News Flash: Player Profiles coming to our blog

* News Flash * News Flash * News Flash * News Flash *

Player profiles are coming - check out our first one in the Player Profiles page of our blog.  This week I have added the profile of our principal cornet Ella Hawe. She has some great words of wisdom and encouragement for us all. 

If you're in Hamilton City Auxiliary Brass Band these are the questions to answer for the getting to know you page :). Contact Sandra Ginever with your answers - Facebook Messenger works well :)

Questions:

1. When did you start learning to play music? 
2. What instruments do you/have you played? 
3. Have you sat any exams? What was this experience like?
4. How long have you played in brass bands?
5. How long have you played in Hamilton City Auxiliary Brass Band?
6. Have you played with other bands or ensembles?
7. What is the best thing about playing in Hamilton Auxiliary Brass Band?
8. What is your favourite piece/tune to play?
9. What's your greatest memory of playing in a Brass Band?
10. What is your favourite music genre to listen to and/or to play?
11. Any advice for new players? 

Enjoy!!

Practice Goals in band competition.

To spice up the winter months Te Reo has decided that the band is having a fun goal setting competition. Players are setting their own personal goal for the week ahead to help earn their section points over a three month period.

SMART GOALS

Specific
Measurable
Achievable
Realistic/Relevant
Time-bound

Goals can look at a specific skill, time based

- I am going to practice my scales, appegios,
- I am going to practice a certain part within my piece to make sure I know it really well
- I am going to practice for 20 minutes (or other set amount of time)three times per week
- I am going to practice for an hour (or other set amount of time) per week

The goal of this exercise is to encourage sections to work for their team, and overall lift the skill base within the band.

Player responsibilities - set yourself a goal for each week (it can be the same goal or it might change week to week).

Kaitautoko responsibilities - to check in with their section to check in who has met their goal for the week and fill in the google doc online and update the front page with their overall team result.

Band Practices in Level 1. Farewell Gregor, Matilda and Samuel. Welcome Torrie.

These are a few pictures of our band practices since Covid19 Level 1 began.  Also, mid photos is a family from Norway: Gregor, Matilda and Samuel who have been playing the band for a few months during their visit to New Zealand for work (and became band purposes too ;) ) 

Sharon, Vickie, John, Pam, Amanda, Leighton, Ema and Cameron

Te Reo, George, Dana, Blake, Quentin, Gregor (percussion) John, Sharon and Vickie and Pam 

Ella, Walter, George, Blake, Quentin, Vickie, Sharon, Julie, Geoff, Alex, Anessa, Robert, Cameron, Ema, Leighton, Gregor (percussion) and Matilda (percussion)

John & Ella in break time

Samuel (cornet), Matilda, Grego (Percussion)

Samuel, Matilda, Gregor

Rowan, Walter, Samuel, Amelia, Lizzie

Ella, George, Dana, Blake

Samuel, Amelia, Lizzie, Gregor, Pam

Dana, Blake, Quentin, Vickie 

Gregor, Amanda, Leighton, Ema, Cameron, Lynn, Robert, Anessa

Julie, Daniel, Geoff

Ema, Cameron, Lynn, Robert, Anessa, Alex

Daniel, Geoff

Te Reo

John, Matilda, Pam, Julie

Gregor, Leighton

Ema - PEACE!

Matilda doing her thing!! (She's really good!!!)

A clever photo - look at the bell... Anessa with Roanna in front

Selfie time, Anessa with Dave (band groupie and granddad to Anessa)

Torrie - New to Percussion - welcome to Torrie!!!

Chilling in a break

Te Reo our MD in the middle 

Rowan, Lizzie and Amelia

George, Dana, Blake, Quentin

Daniel and Lyz (in green)

What?? Walter (left hand side) has come to the baritones!! Welcome to our side of the band. Leighton resting his bass looking happy enough.  Both he and Walter have been selected for the NZ Secondary Schools Brass Band for a second time :)

Oh the Trombone Section 

Taking over band one at a time (count up to 6 at the moment!!)

Leighton with Gregor in behind

John and Matilda in a break time

Samuel enjoyed playing in the band

Gregor receiving his parting gift full of Kiwiana goodies

We'll Meet Again - British Trombone Society

A handful of band members participated in the We'll Meet Again mass blowout with the British Trombone Society. Players from around the world recorded themselves during lockdown and sent their part(s) in. In the UK the Trombone Society put the videos together and made this wonderful rendition of Vera Lynn's beautiful wartime music. The theme was chosen because Lockdown is a time of us all being separated because of Covid19, a terrible virus which began in China and spread like wild fire around the world. Many thousands of people have perished from the respiratory illness that goes with this virus. It would appear people who already have respiratory and other health issues have been affected the most, as they report in media they have 'underlying health issues' whatever they may be.
The concept for the Mass Blow Out was the thought that we will meet again and see our friends and loved ones when we are allowed to come out of lockdown.

Enjoy this video

Pictures below are from on the video (screenshots) If we missed players from the band please let Sandra  know (I'm happy to update the blog and make it accurate).

Julie Lummus

Ginever Family

Level 2 Lockdown - first rehearsal

Level 2 Lockdown - 26/5/2020 correct me if I have the wrong date.

After being at Level 4 and Level 3 Lockdown the Government said we would be able go into Level 2 lockdown and be in small groups up to 100 people with a space of one metre between players. Our band took this seriously and had hand sanitiser at the entrance way and a roll call in case Covid19 came back again for tracing people who might be in a shared location. 

