The Clef Studies by Vladislav Blazhevich, composed in 1925 are a staple of the Trombone repertoire. Their quality is superb, not only for teaching the clefs, but solid technique and musical style as well.

Karl Lyden has brilliantly arranged Three Studies for Trombone Quartet inspired by the Blazhevich Clef Studies for Trombone based on numbers 56, 54 and 65 (subtitled Five Etude having a funk feel to it). They are very musically interesting, rhythmically challenging and fun to perform.

Here is a description of the Three Studies by arranger Karl Lynden:

"The seed for the Blazhevich Three Studies for Trombone Quartet came from my desire to write for my trombone quartet during undergraduate studies at Nebraska-Lincoln. I was tinkering with study No. 64 from Blazhevich?s Clef Studies for Trombone book and began to imagine pulsating trombone chords and ostinatos. The original was in 5/8 so I dubbed that arrangement ?Five Etude?.

Several years later, I had similar experiences with two other works from the book (No. 54 and 56). For the latter No. 56, I originally imagined it as a mournful duo between trombone and cello. I then flushed out the implied harmony to allow for four trombones.

No. 54 is more harmonically dense with an active bass line. It should be played majestically but come to rest in a subsided manner.For all three studies, I deviate slightly from the written form. However, the melody always remains constant as a means of generating new textures, harmonies, and rhythms. My hope is that trombonists in quartets will experience these familiar etudes in a new light."

Audiences will love this clever arrangement of the classic holiday novelty song Nuttin' for Christmas arranged for trombone trio. Requires solid technique and intonation, but not that challenging for good high school players. Adult ensembles will get a kick out of it too! Full of humor and unexpected twists, this work will be the highlight of your Christmas concert! Anthony Giamanco is a member of ASCAP. His many piano, organ,choir, and chamber works are in the catalogs of numerous publishers includingGIA, Shawnee Press, Alfred, Augsburg Fortress, Lorenz, and others. His piecesalso can be purchased through sheetmusicplus.com and JW Pepper. Anthony's musiccan be heard on his website, anthonygiamanco.com, and on YouTube. Contact info:tony@shalomlife.org.

My first season with the Oregon Symphony was 1962-1963. I was so excited when I was told that I was accepted into the Portland Symphony (now Oregon Symphony), I danced and jumped up and down. I can still see myself. Its was like winning the Powerball. I was only 17 years old. What is equally amazing is that 45 years later I retired from a career that very few people can ever experience. I was bass trombonist my first year in the Oregon Symphony and was principal trombonist my third year. I also traveled with the New York Metropolitan Opera National company for 84 weeks as principal trombonist and was bass trombonist of the Portland Opera for 18 years. I played in the Peter Britt Orchestra for two seasons and also in the Anchorage, AK. music festival. I was a scholarship winner to Tanglewood in Lenox, Mass. and the National Music Camp in Interlochen, Michigan. I was privileged to perform with Leopold Stowkowski and Erik Leinsdorf. None of this would have been possible without my early training with the Portland, Youth Philharmonic under the leadership of maestro Jacob Avshalomov.

I have met many famous people and have played the world's greatest music. The Oregon Symphony music directors and conductors have been magnificent and have each brought many special talents to the orchestra. I remember special concerts featuring Jack Benny, Danny Kaye, Isaac Stern, Leonard Rose, and many others.

During my time in the Oregon Symphony I developed a hobby of making batons for some of the conductors who visited our orchestra. Most recently, I made batons for Itzhak Perlman, James DePreist, Carlos Kalmar, Riccardo Mutti, Murry Sidlin, Hannu Lintu, Karel Mark Chichon,

Andre Watts, and many others.

