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Re: High Notes!

To: <brass-band@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Re: High Notes!
From: "John Szkutko" <jszkutko@xxxxxxxxx>
Date: Mon, 12 Apr 1999 23:29:48 +1000
Priority: low
Reply-to: brass-band@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

HI,

After coming in to this list just yesterday, this thread has gathered a lot
of varied response on different matters. It seems the issues are high notes,
Blue Bells, support and performance.

>> Did you know that at this year's first European Solo-championships, Blue
Bell's is
>> one of the pieces that the trombonist's have to play. It is a very nice
but difficult
>> solo to play. I wonder if the trombone players can play this piece well
in Munich.


Firstly, my philosophy is that one instrument is no harder to play than the
other. Each instrument has their own "bug bears" to overcome and their good
points, to be exploited. It's each individuals choice to pick their desired
instrument.

If they say that you keep winning cause you play a cornet, tenor horn etc..
(usually tuba players say this) then they are just kidding themselves. High
notes, low notes, soft, loud, fast, slow. Every instrument plays all that,
Sop Cornet to BBb Tuba. Each instrument, starts the same way, air! Air needs
to be supported at all times, NO MATTER WHAT INSTRUMENT! Each instrument
needs to be played with a wonderful sound.

The point is, that the only thing different between the instruments, is the
person supplying the air and moving the vavles or slide. Oh, and their
attitude.

I can name tuba players that have been the wind finalist, for the ABC Young
Performers Award. Last year, Phil Johnstone won the NZ C of Champions,
playing a BBb Tuba....oh, and don't forget he won the Ern Keller too.

I'll stop there. Needless to say, other instruments win the big events too,
further reinforcing my philosophy that it's the person, not the instrument
that determines who wins.

High chops? This is not isolated to Blue Bells. Practice with a bit of
thought can go a long way to give you great high chops. But what will help
more is consistency.

Finally, my last bug bear. Everything is simple, if you know how. If you
don't know how (like to play Blue Bells, whatever instrument) then find out.

Blue Bells is a very technical piece. Trust me, i've been playing it for
over 2 years now at 4 different contests. What I've found out over those 2
years, it gets better and IS easy to play. Why, because I know how to now.

At the QLD C of Champions, I played it this year. The only reason it wasn't
NAILED (a few too many mistakes I made) was lack of preparation time and in
consistency. MY FAULT Still, because I knew "how" I played it well enough to
be runner up. Please forgive my self promotion, but for a BBb tuba (first
since Mel Neilson) to do that, I'm damn proud of it. What got me that
position, was my musicianship. This is not self promotion, this is what
Nigel Weeks said to me when the entire contest was over. (Actual quote "I
thought your performance was very musical")

Dazzle them with technique? Play the higest and lowest notes? Etc. etc..?
Just remember, "It's music that matters" (Brassed Off) and will determine
who wins/gets the applause for any perfomance, whatever instrument!

Thanks for your time. It'll be a while before another longwinded message
comes from me again.

John Szkutko

*It's the person, NOT the instrument*


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