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)

Here are fourteen ragtime style flute duets - very contrapuntal - equally challenging and fun in both parts - sure to help teenage flute students keep on with their lessons! Below, find some reviews by flute teachers:Here are some reviews for these duets from flute teachers: ByDr. Mom on November 19, 2013 As a flute teacher, I watch for new and interesting music for my students. These Rags are terrific! They are harmonically and musically interesting, introduce a style to the students with which they may be unfamiliar yet has a "jazzy" feel, and are simple enough in range, rhythm and length (they're relatively brief) to be approachable to the intermediate student - a level at which one often needs interesting music to keep them going! - and above. I had one student who is versed in jazz (plays jazz trumpet) who tried to swing these, so I had the opportunity to work with him on how Rags differ from "swung" jazz, which was kind of fun. I feel these duets fill a need in the modern flute studio, and recommend them highly. Something to Rag about - for students & performers a-like! By Em on November 16, 2013 This 12-piece book is a delightful introduction to ragtime for flutists, who usually don't get the chance to play much jazz or "rag" music. What I perhaps enjoy most about the book is, the 2nd flute part has many chances for nice melodic interplay or fun walking bass lines to accompany the 1st flute. (Unlike many duet books that have a rather stagnant bass line for the 2nd flute/accompaniment.) If you are playing with students who are new to the territory, it is a great book to have them develop an ear for jazz chords. You'll need to review how to swing eighths, since that isn't covered here --it's for Intermediate players after all :). The lines should not be incredibly challenging though, and it is presented in such a way that whether up or down tempo, it's still fun to play. I did like playing most of the pieces up-tempo, though! My top favorite pieces are #5- "Forget-Me-Not", #6 - "Cotton Candy Rag", #11 - "High Country Stomp" (it's nice got a nice lilting feel) and #12- "Green Mountain Saunter." There is a great variety, and each piece has a memorable melody. Grab a flutist friend and play these! If you like to have up-beat and playful tunes (especially during these cold winter months) these will warm you up real fast. Hi Patricia,The Ragtime Miniatures for Two Flutes ? Set 1 Intermediate by Patricia Holmberg lends itself to development in rhythmic and reading skills. It offers studies of syncopated rhythms in 4/4 and 12/8. The 12/8 duets support improvement in the student?s triple feel. Also, the changes in meter challenge and support the enhanced reading skills of the student. Furthermore, the chromatic tones offer stylistic colors to the student?s assortment of fingering patterns. Students using the book had a positive response to the melodic content: it was fun to play?a breath of fresh air.Thank you for bringing your book to my attention. We await set two. Phyllis G. Ragtime Miniatures- Intermediate By Jean A. E. on November 7, 2013 This is Intermediate level music, it can satisfy several levels of players, and altho rags come over stylistically the same , these are varied enough . Except for mostly using flat key signatures, and having some confusion in finding your way around repeats and da capos, these are pleasant little works, some of which would make nice concert encores. The only feature I as a performer corrected when my friend and I played them thru was to 8 va some of the too low 2nd parts. Doing this seemed to improve the voicing.So In general, nice work,Pat!!Professional Flutist/ performer Jean A. "Back to School 2015".

Duration: 4:55, Score: 6 pages, Solo part: 1 page, piano part: 2 pages. A very famous aria (Ombra mai fu) from "Xerxes"
Suitable for any venue requiring meditative music. Excellent choice for a recital encore.

Xerxes
Xerxes is, in fact, an opera seria in three acts by Handel. Moreover, Handel conducted the premiere performance in London in 1738. Handel casts the opera in Persia in 470 BC. The part of Xerxes was indeed originally sung by a soprano castrato. Nowadays, the part is generally sung by a mezzo-soprano or conversely a counter-tenor. In the first place, Xerxes sings an opening aria, Ombra mai fu to a plane tree. Handel sets this aria to one of his most truly famous melodies. Although many refer to it traditionally as Handel?s ?Largo,? Handel has, on the contrary, clearly marked "Larghetto" in the score.

Handel Background
George Frideric Handel (1685 - 1759) was born in Germany, but eventually became a British citizen. Nonetheless, he was a famous Baroque composer. In fact, he became famous for his operas, oratorios, anthems, and organ concertos. Handel studied music and, by and large, worked as a composer in Germany and Italy before moving to London. On the whole, Handel was very familiar with the contemporary music of Italy and Germany.

Career in England
It is important to realize that Italian opera was all the rage in England at the time. Moreover, Handel was really good at writing them. Therefore, he started not one but three opera companies in England. Alexander's Feast was a huge success in 1736, but Handel nevertheless began composing English choral works. After success with the Messiah in 1742) he certainly never again wrote an Italian opera. Consequently, he died in 1759, a treasured genius. Accordingly, the English government gave him full state honors at his funeral. Hence, he is buried in Westminster Abbey in London.

Legacy
Music historians agree that Handel was in general one of the greatest composers of the Baroque era. To demonstrate, his works such as the Messiah, Water Music, and Music for the Royal Fireworks remain consistently popular up to the present time. He especially composed the coronation anthem, Zadok the Priest for the coronation of George II. Nevertheless, it has specifically been performed at every succeeding British coronation since. His oratorio Solomon has by all means also continued to be prevalent. As a matter of fact, the Sinfonia from act 3 was featured the 2012 London Olympics opening ceremony. Handel was particularly prolific. To enumerate, he wrote over forty operas. Since the late 1960s, we have expressly experienced a revival of baroque music. Similarly, we have especially seen a pique of interest in historically informed musical performance. Since his death in 1779, interest in Handel's music has, all in all, expanded.



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