What am I waiting for?

Has there ever been a time when someone comes to you with a proposal, an opportunity, and you thought, "That's not really my gig."? A fine proposal, but it's just not something you're real comfortable doing, and maybe you haven't had a lot of experience in that specific area.

My answer: Yes. And I'd imagine your answer is the same.

I am in a place professionally where I am looking for opportunities to broaden horizons, deepen and expand friendships and connections, garner valuable performance experiences, compose new and marketable works, and build a stronger resumé. So of course I am always waiting for someone to bring a proposal to me. I'd love that opportunity.

But what I'm finding is that I seem to only want the opportunities for the things I already know how to do. To perform in a setting I'm comfortable. To write a piece for instruments I've already written. To teach courses and ensembles I have experience teaching. I've gotten pretty good at a few things, so naturally I want to keep doing those things.

But how did I get good at those things? By saying yes to an opportunity that seemed uncomfortable and outside my comfort zone. By stepping into a new experience.


There are some things I find as I try new things and dive into the unknown:

1) I often know more than I think. For example, I was offered a position to teach the front ensemble at Center Grove H.S. last spring for this year's marching seasons. I've never exclusively taught a pit before, and I was quite uncomfortable stepping into such a high-profile, relatively high-pressure situation with such little experience. However, I have been involved with drum corps for 7 years, and high school marching band for 14 years, and it's not like I was ignoring the pit all those years. I picked up on some things even thought I wasn't in a pit and hadn't taught one. And I have a masters degree in percussion performance, and a great deal of experience playing in percussion ensembles. And I have taught keyboard percussion privately for several years. So, when I thought about what knowledge and experience I do have, I realized it was a pretty good starting point.

2) Whether or not you "succeed" (whatever that means in each scenario) at your new endeavor, the experience of being stretched, pushed, pulled, and often failing is worth every effort made. We can gain knowledge, resilience, patience, persistence, and more when we say yes to a new opportunity.

A couple weeks ago, I was asked to play marimba at a my in-laws' church for their Christmas Eve services. I had nothing in the repertoire that worked for Christmas, and it was less than 3 weeks till December 24. My initial reaction was to say no. Not gonna happen. Doesn't she realize I can't just throw something together on such short notice? 

Then I thought further, If I am going to say no to opportunities like this, what am I waiting for? Don't I want to be a performer? Don't I want opportunities to play percussion in public? Why sell myself short?

I said yes, and immediately started working on a couple of arrangements. And it might just turn out okay. :-) Who knows, maybe I'll wind up doing a Christmas album sometime, and this will have been the catalyst.

So when an opportunity arises that seems a little outside your comfort zone or area of previous experience, don't immediately dismiss it because "It's not really my gig." It might not be, and that's okay, too, but we don't want to pass up opportunities that can really enrich our lives, and in my case, advance a career. Think about it. You might be more prepared than you think. And be sure to ask, "If not this, what am I waiting for?"

What's the Difference?

This past week I had the privilege of spending 3 days in Chicago at the Midwest Band & Orchestra Clinic. I got to accompany the Center Grove H.S. Percussion Ensemble on their trip that culminated in an outstanding performance on Saturday morning for several hundred educators, students, family, and friends.

What a performance! I was so impressed, start to finish, with not only the quality of playing, but with the professionalism of the 32 students who performed a very wide variety of music. The demand was extremely high (especially for a high school group!) and it was met with extremely high levels of ability and preparation. I was proud to see them play my piece, Alarm!, with such precision and excitement, and it truly is an honor to work with such a great group of students.

L to R: Kevin Bobo (soloist), David Reeves (composer), Jim Casella (composer), Josh Torres (director), me
at the Midwest Clinic after CG's performance.

Though I might be a bit biased (I do work at CG after all), I was not alone in my high opinion of the group's performance. I talked with several other percussionists and educators after the performance who shared similar thoughts. One said, "I sat there shaking my head, and thinking, 'This is a high school!'" Another said he laughed out loud at one point in complete amazement at what the group was doing.

All this discussion brought up questions I have to ask myself when I'm teaching a group at this level. And questions that are important as I consider how to teach future ensembles.


What is it that speaks professionalism? What separates a high level percussion ensemble from the rest? What are specifics in the playing that give a percussion ensemble a mature sound? 

