Manhasset Voyager Music Stands

Through a curious twist of fate (ask me sometime) I wound up with one of these stands and, for a portable stand, I like it very much. I have suggested that the brass ensemble standardize on these, and a handful of players have already ordered both the stand and the carrying case. These links should take you to the Woodwind & Brasswind site. If you purchase there, a small percentage of your purchase should eventually come back to help our ensemble buy more music and equipment.

Please suggest name for brass group

Hello Everyone, (including non-brass-group-members: I'd like your opinions too.)

The Triadelphia Brass has consisted, until quite recently, of musicians from the Triadelphia SDA church. Now we are beginning to expand our membership and, I hope, becoming capable of performing, without significant embarrasment, in churches where our members are not already known and loved individually. <grin>

There are two reasons that I feel it would be wise to distance ourselves from association with any particular congregation.

1. In the past we have been refused use of GC space for practice purposes because we were associated with one congregation. They wanted to avoid the appearance of favoritism.
2. I'm concerned that association with one congregation will dissuade members of other congregations from joining our group.

The Southeast Asia church, where we will be playing January 7, would like to list us as a group with a name. Do we have one? A couple of options come to mind, but I'm not sure that either is spot-on:

1. The brass group I conducted in Atlanta was and is known as Zephyr Brass. Zephyr is a name for the west wind, which was appropriate because that group originated on the west side of Atlanta. There was talk of extending the Zephyr organization to embrace additional ensembles, potentially including brass ensembles in other cities, so I would feel comfortable using this name, at least on a temporary basis.
2. The name Adventist Community Brass was abandonded by David Workman in favor of Washington Community Brass, which has fallen into disuse as that group has remained in hibernation. I think we could lay legitimate claim to ACB if we wanted to.

Association with a larger organization might be appropriate: the Columbia Union Conference encompasses a wide enough area that we would not need to fear excluding any potential members, I think. However, this would require agreement from whatever organization we wanted to associate ourselves with.

What do you suggest?

As always, your comments will have a longer shelf-life if you post them directly to the weblog.

Update: Here are the options I have observed so far.

• Triadelphia Brass
• Zephyr Brass
• Adventist Community Brass
• Sounds of Brass
• Triadelphia Regional Brass
• TriBrass
• TriBrass.org (If Amazon.com can do it, I suppose we can too.)
• Maryland Music Brass
• Maryland Chamber Orchestra Brass

TriBrass Performance Dates

Hello brass players,

I just received a call asking if we can assist, January 7, with the dedication of the new Southeast Asian church near the GC offices. We would be responsible for playing with two hymns and one number as an offertory.

Are we available on January 7?


Also, can we provide service music at Triadelphia February 11 or 25? or another date?

Thanks,

Daniel

TriBrass at CU Office

Hello brass players,

Please remember that we have rehearsal this week, Wednesday evening at 6:00 PM at the Columbia Union office. Be 15 minutes early to unpack and warm up, please. We will probably rehearse for an hour and a half or somewhat less.

Please bring a music stand.

See you there!

TriBrass Rehearsal Before Thanksgiving

I have heard that some brass players are interested in meeting this week even though we know the group will not be complete. I concur.

However, I expect to be working in Germantown tomorrow: meeting at the church would be significantly better for me than meeting at a house on the I-95 corridor.

What is your pleasure? Six o'clock? Where?

Calling All Singers

. . . Vocalists . . . Choristers

Triadelphia SDA plans to present a Christmas Concert, a.k.a Choral Evensong, December 17 at 4 PM. We could use you in the choir.

Group rehearsals will be at Triadelphia at 8 or 8:30 Wednesday evenings (or whenever prayer-meeting finishes). If you can't make the group practices, contact me anyway: I'm willing to meet at another time to help you learn your part.

We will be singing well-known selections such as Still, Still, Still, and Carol of the Bells.

TriBrass Rehearsal Changes

I am delighted to announce that Harold and Christine Greene are interested in joining the brass ensemble at Triadelphia. We will meet with them on Wednesday evenings (at 6 PM) at the Union office(?) near the intersection of Highways 29 and 175. (Will we need to bring music stands?)

This will give us an ensemble with the following configuration:

• 2 Trumpets
• 1 French Horn
• 2 Trombones
• 2 Baritones
• 1 Tuba

(The trumpet players can also double on low-brass instruments: perhaps we can handle some 8-part music in a few months.)

