Jake's Brass Rep!

 Looking into and talking about the world during the pandemic has brought back a lot of memories of that time in my life. Looking back, it wasn't really that long, only a few years. But when in the middle of it, it felt like forever, as my life and everyones around me was put on halt. This video is one of the most impressive I have seen come out of the whole quarantine era, from the standpoint of audio that is. The playing and dancing are impressive, but the feat of getting that many people in on a live recording and having it sound like is immensely difficult. The amount of musicians playing at once, especially when coupled with the tap dancing would make this a nightmare to mix and balance. Adding on to the difficulty of this already, every musicians is in a different room, on a different microphone, making the process even more involved. If that wasn't enough, some of the tap dancers are recording outdoors, which adds even more complexity to making the recording sound correc...

 During the pandemic, not only did internet performances become more popular, but also internet content of all kinds, considering that seeing people in person was not an option. Whole conferences and competitions were moved online, especially short notice when things first started to get bad. Musicians craved a way to continue the collaboration, whether that be virtually as a performance, or just as an interview. The Canadian Brass began an interview series where they had long form discussions with people from all over the brass world, and sometimes even beyond. Composers and other musically involved individuals also were involved, as these scheduled weekly interviews became a great source of not only entertainment, but also inspiration, as contact with some of these people became even harder than it already was.  The trumpet players at the time for the Canadian Brass (at least the ones demonstrated in this particular interview) were Brandon Ridenour and Chris Coletti. Their s...

      One thing that being a student during the pandemic meant, especially as someone who relies on air to make my instrument work, was protective equipment was required to make playing my instrument safe around others in a time where being in close contact was still experimental and even a little taboo. The way this protective equipment, or PPE as it was called, manifested for me was in the form of a mask (pretty standard) and a bell cover, essentially a trumpet diaper. In the included video below, you can observe the musicians instruments adorned with these covers, which are Met branded meaning they are way cooler than the ones my undergraduate institution made us use! In all seriousness, outdoor rehearsals and bell covers were a new reality, at least for a little while, and they presented novel challenges. The bell covers, though made of a thin and stretchy material, totally changed the blow of the trumpet for me, and presented some serious calibration issues, especial...

      Online events during Covid were also quite popular, and competitions became an easy way for people to participate in a musical community totally online. The Trumpeter's Multitrack Competition was held online for trumpet players to showcase their recording and multitracking skills. The competition was very successful, and many amazing video submissions were entered. This challenged not only peoples musical skills, but also their creative skills, as making a visually interesting video is one of the criteria for adjudication. The competition winners in each category saw a cash prize, as well as the exposure gained from participating and winning. Unfortunately, due to financial shortcomings, the second year of the competition did not go as planned, but with some restructuring, the organization of people being the competition was able to keep it running. Any community activity such as music requires people to interact, share ideas, and inspire each other to further the c...

  Philip Jones Brass Ensemble The first piece we listened to is titled "Rose Without a Thorne" written by none other than King Henry VIII. In true medieval/baroque style, the piece is highly tonal, sounding very organ-like in composition, and using standard tonal conventions of the time. The ensemble, being the Philip Jones Brass Ensemble, plays this work with much conviction and drive, adding a regal nature to the work. The ensemble was founded in 1951, and the work was arranged by Philip Jones himself.  German Brass The next work is an arrangement of an overture from Wagner's Lohengrin, likely done by someone within the group itself. The German Brass is one of Europes most revered brass ensembles, and their recording catalogue is extensive, mainly consisting of more well known arrangements, along with some commissions here and there as well. This arrangement in particular is very faithful to the original, even in the sections where the writing becomes very difficult as ...

      Some larger groups also banded together during this time to do some socially distanced recording projects, some of which were done in person (at a safe distance) in the home hall of whatever orchestra was recording. One group that opted for this route was the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestras brass section, comprised of members of the orchestra, and occasionally subs. The following recordings were made during the pandemic, when most orchestras were not playing at all. This trend of recording during this time really helped to boost the moral of musicians, especially those that were fearful for the future of their careers.           The ensemble started out with recordings such as the one above, published on Youtube on April 10, 2020. Though short, it showed that during the lockdown these musicians were still inspired to make music, and obviously working on ways to make that happen with their newly acquired free time. Through these projects ...