These must be things that can be taught/learned, right? How else do some teachers have consistently mature/excellent groups when others don't? If someone asks you, "What do I need to do with my group to help them sound mature?" or "How do I teach professionalism" what do you say? If a student asks how to take the step into the next level, will you know how to answer?

So often we think, That group/person is just naturally good. Or, I/my group could never do anything like that.

Now, I understand that there are many factors out of an educator's control that play a role in the level of a group, but many are not. Somewhere along the line, certain things must be learned and practiced in order to come across as a professional/mature ensemble, and I'm asking, What are those things? If you are not an educator, but a performer, these questions can still apply and must be considered at some point. Even if you're not a musician, taking time to think about the very specific details that separate the best from the rest is never a waste of time.

Honorable or Irresponsible?

The video posted below has been making its way around several media circles, and it's pretty hilarious. It's also quite relevant and a little unsettling for some because of its truth.



In response to this video, the website/forum DrumChattr has opened up some discussion on the topic. One commenter brought up the idea that maybe we shouldn't focus so much on money and status, as long as we are pursuing a passion and enjoy what we're doing. Some have no problem encouraging a student to study music in college even if they don't make a career of it. Is it honorable to pursue what you love doing? Or is it irresponsible to blindly "do what I want to do"? My response:

While I completely agree that far too much emphasis is placed on money, status, appearance, etc. in this country/world, and that there is a great deal of value in simply enjoying what you do (in this case, being a musician), I am afraid that a lack of responsibility and real-world understanding is what often comes out of students who major in performance. 


I do not feel comfortable encouraging a student to choose a field of study in which they likely won't get a job after school, unless that student has a good understanding what they're getting into and how to begin to overcome some of those obstacles. We too often say, "Go! Pursue what you want!" and that student ends up paying the price in huge student loan debt, poor financial decisions, and others have to foot the bills for the starving artist. This certainly isn't every music student, but I argue that it's far too many. 


And while money certainly isn't the most important thing, it is still important. My family and I must eat, be clothed, and have a roof over our heads. And it is my responsibility to provide those things. Not my parents' or the government's.

With bachelors and masters degrees in performance from a pretty high-level music school, I slid through several years without much training regarding real-world job situations. Thankfully, this is something David Cutler and others are addressing well, and many schools are taking it more seriously. 

However, I often see attitudes like this: "I got my degree(s), now where's that job that's waiting for me? Oh, you mean there's not a job just waiting for me? I have to create work? My degree/skillset/experience doesn't automatically get me a job?" But most will agree, a degree does not equal career success. I admit I had some thoughts along these lines, and now I'm fighting to make a living as a musician. I love what I do, but I want future students to have as realistic a picture as possible of what it's like in the real world, so they have an easier time than me once they get here. 

A Thought from Colin Currie

World-renowned percussionist Colin Currie recently wrote of some highlights from his autumn experiences around the world, and he closed with such kind and sincere praise of the TROMP competition, its jury members, and its 30 percussionists, especially the 3 finalists. The closing paragraph from his blog is reproduced below.

For all this, what truly sticks in my mind are thirty young percussionists from across the world who all traveled to Eindhoven for the TROMP Percussion Festival and competition. There I sat on the jury(with splendid new friends Nancy, Momoko, Terry, Arnold, Andrei and Emmanuel!) utterly AGOG as candidate after candidate would roll on and literally shock us with their artistry, emotion and aplomb. Each player had something to offer, and it was a humbling thing to give the world premiere of the test-piece, Michael Torke’s gorgeous “Mojave” to such an assembly. What a superb result, that the art of percussion is being upheld by these bright young players!! I was very moved and highly encouraged. Let me pay tribute briefly to the three finalists; Vassilena, you are fearless and brilliant and utterly embrace performing…Mike, you are a poet and the thinking musician’s percussionist – a maverick with grace and subtlety…Alexej, your musicianship fills a room no matter its size and your results have only come through your astonishing commitment and hard work. Congratulations to you all – this was an astounding collective victory for percussion!!

Happy December times and best wishes for the new year,

Colin.