Since establishing the Alan Pierce Piano Service in 1976, I have tuned pianos for the Oregon Symphony, Andre Watts, Lawrence Leighton Smith, James DePreist, Murry Sidlin, Norman Leyden as well as for many churches, schools and prominent piano teachers. Most recently I tuned the piano in the home of world famous Janet Guggenheim. One of my most special memories was an all expense paid trip to Scottsdale, Arizona to tune the piano of a prominent surgeon. While in Arizona, I had the chance to spend time with the late James DePreist who had a home in the area. For two summers, I also served as piano technician for the Sunriver Music Festival I am currently the president of the Reno chapter of the Piano Technicians Guild.

Most recently I got to meet Geoge Curran, bass trombonist of the New York Philharmonic. My wife and I traveled two times to hear him perform my Romanza and Scherzo for bass trombone and piano. What a thrill to hear a world famous trombonist perform my music. I am very honored that George Curran recorded my music on his latest CD. (Vital Signs)

Ralph Sauer's landmark new work, Practice With Bach, will challenge your technique and musicality with demanding new études. Based on the keyboard works of J. S. Bach, each of the Three Volumes is available in five different versions--Alto Trombone, Tenor Trombone, Bass Trombone, Euphonium, and Tuba. Each version is customized for the individual instrument (choice of key, range, ornaments, etc.).



Tenor trombonists will find that the Alto version is excellent for high register practice and alto clef reading. Likewise, Tenor trombonists can use the Bass version for low register work.



Bass trombonists will find excellent material in the Tenor version for work in the upper register and tenor clef reading. The Euphonium version is in the same key as the Tenor version, but all in bass clef, with many more trills added. The Tuba version is in the same key as the Bass version, also with more trills.



Volume One contains Twenty-four études in all keys, based upon preludes from The Well-Tempered Clavier.and#65279;

German - English.

This volume is the result of 20 years of teaching experience and is aimed at both beginners and advanced trombonists. Klaus Bruschke provides a wealth of material for daily practising as well as various exercises on the following themes: Breathing .- buzzing .- tonguing .- coordination and velocity .- intervals .- thirds .- arpeggios .- dotted notes .- chromaticism .- legato .- dynamics .- intonation.

Asturias or Leyenda (Legend) named by the composer is a 6-minute work originally written in 1892 for the Piano as part of a three-movement suite entitled Chants d'Espagne. The work is actually best known in its very popular guitar rendition.

The music is in the Andalusian flamenco style A-B-A with a malagueña as the B section.

Karl Hinterbichler has worked some technical magic with his new arrangement for Trombone Quartet. Advanced performers will have a great time working out this mesmerizing piece of music.

Phil Brink's new work for unaccompanied Bass Trombone is in three contrasting movements:

1. Harmonies - subtitled "The Trombone Strikes Bach" is pensive in mood and in the style of an Unaccompanied Prelude by Bach.



2. Balooze - subtitled "A Sort of Soliloquoy" is in a swung blues-style including a free cadenza-like introduction. It also includes a foot tapping accompaniment and multiphonics, reminiscent of Bernstein's Mippy II.



3. Rhythmus - "Movement At High Speed", the finale is in a Presto tempo with lots of technical wizardry for the performer.

This very fine work of about 7-minutes in length is appropriate for advanced performers.

The Bordogni vocalises have been used by generations of low brass performers to learn legato technique, phrasing, endurance, bel canto style, expression, and breath control. They sound beautiful and are fun to play!

Ran Whitley has beautifully arranged another ten of the Melodious Etudes, numbers 41-50 for Trombone Quartet. All in bass clef, these are appropriate for intermediate to advanced performers. The entire melody line is in part 1 with parts 2, 3, and 4 accompanying.

A creative and thorough way to warm-up and keep your chops in shape in less than 30 minutes daily!

Description
The Warm Up is an integral component of every brass player?s daily practice. Brass teachers have always been at odds as to what a good warm-up should consist of. My teacher Claude Gordon believed that there should be no prescribed warm-up, as the first notes of the day would fill that need. Others believe in a set warm-up that is done the same every day and never changes. And then there are those teachers who believe a warm-up should cover every aspect of playing, sometimes lasting two hours or more. I end up in the middle of all this with The Progressive Warm-Up.