Te Reo found a step to stand on and our band committee set up the room taking nearly the full space. It was great to be back in the band hall seeing each other, although spaced out, and the few musical challenges we had as a result.  We played some fun tunes and a few mistakes... who cares... we were back in the band room. 

Lockdown 2020 - Zoom meeting with David Bremner

Who would have thought 2020 would bring so much change. News... the Coronavirus - Covid-19 has created a set back to the way we do things... no band practices as we go from Level 4 - 3 - 2... perhaps level 1 will bring us back together? What a celebration that will cause.  As of today, gatherings of 10 people are allowed and no more... this is a very serious virus with many people dying around the world and I do not want to downplay the havoc it has brought to the world...  in the meantime we have continued to be creative with online Zoom parties (Thanks TeReo for organising these), Zoom lessons with tutors and facebook.  We've had an opportunity to practice and record from home and share to each other. Malcolm Barr brought many together with his rendition of Abide with Me (shown in the ANZAC Day post earlier in this blog).

Zoom Meeting with David Bremner 

Hamilton City Brass organised a zoom meeting with David Bremner to share his wealth of knowledge and experience with us. Band members had the opportunity to ask questions in advance.

 

Questions & Notes:

Nerves: - we have to believe we can get through these, they're an expected part of the performance, make sure you know the tune you're about to perform and know that the conditions for performance will change just go in prepared and be mentally prepared (many focus on physical preparedness but mental preparation is just as if not more important. David shared how he does this, by visualising himself playing in the hall/competition location before he actually plays there. Take one out of James Morrison's book "Prepare to play that the audience is going to enjoy what you have to share." Practice breathing before playing, take your time and have confidence in what you're about to do.

Practice time: - trust the MD, they have chosen music which is a good match for the bands strengths. As players we need to work hard at home and not assume the MD will fix everything when we come to band practice. The Orchestra David meets with has two days of preparation before the performance! We are on a musical journey, talk in sections to sort out when people breathe, have the culture/environment that is conducive to helping our band get the best out of practice time. 

Notes for Composers: - David appreciates New Zealand composers e.g. John Richie, Ken Young, Jack Bewley,  be honest in what you want to do, make the music honest to your style, the more people hear the "you" coming out in the music the more they will want to hear. 

Warm Ups: - Practice with articulation, scales and double tongue, mix it up. David does a mixture of breathing, buzzing, warm up, low range, buzzing is more beneficial than warming up the instrument. 

Musical Theory: - The more you know about music theory the better your playing will become individually and as a band e.g. intonation, rhythm. Level 1-3 music theory is a great place to start grade 4-6 is more tricky but test pieces have become harder over the years so we need to try and understand this to keep up. 

Intonation: - Red hymn book: play hymn, sing, buzz play. Find out where you fit in the chord, usually built from the bass tonic (foundation of the chord) The more in tune we are the better the band plays and sounds.

Section Leaders: - things we can learn from orchestras - it is more powerful in what you don't say, listen to what others are doing in the band, take time to work on balance and intonation as a section. One section leader in orchestra set a goal to have the conductor say nothing bad about their section for a practice. Sit in a circle listen to each other, ask. Every band member is important, everyone has a role to play and if everyone is strong in their part then the section will become stronger as a whole.

Goal Setting: - David mentioned the importance of building up to a goal... this made me think about SMART GOALS 

Saying you want to get " x" amount of points is not a smart goal because every contest has different judges however we could focus on our timing, our dynamics, learning scales, range, sound, articulation, practicing Longer and more focussed on specifics that will help our performance improve over time.  If we focus on these things our overall performance will improve.

Motivation: - listen to a lot of music, perhaps transcribed trumpet (play along)  and listen to musicians who inspire you e.g. JJ Johnson, Herbe Green, Miles Davis. IMSLP - these are out of copyright tunes worth looking at too.

Attitude: - This is a long road and things will improve, be positive, be encouraged, be encouraging towards others, set goals and you will see progress

Performance: - Feel freedom, no tension, sit up straight, shoulders down and back, find a position breathe.

What piece of music should the band play: - As a performer we can't control what the adjudicator does, choose a piece for you. Choose tunes that fit the band strengths/weaknesses. David said he has 3-4 pieces he likes and then lets the band have a listen and usually something will come up that band members like/dislike and go from there. 

Adjudicator 101: - When David adjudicates he likes to think about the basics: Intonation, rhythm, balance, ensemble, control, sound, strength of the band is it musical, is it warm, am I enjoying this?  Never give the adjudicator something to fixate on, mistakes must be fleeting (mistakes will happen but let it be a once, not a continual problem). 

Informal Sectionals: - it is good for everyone to do something at regionals for example, play a solo, play an ensemble, play a quartet or trio etc. Play together for fun. 

Mouth Pieces: - Rim size feels good, makes a good sound, medium cup think about sound flexibility.

Anzac Day 2020 - Abide with Me link included.

ANZAC Day was very different this year with people stuck at home during the Covid-19 lockdown.

A highlight for many has been the opportunity to participate in the Abide with Me project put together by Malcolm Barr

There was a call out for players to play the last post at their driveways at 6am. Quentin decided to go to the Morrinsville Cenotaph at this time. This is the usual location for Hamilton City Auxiliary Brass Band for ANZAC DAY so it seemed a fitting location. Very few people were at the cenotaph. We have fielded some messages of appreciation from people in the Morrinsville Community. Others played the Last Post at the end of their driveways and shared on Facebook their ANZAC experience. For some this was the first time they played the Last Post publicly. Well done team.