The above configuration doesn't look perfect for standard quintet music: I have a strange belief that standard quintet music (especially Canadian Brass) is intended for exactly five players.

However, the Salvation Army numbers are clearly intended for multiple players on a part. I have a few of these (five or six, I think) but I hope we can buy more in the near future.

Please think over what these changes may mean for us. Let me know what sounds interesting to you. And if you know more brass players, this might be a good time to invite them to join us.

TriBrass Rehearsal Schedule Update

Hello brass players,

We have a new schedule conflict making Tuesday and Thursday nights undesireable for the duration of this month, plus a week or two. We agreed to meet on Wednesday evenings (at 6:00?) until further notice. I would like to have a second rehearsal every week. Mondays are out. Perhaps Sundays? Comment here in the weblog, please.

P.S. We're still on for Thursday night this week, 10/6/05, at 5:00 PM.

TriBrass Postlude 10/29

Hello brass players,

By means that are murky at best, we have been listed to play the postlude at Triadelphia on Sabbath, October 29. Please let me know if this is possible, given your schedule.

TriBrass Rehearsals Update

Hello brass players,

This week we decided to hold Thursday night rehearsal at Triadelphia, beginning at five o'clock. See you there!

TriBrass Rehearsal Update

Hello brass players,

Our discussion last night left us with the following arrangements:

We'll meet Tuesday evenings at six o'clock (call time 5:45 PM) at Triadelphia. We'll meet Thursday evenings at six o'clock (call time 5:45 PM) at Rockville United Methodist Church in Rockville. That address is

112 W Montgomery Ave
Rockville, MD 20850-4213

Meeting in Rockville is a tentative arrangement, subject to change as we learn more about travel times, et cetera.

Please let me know whether this is in agreement with your recollection.

TriBrass Rehearsals

Hello brass players,

We need to choose new rehearsal times. For this coming week (September 4 through 10), please meet Tuesday evening at 5:45, at which time we can decide on a schedule for the coming weeks.

Thanks much,

Daniel

What groups can we form?

Perhaps I've been thinking of ensembles from the wrong direction, or communicating our options poorly. Whatever the case, it might be helpful to list some of the common ensembles. It's fairly easy to get music for these combinations.

String Quartet

2 violins, viola, cello

String Orchestra

Multiple players covering 2 violin, viola, cello and string bass parts

Brass Quartet

2 trumpets, 2 trombones (one of which must have a trigger in many cases)

Brass Quintet

2 trumpets, French horn, trombone, tuba or bass trombone

Woodwind Quintet

Flute, oboe, clarinet, French horn, bassoon

What other types of ensemble exist? For what other groups could you say "It's easy to get music for that combination of instruments?"

Social Plans for Sept./Oct.

Hello friends,

Last night's supper, hymn sing and game night was a pleasure and a blessing. My deep gratitude to each one who shared their company with us last night.

I would love to have every person on this list together in one place, especially for hymn singing. Is there a Sabbath evening in September or October when many or even (dare I hope?) all of us can meet?

Here's the list of Sabbaths. Let me know what would work for you, and I'll try to pick the week with maximal coverage.

• Sept. 3
• Sept. 10
• Sept. 17
• Sept. 24
• Oct. 1
• Oct. 8
• Oct. 15
• Oct. 22
• Oct. 29

One more question: Someday I'd like to see Fallingwater. It's something like three hours drive from Germantown. Do you want to make plans and go as a group?

TriBrass to play Triadelphia August 27

Hello members of the Triadelphia Brass,

As I mentioned this evening, we have been asked to play for church August 27, providing special music. I don't know who the organist will be: David, could you check on that?

For special music we can play the Chesnekoff "Salvation is Created" or the Dvorak "Gloria."

** Update **

Actually, the Chesnekoff will be problematic, since it takes 6 parts, and Milton and his music will not be with us on the 27th.

As Geri reminded me, we should also prepare a special music for Sabbath School.

Game Night at the Ashton's Home

Hello friends,

Based on the responses received so far, August 27 looks like a good evening for our get together. So the invitation now reads as follows:

You are invited

to

Sabbath Supper

(Pakastani Curry)

and

Hymn Sing

followed by

Game Night

this time featuring

Rook

beginning around

6:00 PM

on

August 27

Please RSVP by posting a comment here or sending e-mail to Daniel@AshtonFam.org.

Need string players August 20

Hello String Players,

We have an opportunity to play prelude and offertory at the Sligo church on August 20. Are you open? When can we practice together? What repertoire would you like to play?

