9.26.2005

What else is new?

Well, nothing really seems to be new. I'm settling into life at Prov. Amber's still gone. But - the jazz band is going to absolutely rock this year! We have a bunch of non-Prov ringers (Prov doesn't have enough people to field a full band), and they're way better than me. I mean waaay better. We had our first practise last Thursday, and we ripped it up. Life is good.
I'm settling into life as a College Singer - I don't mind the repertoire so much anymore. And it's nice to be part of a large group again. I don't feel like I have to carry the group anymore. Life is good.
In other news, I'm going to Saskatchewan for Thanksgiving, to meet up with some family. One of my cousins who I'm going to see is getting married this Easter, and I have been asked to be a groomsman - hooray! Life is good.
Until we meet again...

My soul finds rest in God alone, my salvation comes from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation, he is my fortress, I will never be shaken. Psalm 62:1-2 NIV

9.18.2005

School of ROCK!

Just a quick FYI:
School of Rock ROCKS!
Apart from some glaring musical errors that only a serious musician would catch (a cello is NOT tuned like a bass), and some that others would (They're going to see classical music...Mozart, Beethoven, Enya...), this movie was freaking hilarious. See it. Now. Well...what are you waiting for...I don't see you watching it! GO NOW!

9.14.2005

New stuff, back at school

Hey everybody,
Well, I've been back at school for a week already, and things have already changed. Here's the first major thing:


School is pretty good - I'm in a lot of theology classes, so I'm doing papers already! I also was accepted into the Instrumental Ensemble for french horn playing, and into College Singers as first tenor (probably section lead, but I'm not sure). Dyed my hair today on a whim.
Nothing else is really new - I'm living in dorm, but I checked out Prov House for the first time last week, and I'm really wanting to live in there...or anywhere where I can have a place to myself.
Other big news - I got asked to teach at the '06 Prov Arts Camp doing the vocal ensemble. Cool, eh? I'm not totally sure what that would entail, but I'm very excited.
More news to come as it arrives!

9.03.2005

Heart attack!

So I'm sitting here at home, practicing French horn in preparation for Instrumental Ensemble auditions, and all of a sudden, wham, my middle valve is sticking straight up. This is 90 degrees more up than it should be. Turns out one of the strings that attaches the valve to the key came loose. So I almost have a heart attack, thinking that the horn isn't going to work, and that I won't be able to take it to get fixed before I go back to Prov...and all that other junk. Luckily, with about half an hour of effort, I finally figured how to restring it, and it works just fine now. Phew.
As a side bonus of taking up french horn again, my trumpet chops are nicely improving, especially my range. (Warning: Trumpet geek talk ahead)
Because the partials on a french horn are so close together, it is a fairly difficult instrument to play - the level of lip control you need is much greater than, say, a trumpet. As a general rule, the smaller the brass mouthpiece, the more difficult it is to control. Oddly enough, the french horn mouthpiece is the smallest mouthpiece you'll ever play on (excepting a piccolo trumpet, but I'm not sure if those use a regular trumpet mouthpiece or not). So, the increased control needed for a french horn means that on a trumpet, my range has greatly increased, and my tone is nicely improving. I hope this keeps up for the whole year - I was hitting double G's today (2 octaves and a 5th above middle C).
(/trumpet geek rant)

24 hours and counting...

Well, I go back to school tomorrow. Am I excited? You bet! I can't wait to head back to the school, see all my friends I haven't seen all summer, get to eat at the same time every day, get back to music...you get the idea.
Oddly enough, I have already started work for the jazz band. I'm running auditions this year, so I have to do some prep work - i.e. photocopy audition music, keep in touch with Ed the director, put up signs, and so forth. It's good, though - any extra money is always appreciated. I picked up some charts from my high school the other day for the band to do. They're all charts I've done before, so if need be, I can conduct/direct/whatever you call it for a jazz band.
Hopefully this year will be my best yet. I'm planning on making it so, especially because of some stuff that I have planned - most notably, me helping out even more with the jazz band. Ed is going to work with me towards the end of me being able to lead the band on my own. I'm really excited about this, kinda nervous at the same time, but I know I can do it.
Anyways, I may be out of touch until I get hooked up with internet again on my computer, but that probably won't be too long.