Photos from TROMP

Claudia Hansen shot some great photos throughout the TROMP festival and competition, and they can be viewed here. I hope some of these give you an idea of how big this event actually was! It was quite an honor to be a part of such an awesome event!

And by the way, the marathon drummer, Russ Prager, set a new world record for longest continuous drumming at seven days! That's incredible. There are pictures of him in his glass box, also known as "the monkey cage," in the Miscellaneous section of Claudia's blog, and here is a video of his last seconds drumming.

Back home again in Indiana...

I am not a fan of traveling (train stations, airport security and customs, bumpy flights, limited legroom), but I usually like the end result. Yesterday's relatively smooth travels brought me back home to my wife, and once I got home, I nearly forgot the 15 hours it took me to get here. It's great to be home!

Now it's time to catch up on some real life things. Unpacking, cleaning, organizing the mess I left in the office, bills, and the like. I hope to see many of you soon (maybe over Thanksgiving?), and we can chat more about  my experience in the Netherlands. Thanks again for all your prayers and support over the last few weeks and months!

And the Winner Is...

Last night was the finale of the TROMP Percussion Competition and Festival. All three finalists played Michael Torke's Mojave, concerto for marimba and orchestra, as well as one choice piece. Three very different performances were witnessed, which made for some difficult decisions by the juries deciding the awards.

After all was said and done, the winner was Alexej Gerassimez from Germany. Second place went to Mike Truesdell (USA), and third was awarded to Vassilena Serafimova (Bulgaria). Alexej also won the Press Prize, the Friends of TROMP Audience Award, and the youth jury prize. His total winnings amount to 20,000 Euros, while Mike won 10,000 Euros, and Vassilena won 7,000 Euros.

The night was not finished with the finals concert. A reception for TROMP participants, friends, and families was held in the music center, and following that, most of the competitors and several jury members went out for drinks and conversation at a local establishment. It was sort of a last hurrah for everyone because many people are leaving today. While this is the only large-scale or international competition I've done, it is apparent that this one is unique in that it's really about the experience. I hear from other people who have done other international competitions that it is not normal for everyone to hang out so much, and really get to know eachother so well. As I have mentioned before, there has been a great deal of free time, so what else is there to do but spend time with other competitors (who, of course, are not competing anymore at that point)? It really felt like a big party of friends at the bar last night, jury members included. The percussion world is rather small, and I fully expect to see many of the people I've met in the future, and it's nice to have made so many connections.

Today is my last day in Eindhoven. I am attending a couple clinics this afternoon, followed by a concert tonight featuring Terry Bozzio (formerly the drummer for Frank Zappa)! I am very excited to see him play! My flight leaves Amsterdam tomorrow (Monday) at 10:50AM local time, and I'm scheduled to arrive in Indianapolis around 4:30PM local time.

For those of you who have kept up at all during my trip, thanks for your support and for caring about me! There has never been a moment when I didn't feel the support of my friends and family back home! Thank you!

NOTE: I plan to maintain this blog after I return, though the format will change a bit. The goal is to post relevant percussion and music information and thoughts that encourage the advancement of the art in one way or another. Please stay tuned if this interests you!

The Finalists

Wednesday was a full day of performances, during which each of the six semi-finalists played a 45-minute recital. I saw many new pieces (some I liked, some not so much), and some pretty amazing playing. Last night, the finalists were announced, and they are Mike Truesdell (USA), Alexej Gerassimez (Germany), and Vassilena Serafimova (Bulgaria).

There are so many things to process when watching such a competition, and to have to choose who are the best seems nearly impossible. I got to talk with Colin Currie for awhile after the performances (before results were announced, so he couldn't say too much about that) about the day and the competition in general. It was very interesting to hear some of his thoughts, as well as perspectives from a few other competitors who were in the conversation, too.

We talked about whether it's good to have so many required pieces, or to let the players have more choice in selecting repertoire. We talked about how to choose rep for a competition. We talked about how it was judged and how to improve the next competition. It seems that the TROMP administration is very open to suggestions and feedback for the future, and that is encouraging. Don't misunderstand me, the competition has been extremely well run. In fact, we have pretty much been pampered since we arrived, other than just a few small things. But there is always room for improvement, and since TROMP wants to become even bigger and better in 2012, they're open to feedback.