Please leave a comment here in the weblog or reply to Daniel@mdmusic.org.

I'll add to this list as I hear from you.

Violins
• Evonne B.
• Daniel A.
• Celisti
• Myles

Cellos
• Jamey M.
• Anastasia Z.

** UPDATE **

We have rehearsals tentatively scheduled for Friday, August 12 and August 19, at 7 PM at the Beltsville SDA church. Repertoire may include a little Ravel or Holst.

If I haven't heard from you yet, please reply or post a comment to let me know if you're interested.

** UPDATE **

The second rehearsal will be at 7:00 PM in the choir room of the Sligo church. (Please be early.)

We will be playing for both first and second services, so please arrive at the church by 8:15 Sabbath morning.

TriBrass: Time to Get Together

Hello brass players,

July "has came and went," as they say, and August is pressing on. I think I'm ready to start practicing with you again. What works for us? Are we still happy with Monday and Thursday at 5:45?

TriBrass plans changing

As is becoming obvious, even to me, I won't be playing tuba for the next week or two. Jamey, if you have a sore throat, please don't blow too hard. David Greene will also be absent for the next few rehearsals, as he and his wife enjoy the sights of another country.

What I suggest is this: for the next five weeks (now through August 4) that Milton, Wes and Joel consider themselves to be self-organizing and find times and places when two or all three can get together to practice. If you want to bring in other music, go for it. When Jamey or David or I can manage to get together with you, great. It's important for someone to call Joel, since he and his family won't see this weblog posting.

I'm assuming that you/we won't have sufficient music to play the prelude and postlude on July 30. If you disagree, let me know. Otherwise I'll try to let the organist know that they must cover it.

So, let's plan to resume formal rehearsals August 8.

Please reply here with your opinions.

Thank you!

TriBrass 3Q Appointments

After the usual grilling [Hi Geri!] we've been assigned the following dates:

• July 30 - Prelude & Postlude
• August 27 - Special music for Sabbath School & special music for church

Brass players: Please let me know (here in the weblog, if you don't mind too much) whether those dates fit into your calendar, what music you would pick for each date, and whatever else comes to mind.

Thanks!

Get together Sabbath Afternoon?

Hello friends,

Would you like to get together this Sabbath afternoon? for a walk? a bike ride? What is your pleasure?

TriBrass Recess

Between now and July 1 I'll be focusing on music and preparations for the GC Brass Choir. With this in mind, I wish to place our brass choir in recess until after July 2. Let's plan to meet again on Thursday after Independence Day, which means we'll meet again July 7. Good enough?

Please keep your lip and mind going between now and then. We need to avoid loosing ground on the Bach fugue, on Domine, Salva Nos, and on the other things we've spent time working up.

TriBrass: No Rehearsal on Memorial Day

Brass Players,

For one reason and another it seems appropriate to cancel rehearsal for this evening. Please get in a few minutes of practice on your own: twenty minutes or more, if possible.

See you on Wednesday!

Trombone on e-bay

Jamey pointed out this Holton large-bore trombone with trigger going (presently) for $99 on e-bay. I think I'm going to pass on this one, but I want you to know about it. I hope you get this note fairly soon: the auction ends during Sabbath hours.

Brass @ Triadelphia 4/30 Update Again

Good work tonight, guys!

Please plan to arrive at the church at 8:30, so we start practicing between 8:40 and 8:45. Can anyone pick up Joel so he can warm up with us?

See you Sabbath!

Brass @ Triadelphia 4/30 Update

Hello friends,

This evening in rehearsal we selected the following pieces:

Sabbath School
	Special Music:		Sweet Hour of Prayer
Worship Service
	Prelude:		I Know That My Redeemer Liveth
	Call to Worship:		Dear Lord and Father
	Special Music:		Deep River
	Postlude:		Little Fugue

At this point I wish to avoid having an extra rehearsal Friday evening or Sabbath morning. However, I cannot deny the possibility that it would help us. But, if Joel can't be there,…

Brass @ Triadelphia 4/30

Hello friends,

It turns out that TriBrass are scheduled to play at Triadelphia SDA this coming Sabbath. Please make every effort to be at both rehearsals.

I believe that our best plan is to bring back one or two of the hymn settings we've used in the past. However, I would like to use the Bach Little Fugue for a postlude, if we think we can manage it without catastrophe.

So, what do you think?

