The spine also provides support and stability for the reed.
The reed is one of, if not the most, important parts of the oboe. Without it, there is no way to produce a sound. It controls the pitch, tone, volume, and many other things. The reed is very complex and difficult to understand, but I hope I made it a bit easier!
There are three main parts of an oboe reed: the tip, the heart, and the back. The tip controls the vibration and response of the reed. The heart provides stability and control for the sound. Finally, the back controls the tone and sound the oboe produces. These three parts are very distinguished and the place to go when something is not working right. There are also more, less known parts that you can go to work on when something is not right, also. The rails are the parts on the very end of the sides of the reed that provide support and hold the two pieces of cane together. In the middle of the reed on both sides there is a thin layer of bark that is thicker than the rest. This is the spine. The spine also provides support and stability for the reed.
The reed is one of, if not the most, important parts of the oboe. Without it, there is no way to produce a sound. It controls the pitch, tone, volume, and many other things. The reed is very complex and difficult to understand, but I hope I made it a bit easier!
Sunday, November 15, 2015
Gold Instruments
Wood may never be replaced as the material of choice for violins, and there may never be a more appropriate material than brass for constructing trumpets and horns. Still, instrument makers use materials as a way to differentiate their products from others, and even traditional craftspeople have been known to tinker with advanced materials for better sound quality—if only in the details of an instrument.
While materials selection plays a role in all instrument production, the extent of a material’s effect on the sound varies from one instrument to the next. “In some instances, the material is directly involved in sound generation, while in other instruments, this is not the case,” said Gregor Widholm of the University of Music and Performing Arts in Vienna. “For the violin, the material is extremely important, because the body generates the sound that we hear. The other extreme is the clarinet, where the air column inside generates the sound and the material is only needed to form the shape of the air column. In this case, you can take any material.”
From wind instruments to violins, scientists and musical instrument makers continue to test the use of traditional materials, while looking for ways to integrate new ones.
While materials selection plays a role in all instrument production, the extent of a material’s effect on the sound varies from one instrument to the next. “In some instances, the material is directly involved in sound generation, while in other instruments, this is not the case,” said Gregor Widholm of the University of Music and Performing Arts in Vienna. “For the violin, the material is extremely important, because the body generates the sound that we hear. The other extreme is the clarinet, where the air column inside generates the sound and the material is only needed to form the shape of the air column. In this case, you can take any material.”
From wind instruments to violins, scientists and musical instrument makers continue to test the use of traditional materials, while looking for ways to integrate new ones.
University of Iowa Double Reed Day
Every year, the University of Iowa Music School hosts an event for middle and high school age students who play double reed instruments. At this event, the professors for oboe and bassoon organize many fun events for the students to participate in. Along with the professors, both undergraduate and graduate students studying oboe or bassoon also help out throughout the day and play along with the younger students. I attended this event both last year and this year, and it was a very exciting and educational experience both times.
At the beginning of the day there is always a short introduction activity that gets everyone acquainted with each other and a few brief speeches are made. Then the playing starts. The first playing activity involves every one attending the event. This year, there were many students who signed up and came down to Iowa City. There were about twenty students for both oboe and bassoon, so the entire group consisted of about forty students. In addition, there were around twenty University of Iowa students. This combination of students made for a very large double reed choir. It was not the prettiest thing I have ever heard. After an hour of reading through some oboe and bassoon pieces, we split up into small sectionals which were led by graduate students. My group consisted of four oboe players total. We also sight read through some oboe duets and trios for an hour and a half. At the end of the day there was going to be a concert and during this small group time we were supposed to choose two or three short selections that our group would play at that performance.
During this time, a few oboe and bassoon students did not participate in the small groups. Some students signed up to audition for the solo artist competition. Each of these students prepared a solo prior to coming to the event and they performed it for a panel of judges. One oboist and one bassoonist were selected as winners and they were to perform their solos at the concert that night. After the sectionals, there were a few master classes conducted by the professors. There was a playing master class before lunch and a reed making class after. I enjoyed listening to both master classes because it gave me an opportunity to get to know the new oboe professor better. After listening to her teach, I have decided that I like her. :)
Unfortunately, I had to depart after the second master class. Overall, it was a very educational experience and I am glad I had the opportunity to attend. I highly recommend the Double Reed Day and I suggest that everyone should go to it.
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