Today I took a very pleasant run around some lakes and through some woods (it was sunny for the first time since we've been here), and I've just been relaxing at our host home. There's nothing going on at the music center until this evening, when Gary Burton plays with his quartet! I'm very excited to see this vibraphone legend play for the first time! Tomorrow, the jury is putting on a concert of a variety of works, from Bach to the BeeGees apparently. Should be interesting. Saturday is the final round of competition, and Sunday is some sort of huge collection of percussion (including Terry Bozzio!) to cap it all off.

More Details

It's hard to include all the details, but I can pass on a few more regarding the competition. The 6 semi-finalists are as follows (see more about them here):

Mike Truesdell (USA)
Ian Rosenbaum (USA)
Alex Petcu (Ireland)
Alexej Gerassimez (Germany)
Galdric Subirana (France)
Vassilena Serafimova (Bulgaria)

Of course, all are outstanding players, and I can't really imagine how difficult it must have been for the judges to decide who moves on and who doesn't. I look forward to seeing each of them perform in the next round (Wednesday).

Last night, after the announcements were made, everyone received their score/comment sheets from the first 2 rounds, and we also had the opportunity to talk with members of the jury. We are invited to talk with them throughout the rest of the week, as well (except those still in the competition). I spoke with Momoko, Terry, Colin, and Nancy (look them up here if you'd like), and all were very kind and had some nice and helpful things to say. I look forward to talking with them and the others more throughout the remainder of my time here.

Though there is certainly some dissapointment, and some frustration that I only got to play 1/3 of the music I prepared, there's no question I have learned and am continuously learning a great deal in this whole process. I will post some more about what exactly I've gained from the experience once I get home and let it all settle in a bit. For now, I'm no longer a percussion competitor, but simply a tourist on vacation on Holland!

Results

Just a quick update to say that I did NOT advance to the semi-final round of 6. I am short on time and will update more tomorrow. 

Sinterklaas came to town!

Staying with a Dutch host family has many perks, and one of those is that we really get to learn about the Dutch culture. One of their traditions is based around Sinterklaas (yes, similar to Santa Claus, but not the same), who is from Spain (doesn't he look Spanish?). I admit I don't fully understand the whole story, but I know that he arrives by boat this time each year with all his helpers (who are called Zwarte Piers, or Black Peters...it's a little odd). If the children are good, they get candy when they put their shoe by the fireplace, but if they are bad, Sinterklaas's helpers come in and beat the kids or kidnaps them and takes them back to Spain.

Well, Mark (my roommate) and I must have been good enough, because we put our shoes by the fireplace last night, and by golly, when we got up, there was candy in our shoes! Then we got to listen to some Dutch children's songs about Sinterklaas. Meanwhile, there are several black-faced people running around the city, and it's really interesting to see them.

On the competition front, Round 1 concludes today. Again, after watching several more players, I feel pretty confident I won't be advancing to the next round of 6, but at least I can't feel horrible getting beat by amazing players! Tomorrow morning is Round 2, which is only Dutch marimba repertoire. Everyone plays one marimba solo, and the entire round takes place in one day. Results will be announced tomorrow evening.

My stay is nearly half over already! I'm having a good time, and learning a lot, but I do look forward to getting back to the states soon. By the way, if anyone wants to email me, feel free, as I usually check a couple times a day.

Round One

Round One kicked off today with yours truly leading the charge. I was quite pleased with how I performed. The perfectionist in me knows there were several mistakes, and wishes I could have a few things back, but the realist in me knows that that performance was about as well as I was going to play based on the preparation I have done.

Being first in anything often comes with a bit of an adjustment period as you and the people around you get used to what's going on. And since I was first today, I didn't know what to expect as far as stage etiquette. Will they clap? Should I introduce myself? The pieces I'm playing? Not talk at all? Do I bow? Will I be announced? Will they tell me when to start? What do I do if no one does anything? Well, you can probably guess where I'm going with this.

No announcement. No clapping. No sound. Not a peep.

So I smiled, glanced through the audience (which consisted of 8 jury members, 5 youth jury members, a few helpers, and about 6-8 other people, including a few other competitors), went to my vibraphone, and began playing. It went well for me, I think. Again, I could tear it apart as I think through it, but I remember thinking, "Hmmm...that wasn't bad!" after I finished.

