The Brass Junkies 64: Composer Pete Meechan

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Pete Meechan is one of today's foremost brass composers and I am lucky enough to call him a dear friend. His pieces have been performed by soloists and ensembles around the world including by the President's Own Marine Band. He is a top-notch knucklehead and it was great to have him on the show!

From the show notes:

Pete Meechan, composer of “Song of Hope”, joins Andrew & Lance to talk about, wait for it, composing! Pete explains how he went from working in the bar at the Royal Northern College of Music to writing pieces which have impacted countless listeners and has allowed him to work with and write for some of the best players and organizations in the world. We discuss music as a healing process, talk about the state of the industry and how CDs can still serve as proof of quality. We learn who he considers to be his favorite composers, get the story behind his incredibly popular “Song of Hope” and hear about the music he is working on today.

And how he strives to set “new standards in not sucking."

The Brass Junkies 63: Michael Martin of the Boston Symphony Orchestra

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Michael Martin is infuriatingly good at way too many things. And on top of it all he is as humble as people come. It was a pleasure to get to interview him and talk about being in the Boston Symphony, touring with the Chicago Symphony and composing professionally.

From the show notes:

Boston Symphony trumpeter Michael Martin joins Andrew & Lance to talk his career as a player, and composer. Michael joined the BSO in 2010 and has had great success there, building on the training which began with his dad (Freddy Martin). We discuss his days at Interlochen and Northwestern, touring with his brother (Chris Martin) and the Chicago Symphony and how his composing career got off the ground at an early age. He also discusses his favorite conductors, what it takes to be a good section player, how to listen and how to learn new repertoire really quickly.

Oh, and he shares a hilarious rookie error story during a rehearsal of Mahler 2 under Michael Tilson Thomas. "20!"

The Brass Junkies 55: Rich Kelley

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Rich Kelley is possibly the best musician I've ever played with in my life and that is not hyperbole. He is also one of my best friends. I got to travel the world with Rich for my first five years with Boston Brass and have played with him on countless occasions after that as well.

He talked to us about playing in Boston Brass, his time with the Meridian Arts Ensemble and what it was like to play on Broadway all the time when he lived in New York City.

I love this man and you will too. He's the nicest trumpet player I've ever met...

Produced by Joey Santillo

The Brass Junkies Episode 54: Charles Lazarus of the Minnesota Orchestra

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Charles Lazarus is one of the most crazy talented musicians I've ever worked with. Classical, jazz, pop. The guy can do it all. And not just kind of do it. It's really impressive what he does.

This episode ranges from talking about the very painful lockout of the Minnesota Orchestra from just a couple of years ago to some fun Dallas Brass road stories.

Episode Description:

"Charles Lazarus, 4th/utility trumpet in the Minnesota Orchestra joins Andrew & Lance in an interview to discuss everything from producing concerts to Gestalt dream analysis. Charles has grown beyond the typical role of orchestra member to someone who produces concerts for the orchestra on a regular basis. We talk about the long and painful lockout experienced by the Minnesota Orchestra, the ideas of Michael Kiser, and (believe it or not) Esquivel. Charles also explains the importance of clarifying your goals, and the importance of tenacity, access and influence. 

Additionally, we hear some legendary stories from Charles’ time in Dallas Brass including a standoff with the cops and a story about 'The Nub.'"

Links:
Charles' website
Charles' Minnesota Orchestra bio page
New album! Lovejoy

Want to help the show? Take a minute to leave us a rating and a review on iTunes.

We are proud to announce we have a new sponsor for the The Brass Junkies! The Brass Area of the Mary Pappert School of Music at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh PA is our new partner (and Lance has been teaching euphonium there since 2000). If you are interested in learning more about the program, visit the site HERE!

You can help offset the costs of producing the show by making a small donation at https://www.patreon.com/thebrassjunkies. Your support is greatly appreciated!

Last but not least, we are now on Instagram! Follow us at instagram.com/pray4jens/ TODAY!

Produced by Joey Santillo

The Brass Junkies: David Cutler & JD Shaw

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This one was a blast to record! Two of my best friends joined me and Lance to talk about a bunch of stuff. Can't wait to hit the recording studio with these bozos in May!

Episode Description:

"JD Shaw & David Cutler join Andrew & Lance in a slightly chaotic exploration of the group Cones and Tones. Both on faculty at the University of South Carolina, JD and David also make up (along with Andrew & Lance) a new group called Cones and Tones. The group has had a couple performances and is heading into the recording studio in late Spring of 2017 to record an album which will attempt to cover the multiple styles and diverse personalities these four knuckleheads bring to the table. JD (making his third appearance on TBJ) tells how the group got started and talks about programming a “musical variety show.” 

David (author of the great books The Savvy Musician and The Savvy Music Teacher) also takes some time to talk about The Savvy Arts Venture Challenge, the world's leading experiential entrepreneurship workshop for musicians, performing artists and educators (formerly known as The SAVVY Musician in Action).

Additionally, we spend more than a few minutes busting each other's chops."

Links:

Savvy Arts Venture Challenge
JD's arrangements
JD's USC faculty bio
David's website
David's USC faculty bio

Want to help the show? Take a minute to leave us a rating and a review on iTunes.

You can help offset the costs of producing the show by making a small donation at https://www.patreon.com/thebrassjunkies. Your support is greatly appreciated!

