Seriously. I don’t. This has been a topic that I’ve been thinking about a lot the past few months. In the Navy, I have worked with all levels of musicians, from people barely able to play their instruments (thank goodness not at the band right now!) to people who have advanced degrees from major music […]
No, this post is not what you think. At work we just finished up the Virginia International Tattoo. Just like last year’s show, it was a very fun week, but exhausting! Here’s the video of our performance: Unfortunately this particular performance that the VIT chose to post to the Youtube page is our worst performance! […]
As I type this, there is a foot of snow on the ground outside, and it’s still falling. Â While this was normal up in Rochester, it is practically Armageddon down here in Virginia. Â Ben even got the day off, and it must be bad if the Navy Exchange is closed. Â Anyway, I thought I would […]
Well, another year in the books. Â This year went by very fast! Â I think its true, that the older you get, the faster time goes. Â I kind of wish that it was the other way around. Â Not that I hated my childhood, I just think that adulthood is way more fun. Lets see, what happened […]
So lets see…its been almost three years since I’ve taken any kind of audition.  Wow that’s crazy!  Time has flown by since I’ve been in the Navy.  Tomorrow I’m headed to Washington, D.C. once again to be one of the probably hundred clarinetists to take the President’s Own audition.  This time is going to be quite […]
I’ve noticed something in my musical life the past couple years. Â Either I have nothing to practice, or too much to practice. Â Right now, I have too much! Â Between WWQ stuff at work, VWS, and the President’s Own audition in December (just about 5 weeks away), I’m feeling a little overwhelmed. Â Overwhelmed mostly because I […]
This is a little bit of a rant, so brace yourself. Why is it that the world seems to have terrible rhythm? Â Or at least it seems to lately. Â I have been noticing as of late how many of my students and people that I play with have issues with rhythm/tempo. Â As a product of […]
As of my last post, my schedule was pretty ridiculous…I was not looking forward to being so busy. Â Well, since my last post, our awesome congress decided to let the government shut down. Â Luckily, we are still being paid, but there’s no money for gas for our vehicles to get to gigs! Â So we are […]
Lately I’ve been struggling to be motivated to practice something that’s not ensemble music. Â Because, let’s be honest, that stuff doesn’t always make you better (unless its Grainger’s Molly on the Shore! Â Haha…I played the solo part a few weeks ago at a wind ensemble concert – talk about sweating bullets!). Â But finally some great […]
This week was the first week of official band camp for the kids I’m working with at a local high school in Virginia Beach. This is no joke for them, 10 hours a day Monday through Friday!! And they get to do it again next week. Â I get exhausted just thinking about it. Anyway, most […]
Sandy Herrera, Clarinet