Then more silence.

I changed sticks and went to my drum setup. Checked the judges, and gave them a minute to write, then began Rebonds. This was probably the most nerve-wracking piece of the first few, and it was also pretty good. I enjoyed playing it, and the mistakes were quite small. The interpretation is different from some others' but that's the fun of hearing so many people play.

I have since watched several other players, and I'm so impressed! It's very cool to see so many great players, and as I suspected, all playing very differently. I would absolutely hate to be a judge for this competition. Very challenging.

Tomorrow is completely off for me, as Round 1 continues into tomorrow. Twelve play today, and 18 tomorrow. Then Monday is Round 2, which will include everyone still. After Monday's round, they cut it down to 6 for the semi-finals on Wednesday, and 3 advance to the finals on Saturday.

I'm off to relax some more. As one guys put it earlier today when I mentioned I was exhausted, "You spend a whole day's energy in 20 minutes." I'd say that's pretty accurate.

Adams Factory

Today was spent at the factory of Adams Musical Instruments (Thorne, Holland). Quite a neat experience! Part of the day was a tour of the factory and warehouses and store areas, and the rest of the time was for practicing. Everyone in the group that went today got at least 3 hours in a room with keyboard instruments. It was actually a very relaxing day for me. I really enjoyed my practice time, and felt less rushed and distracted than previous practice times.

Due to the hour bus ride each way, and some downtime around lunch, there was some bonding time with other competitors, which was nice. We have so much free time that there's nothing much else to do other than talk with folks around you. Or play foosball, as a few of us did last night. It takes pressure off of the performance, which is good, but it also takes focus off the performance, which I have to be careful about. After all, that's why I am here.

I am heading "home" early tonight to rest and get ready to perform tomorrow morning for Round 1. I kick the whole competition off at 10:00AM, which is 4:00AM Eastern. I'll let you know how it goes!

A Host of Talent!

Today began the scheduled practice times for everyone, and it was nice to get some time on the instruments. Unfortunately, we only got 30 minutes on the multi setup, and that's it until the performance. Of course I'd like much more time on that, but we're kind of all in the same boat, I suppose. 

In all the practicing going on today, it's been impossible not to notice the amazingly high level of ability surrounding me. I knew that already, but to catch a glimpse of folks playing some of the same rep as me or even something I've never heard, I feel incredibly humbled to be here. It's exciting and frightening at the same time. I keep telling myself to stick to my guns and perform the way I know how, based on the preparation I've done. My goal is to lay it all out there, and say, in a sense, "This is me and my understanding of the music." And if the judges like it, great! And if not, well I've done all I can do. In any case, it's really amazing I get to be here with all these fantastic players, and I look forward to showing them what I've got.  :-) 

Day 2

After a very pleasant evening at my host's home (though a bit short), I've been back at the music center all day, selecting instruments, relaxing, practicing mentally, and walking around Eindhoven a bit. There is very neat festival taking place this week called Glow. There are fascinating displays of lights projected all over city buildings, and even some light installations built into the city streets. I am unable to post pictures (don't have the camera cord to connect to the computer), but I hope to post some when I get home.

Many more competitors are arriving from all over, and the nerves of competition are beginning to set in a bit. I'm about to go try out a few keyboard instruments in the hall to hear how they sound. In all the rush of travel and getting acclimated and exploring a new city, I've almost forgotten the reason I'm here! But with a few hours of practice time tomorrow, I'm sure I'll settle back in to the routine.

A bit about the host home...it's very nice, first of all. It's an old farm house on the edge of town (about 25 minutes from the city center) that's been rebuilt, and it's quite beautiful! Great bed, and a nice shower, too! I'm staying with two other Americans, hosted by Monique, our foster mom, and her Jack Russell terrier, Mickey. All in all, we are being taken care of very well. I'm still tired, but I'll manage...hopefully a longer sleep this evening.

Eindhoven

I made it to Eindhoven, and minus the dreary rain and rather cold temperatures, it's a great city (what I've seen so far)! Travel was overall pretty smooth, though it's never fun. The competition folks are great, and I've met several of the competitors, as well.