TriBrass Rehearsal Schedule Update

As the Prophecy Code Seminar Series has come to an end, we agreed to move our Wednesday rehearsal back to 6:00 PM. So our rehearsals are as follows:

• 6:00 PM Monday evenings
• 6:00 PM Wednesday evenings

Please arrive at rehearsals 15 minutes early so that you can unpack and warm up before we begin. I will do my best to have the church open by 5:45.

See you there!

Chamber Music Mini-Festival

Hello everyone,

This weekend we're having, as guests, two fine cellists from the Atlanta area. We'd like to spend Sabbath afternoon reading chamber music at a residence near the Beltsville SDA church. If you're interested in playing, please RSVP by posting a comment here in the weblog, or by sending an e-mail to jdashton@AshtonFam.org.

See you there!

TriBrass Progress!

Excellent work tonight, brass players! I'm very happy with our progress.

For those who have been practicing frequently: It shows! Your investment is paying off. Keep up the good work!

Resources

In rehearsal last night we had a brief discussion on where to purchase music supplies. Here's a short list:

• Woodwind and Brasswind - Pretty much everything you could imagine: instruments, supplies and equipment of all kinds.
• Musician's Friend
• J. W. Pepper - Music and supplies, especially geared toward schools
• Robert King - Huge selection of brass music

What are your favorites?

TriBrass Update

As of last week, we've decided to practice twice a week for the next eight weeks, i.e. the duration of David's evening class. We'll meet Monday nights at 6:00 and Wednesday nights at 5:45.

I'd like to welcome Milton McHenry, who dusted off his trombone to rehearse with us this evening. Thanks for joining us! I'm looking forward to learning some new seven-part music.

More Details on Google Groups

The group/mailing-list is a one-way mirror of what's posted in the web-log. If you reply to a posting using your e-mail program, it (probably) will be distributed to everyone on the mailing list, but it will not show up in the blog itself.

If I could, I would configure the group so that would accept only e-mail sent through Blogger.com. But I can't see how to do that. So I leave it to you: for the majority of posts and comments, please post through the Blogger.com interface. Only reply to e-mail if you're not a member of this weblog (i.e. can't post (although you can still comment: anyone can leave a comment)) or if you want (for some reason) to have your words show up in the group archive, but not in the weblog itself.

[The proper solution would be for Blogger to make it possible to send notices directly to multiple people, but they haven't seen fit to do that yet. Their standard answer is to set up a Google Groups-Beta group, which leads to this kind of confusion. Sorry!]

[Another solution would be for me to set up our own blogging software, possibly based on SlashCode.]

Brass rehearsal days

I let this one sneak up on me: starting tomorrow, I have a class at 6:15 for the next 8 Mondays. Is it OK to move rehearsal to Wednesday? Is it too late to make such a change this week?

Birthday Plans - Vicki

This coming Monday is Vicki's birthday. We're making plans to celebrate by eating supper at Vicki's favorite restaurant, California Pizza Kitchen, in Bethesda. Because of brass rehearsal we won't arrive at CPK until 7:45 or 8:00 PM. Can you meet us there?

Please RSVP so we'll know how large a table to ask for.

Leo Hogendorp Concert this Sabbath

For those who haven't heard: Leo Hogendorp is a gentleman who has been attending our church recently with his daughter and son-in-law, Cindy and Paul Possinger. He owns a collection of violins and violas, and the family has decided to feature a few of these instruments in a vespers concert this weekend. Soloists (tentative list) may include:

• Daniel Ashton
• Evonne Baasch
• Frank Hardy
• Enno Mueller
• Dr. Douglas Potts

with assistance from David Greene and others. Concert details:

• Sabbath, February 19, 4:30 PM
• Triadelphia SDA Church
  12950 Brighton Dam Rd
  Clarksville, GA 21029

Triadelphia Brass: This week?

Hi guys,

It turns out that there's no one scheduled for the special music for church this week. I can cover it, but I thought that, after our rehearsal this week, we might feel interested in playing one of the hymn settings like Deep River, especially since we're already playing along with the hymns.

What is your pleasure?

Group-beta Created

I've created what is essentially a mailing list using the Groups-beta function of Google. Anytime an item is posted to our weblog, a copy will to go all the blog members, as well as to a few who haven't accept membership yet.

Rehearsal Reprise

Here's my understanding of our consensus regarding rehearsals:

• Beginning next week (1/17) rehearsals will be at 6:00 PM on Monday evenings.
• This week we're meeting on Wednesday (1/12).

Happy 1st Wedding Anniversary to Corey and Christy!