Random Monday: Disconnects, Disciplines and Dystonia

An interview with Eric Reed
Angela Cordell Bilger interviews the newest horn player in the Canadian Brass, Eric Reed.

So I find it interesting to get the perspective of someone who is near the beginning of his career, to see what themes are developing in his professional life, and to find out what is important to him. What emerged, in this conversation at least, was balance – balancing performance with education, interaction, and community engagement; as well as finding balance in one’s own life – making space for friends, family, and down time around the busy-ness of a very full performance schedule.

A grave disconnect
It is good to see that more educators are recognizing the great disconnect between the music education system in America and the job market.

Chops of steel
Derek Wright writes about his allergies to mouthpiece plating and his experience with a stainless steel mouthpiece rim.

A rite of passage
For a variety of reasons, every young professional should perform (and take seriously) children’s concerts as a part of their early experience. As music education programs in America dwindle, this may very well be the last bastion of hope and inspiration for the future of the profession.

Applying weight training principles
I enjoyed these reflections from David Wilken on “Pumping Brass” that emphasize the importance of rest and variety in a practice routine.

Brass players may be interested in Pursell’s discussion of the difference between building strength and building endurance, both of which are important to good brass playing.  Athletes use different training principles to guild one or the other, depending on their particular goals.  If the weight training is being used to build strength, heavier weights are used with fewer repetitions.  For building endurance the athlete will train with lighter weights, but use more repetitions.

In my mind, this also seems to verify the validity and careful use of the P.E.T.E. embouchure device.

Yikes!
I am not sure what this is but it looks like an essay on the French horn, rife with inaccuracies. This is a good lesson on the importance of good research and good grammar.

The complicated orchestral coronet French horn was an invention formed upon early sport horns. Horns were initial used as musical instruments during 16th century operas. During the 17th century, modifications to the bell finish (larger and flared bells) of the horn were done and the cor de chasse, or French horn as the English called it was born.

The initial horns were monotone instruments. In 1753, a German musician called Hampel invented the equates to of requesting mobile slides (crooks) of assorted length that altered the pass of the horn.

A story about dystonia
At Walk in Beauty, a personal journey with embouchure dystonia is shared.

Random video

Today’s random video is devoted to one, solitary video that I highly recommend watching.

It is an hour-long video on dystonia and the latest field research. Dr. Peter Iltis is a Professor of Kinesiology at Gordon College and is also a French horn player and inventor of the Iltis Dampfer Mitt.

I am still working on digesting all the information in this video myself and hope to devote a separate article to some of its major points at a later date.

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