We just had some fine Indonesian fare (Indonesia used to be a Dutch colony, and its food is quite popular here), and after a Herbie Hancock concert tonight, I'll finally get to sleep. With only a 7-hour flight that involves dinner and snacks and announcements and whatever, it was hard to get a real full-night's sleep, so I'll crash hard when it's time (hopefully not before).

Tomorrow involves a short (20-minute) practice time, and the rest is up to me, so I'll have to figure out what to do or explore. Thursday is a little more practice time, and Friday is the tour of the Adams Musical Instruments factory.

I have yet to meet my "foster mom" but hear she lives a bit out of the city, which means I'll be traveling in and out of the town by bus most days, I think. I am rooming with 2 other American gentlemen.

That's all for now, more to come...

TROMP!

In about ten hours, I'll be on my way to the Netherlands for the TROMP Percussion Competition and Festival. I will be using this blog as a way to update you on the competition, so feel free to check back often. I hope to have at least a short update each day, if possible. For now, check out the website and read about all the great stuff they've got planned over the next two weeks! Concert after concert, masterclasses, a tour of the Adams factory, an attempt at a world record, and more (that I probably don't even know about).

Travel Schedule:
Indy to Detroit - 7:37PM
Detroit to Amsterdam - 9:50PM (arrive 11:50AM local time)
Should arrive in Eindhoven by about 2:30 or 3:00PM (train)

Thanks to all of you for your support and encouragement. Stay tuned...

Tapspace release!

Tapspace Publications (Portland, OR) just released over 20 new concert percussion works on their website and will have them available at PASIC next week. I don't say this just because one of my works is part of the release, but there are several great new pieces in this bunch! Benjamin Finley's Blade for multi-percussion, and Jim Casella's Joaquin on Sunshine for large ensemble are two of my favorites.

On a side note, Tapspace does an outstanding job with their design, engraving, layout, and all-around detail management, not to mention great customer/artist relations. I'm proud to work with them and encourage any readers who are percussionists to see if Tapspace has anything in store for you!

Boboland

In my trip to IU yesterday, I received a copy of Kevin Bobo's new album, Boboland, and I must say, it's really fantastic! He recorded the entire thing by himself, which is pretty impressive, and the variety of pieces make this CD very fun to listen to. If it's not officially out yet, I'm sure it will be available at PASIC next week in Indianapolis.

It's Real!

I was driving to Bloomington yesterday for a performance, and a surge of memories from the last seven years came rushing over me as I approached the north side of town. As I pondered what it was about driving into Bloomington that made me so emotional, I realized that it brought back traces of comfort. Of home. After all, I lived there for seven years, after only having lived in one other place my whole life (at my parents' in Logansport, IN).

Oh how I long for comforts. And I think this longing for comfort is much of the reason I am nervous about my upcoming trip to the Netherlands for the TROMP International Percussion Competition.

I leave Monday, Nov. 8 for two weeks of percussion competition and festival. Many unknowns still lie ahead, and that makes me very uncomfortable.

I can think of many other times in my life when an important even was approaching that made me a bit anxious, and how I almost always want to come up with a reason NOT to go forward with that event. Whether it was the first year I marched drum corps, or before my first recital. Can't I postpone it a week or two? Surely I'll be ready then.


Similar feelings for the current event. When it stands far off, a month or two or six, it appears from a distance to be this shiny dream with all sorts of great things packed into it. It's not real. It's still 3 months away in the distant month of November. Yeah, it might be a little unsettling, but from far off, all I can see are all the wonderful things that will come out of this experience.

Now only five days away from hitting the road (and the air and the rails), it's starting to feel real. That shakes me up a bit, but as I remind myself to focus on all the reasons I wanted to do this in the first place, I begin to get more excited and less scared. Sure, I don't know any of the other competitors or anyone involved in the festival (including the host family who is putting me up during my stay). Sure, I've never traveled overseas by myself. Sure, I feel pretty unprepared on some of the repertoire. But this experience will nonetheless be one I will never forget, and already I can list several positives that just the preparation has created; I can only imagine what I'll say after the whole thing is over!

And as a couple of my close friends have reminded me, no matter what happens in Holland, whether I blow up in the first round or make it to the finals, I am a child accepted fully by God, through the grace and sacrifice of His son Jesus Christ. How can I not be joyful when I remember that?