Produced by Joey Santillo

The Brass Junkies: Billy Bargetzi - Episode 52

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Trombonist Billy Bargetzi joined me and Lance in an interview that is both entertaining and powerful. Billy is a journeyman who has played with an incredible array of some of the most amazing players of our time. Additionally, he teachers at the University of Alabama- Hunstsville, which is celebrating 50 years of existence. Both his parents were avid opera singers and his dad was also a big band singer, which informed Billy’s interest in music that crosses genres and styles. 

He went to school with prior TBJ guest Harry Watters and his brother (and future TBJ) Ken, performed with Dick Nailer and discusses the importance of attitude. 

Speaking of which, Billy talks at length about his six-month bout with Bell’s Palsey. Why he persevered, how he came back and how this attitude made all the difference. Powerful stuff.

Links:

Billy's Conn-Selmer bio page
University of Alabama at Huntsville 50th Anniversary Celebration

Want to help the show? Take a minute to leave us a rating and a review on iTunes.

You can help offset the costs of producing the show by making a small donation at https://www.patreon.com/thebrassjunkies. Your support is greatly appreciated!

Produced by Joey Santillo

The Brass Junkies: Wes Funderburk and Tom Gibson - Episode 47

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Two of my knucklehead friends, Wes Funderburk and Tom Gibson, joined us for one of the most chaotic and accidentally informative episode yet. Wes and Tom both live in Atlanta and write, gig, teach and conduct there (both play/conduct/arrange for the Atlanta Pops, the Joe Grandson Big Band and teach at Kennesaw State University. Additionally, Wes teaches at Georgia State and Tom teaches at the University of West Georgia). They each have also launched successful online projects (one of which involved a banana and a net pot) and happen to be two of the funniest people on the earth. 

Tom unpacks his tone color, time and note shape approach to teaching and Wes recalls the time he borrowed a burger from Hardee’s.

Warning: It’s a little chaotic at the beginning of the episode. Hang in there. It’s worth it. 

Links:

Wes' personal website
Wes' Kennesaw bio page
Tom's West Georgia University bio page
Atlanta Pops
Joe Grandsen Big Band

Want to help the show? Take a minute to leave us a rating and a review on iTunes.

You can help offset the costs of producing the show by making a small donation at https://www.patreon.com/thebrassjunkies. Your support is greatly appreciated!

Produced by Joey Santillo

The Brass Junkies: Leonhard Paul of Mnozil Brass

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Leonhard Paul of Mnozil Brass joins me & Lance for a spectacular conversation about the phenomenon that is Mnozil Brass. I am so pumped that we got to interview him. He is one of our heroes.

Over the last 24 years, Mnozil Brass has charted a path that is completely unique and continues to amaze audiences all over the globe. Leonhard explains how they plan and develop their shows, pieces and stage settings. He goes on to talk about the development of the YouTube sensation Lonely Boy.

From learning how to work a crowd to the subject of "lip disability", this conversation was both fun and illuminating.

You can help offset the costs of producing the show by making a small donation at https://www.patreon.com/thebrassjunkies. Your support is greatly appreciated!

Produced by Austin Boyer of FredBrass

Leonhard Paul of Mnozil Brass joins Andrew & Lance for a spectacular conversation about the phenomenon that is Mnozil Brass. Over the last 24 years, Mnozil Brass has charted a path that is completely unique and continues to amaze audiences all over the globe. Leonhard explains how they plan and develop their shows, pieces and stage settings. He goes on to talk about the development of the YouTube sensation Lonely Boy. From learning how to work a crowd to the subject of "lip disability", this conversation was both fun and illuminating. You can help offset the costs of producing the show by making a small donation at https://www.patreon.com/thebrassjunkies. Your support is greatly appreciated! Produced by Austin Boyer of FredBrass

The Brass Junkies: Brian Balmages

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One of the best composers you'll ever find, Brian Balmages, joined me and Lance for an interview on The Brass Junkies. I find it fascinating that Brian can write so well for beginning band, the finest professional ensembles in the world and everything in between.

He is also a great human.

I particularly found it interesting how he shared in the interview that he had a completely different process for writing each of the movements for the piece we commissioned him to write for Boston Brass. Great insights into how a piece like that goes down!

Links:

Website
FJH Music
Soundcloud

You can help offset the costs of producing the show by making a small donation at https://www.patreon.com/thebrassjunkies. Your support is greatly appreciated!

Produced by Austin Boyer of FredBrass

The Brass Junkies: Joe Alessi of the New York Philharmonic - Episode 12

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This guy doesn't exactly need an introduction! Joe Alessi is the Principal Trombone of the New York Philharmonic and one of the world's great players and pedagogues. We caught up with him when he was in Vail with the Philharmonic and talked to him about a lot of stuff. The connection was pretty rough but the stuff he was sharing was gold so we released it anyways.

The times I've gotten to play with Joe have been some of my career highlights. You can learn more from sitting next to this guy for one concert than you can from a four-year college degree. It was great to have him on the show!

Want to help the show? Take a minute to leave us a rating and a review on iTunes.

You can help offset the costs of producing the show by making a small donation at https://www.patreon.com/thebrassjunkies. Your support is greatly appreciated!

Produced by Austin Boyer and Buddy Deshler of FredBrass