Back in Victoria

Well, after spending a month back at home, I've returned to Victoria. I must say, it was nice to be back for Christmas, but it is also nice to be back in Victoria. I tried to fit Megan into my luggage, but it was a tough fit, and she refused to go in the trombone case with my horn. But I was able to fit in the tea press and tea leaves that she bought me for Christmas, so at least I was able to bring home some of my Christamas gifts. My brother decided to give me the Complete Calvin and Hobbes Collection, which is 3 gargantuan hardcover texts of funny. However, that doesn't go so well as carry-on luggage. At least I have clean clothing, so I don't have to do that for a while around here... stupid apartment washing machines...

I wasn't as out of shape as I thought when I started to practice yesterday. The reduced practice schedule I was doing over the holidays keep me at a good level, so I should have no problem being in top form for my auditions for the National Youth Orchestra (http://www.nyoc.org/) at the end of the month. Little nervous about it, since my first actual audition experience was for the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra, and I was slightly traumatized by the event.

I'm a little more concerned right now with my sore throat. The day after I got back, it started to feel raw, so I figure that any sort of virus that was floating around the apartment mutated, and now I'm screwed because I am no longer immune. Hopefully this doesn't progress into a full blown cold, as I do not function well with a DayQuil/NyQuil infused body.

I had a brass quintet rehearsal sprung on me without notice yesterday. It all went well, but it would have been nice to have met before we went in to rehearse with our coach, who happens to be a former member of the American Brass Quintet, and the New York Philharmonic too. Kind of intimidating. Anyways, this group of ours is trying to work out a tour of some sort over to the mainland, and the responsibility has fallen upon me to create a new program for school concerts. Pissed me off, actually, as it seems no one else in the group is interested in anything other than the money we'd be paid. They want to play, but beyond that, there is zero input. I like making decisions and all, but it would be nice if I didn't have to do it all on my own. This thought process led to my reminiscing about my former brass quintet, for which this blog is named. At least Kick in the Brass worked more like a democracy; we knew what we wanted to do, and everyone had ideas on how to get to that goal.

Kick in the Brass

I've got ideas now for this new quintet, but it seems that I am left to my own devices to making them work. The "hook" that I'm working on is "Music of the World", which would allow for the quintet to perform various musical styles, stemming from different locals of the world. I have literature from a Russian composer, the classic arrangements of Beatles songs for British rock in the 60s, and Hockey Night in Canada. One of our trumpet players is Cuban, so he was trying to find something authentic for us, but otherwise, I'm on a music search. It isn't easy trying to design a concert program for kids. It gets even harder when you have to try and not repeat what you've done in the past. I guess I want to keep that stuff for myself. Kick in the Brass was one group, and I think that I don't want to share that with another.

Anyways, I think that I've done enough "blogging" for today. I have not done anything that exciting since I've been back, so it makes for some pretty boring reading on the blog. That, and I need to quit slacking off and go to the school and claim a practice room for the next 4.5 hours!