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Hitz Academy Blog

A blog about performing music, teaching music and the business of music.

Filtering by Category: The Brass Junkies

The Brass Junkies: David Childs - Episode 51

Andrew Hitz

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David Childs, phenomenal euphonium soloist, recording artist, teacher, publisher and magazine editor joined me and Lance to talk about his career up to this point and where he’s headed.

We talked to David about studying with his father (Robert Childs who along with Nicholas, made up the groundbreaking Childs Brothers euphonium duet), inspiring younger players and his explorations into electro-acoustic music, specifically his experiments with adding sensors to his horn. Additionally, we share our admiration for Demondrae Thurman (he's dreamy), portfolio careers and Richard Strauss.

Finally, David is a regular part of the North American Brass Band Summer School in Nova Scotia each summer, is a Manchester United fan and has inspired Lance to start using the term “X, Y, Zed” more frequently. Although for no clear reason.

Links:

Personal site, davechilds.com
North American Brass Band Summer School, nabbss.com
Prima Vista Musikk, primavistamusikk.com
Brass Band World Magazine, brassbandworld.co.uk

Want to help the show? Here are three ways:

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!

Lastly, you can do us a HUGE favor by just sharing our show with your knuckle head friends who would also enjoy it. You know who they are. Bring them into the fold!

Produced by Joey Santillo

The Brass Junkies 50: Alex Lapins and Tony Tortora

Andrew Hitz

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This was one of the funniest episodes we ever did. University of Tennessee student Tony Tortora took us up on an offer we never thought anyone would do and hilarity ensued. And then we got his teacher on the line without him knowing it. Podcast gold!

From the show notes:

Alex Lapins, Assistant Professor of Tuba/Euphonium at The University of Tennessee, Knoxville and Tony Tortora, a senior music education major and virtuosic vuvuzela-ist from Alex’ studio, join Andrew & Lance to discuss what happened and why.

The email subject heading was “Challenge Accepted” and referred to the offhanded comment made in the TBJ Joy Tartell interview. Blind auditions and vuvuzelas were mentioned. There may or may not be video. Which looks like this:

YouTube Awesomeness!

Additionally, based on a request from one of our great Patreon Patrons, Russell Etters, we unpack the ins and outs of preparing for a college audition. Thanks Russell!

The Brass Junkies: Scott Hartman - Episode 48

Andrew Hitz

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Scott Hartman, Lecturer in Trombone at Yale University joined us to discuss his incredibly successful and diverse career. Scott has taught and played concerts throughout the world and in all fifty states. He regularly performs and records with the Yale Brass Trio, Proteus 7, the Millennium Brass, the Brass Band of Battle Creek, and the trombone quartet Four of a Kind. Mr. Hartman spends several weeks each summer in residence at the Norfolk Chamber Music Festival. 

Scott covers his thoughts on how the chamber music business changed over the years since from his time with Empire Brass to today. We learn of the important distinction between Scott A. Hartman and Scott P. Hartman and get some great Empire Brass stories.

Oh and at one point, Scott may have sounded possessed. And he can be a meathead.

Links:

Don’t go to:
http://www.slushpump.com/

But do go to:
http://www.hartmanmouthpieces.net/
http://music.yale.edu/faculty/hartman-scott/
http://www.bbbc.net/roster/ 

Want to help the show? Here are three way:

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!

Lastly, you can do us a HUGE favor by just sharing our show with your knuckle head friends who would also enjoy it. You know who they are. Bring them into the fold!

Produced by Joey Santillo

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

Andrew Hitz

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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: Phil Snedecor - Episode 46

Andrew Hitz

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Phil Snedecor is one of the most talented people in know in the music business and I don't just say something like that lightly. He is an accomplished composer, arranger, conductor, teacher, entrepreneur and on top of all of it is one of the best trumpet players in the world.

I hate saying nice things about my friends but some of them give me no other options!

I really enjoyed this interview for The Brass Junkies Podcast. Phil gives practically a step-by-step rundown of how to succeed in the music business. The information he shares in this episode is invaluable to anyone trying to make it (or make it a little further!) in the music business.

Good stuf..

Links:

Personal site
Hart School bio
Publications
Washington Symphonic Brass
Lessons From a Streetwise Professor

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 for Pedal Note Media

The Brass Junkies: Joey Tartell - Episode 44

Andrew Hitz

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Joey Tartell, Professor of Trumpet at Indiana University, is someone I truly look up to in the music business. Not just for his playing, which is stunningly awesome, but for his approach to teaching and to life. He is one of the nicest guys you could ever hope to meet and plays so incredibly well that he could "get away with" being a completely pain in the rear end and still work as much as he'd ever want to. But he doesn't.

In this interview, Joey details the keys to his success including the insights he gained from his former teachers, explains the good news/bad news about the advent of YouTube and how he equips his students to succeed in music.

Along the way there is also mention of Mexican food, vuvuzelas, the San Antonio Spurs and the story of how Joey almost got thrown out of a women’s basketball game.

Don't miss this one!

Links:

joeytartell.com
Joey at IU
Raya Brass 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 for Pedal Note Media

The Brass Junkies: Leonhard Paul of Mnozil Brass

Andrew Hitz

Listen via

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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: Andrew Balio of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra

Andrew Hitz

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Andrew Balio, Principal Trumpet of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra join Andrew & Lance in a fascinating and far reaching conversation. From his time with some of the greatest orchestra on the planet to the four years he spent at an ashram, Andrew's story is endlessly fascinating. We also cover his role at the Future Symphony Institute and talk about many of the issues facing professional orchestras today.

Oh, and there are sheep. Like, a lot of sheep. 

Links:

Website
BSO Bio
Future Symphony Institute

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

Produced by Austin Boyer of FredBrass

The Brass Junkies: Brian Balmages

Andrew Hitz

Listen via

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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: C Street Brass/Beauty Slap - Episode 36

Andrew Hitz

Listen via

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Two of the members of C Street Brass/Beauty Slap, Hakeem Bilal and Gabriel Colby, sat down with us in a fun conversation about these cool new interconnected groups.

C Street and Beauty Slap are a sort of Jekyll and Hyde hybrid with C Street functioning as a brass quintet and Beauty Slap a brass quartet plus DJ, giving them the opportunity to play to a wide set of audiences.

Most recently they shared the stage with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra and we have fun exploring where these guys are going.

Links:

C Street Brass
Beauty Slap

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