Chick’ a’ Bone Checkout

Christan Lindberg’s “Chick’ a’ Bone Checkout” for alto, tenor & bass trombone was premiered by Charlie Vernon ( bass trombone - CSO ) with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra in 2006.  Lindberg, a living legend among trombonists, has been commissioned by the Chicago Symphony Association to compose a piece for Charlie, and the collaboration between two of the greatest trombonists of all time begin. The result was exactly as expected, beautiful melodies combined with rhythmic interludes and an excellent orchestration make this composition a great addition to the trombone solo repertoire.
At the premiere, in Orchestra Hall, the performance received an instant standing ovation, an extremely rare occurrence for a new composition.

New Trombone Collective

The New Trombone Collective consists of 8 world class trombonists from The Netherlands. The members of the group are graduates of the Rotterdam Conservatory and besides their work with the NTC, they are some of the leading orchestral players and soloists from Europe.
Musicality, creativity and a wonderful team spirit are key words when describing the New Trombone Collective. Working closely with composers, the ensemble has commissioned and presented many new works, greatly contributing to the ever needed expansion of the trombone chamber music repertoire. 
In 2005 the first Slide Factory trombone festival took place in Rotterdam under the name “Dutch Trombone Festival”. An initiative of the NTC, the Slide Factory had four more editions since, becoming one of the greatest trombone festivals from around the world.

Warm up routines in the BSO

Trumpet player in the Boston Symphony, Michael Martin created a short video demonstrating the best ways to warm up on the brass instruments. With the collaborations of his colleagues from BSO, Mike presents several extremely (for real) efficient ways to pre-concert warm ups. This video was produced as a promo for the National Brass Symposium, an event created by Mike and  his brother Chris Martin, from the Chicago Symphony, featuring some of the most renowned players in the world.
It is my hope that, especially young students will quickly start incorporating these techniques in their daily routines :)) Enjoy and learn !!

The music of James Stephenson

If you are not familiar with composer James Stephenson's music, you should look him up and get to know his works. A Chicago area composer, his works have been performed by leading American orchestras and around the world. James has been hailed by critics as having “straightforward, unabashedly beautiful sounds” and “Stephenson deserves to be heard again and again!” (Boston Herald).
His compositions range from concertos and sonatas for nearly every wind instrument to the violin and piano. Commissions for solo works have come from principal players in the the symphonies of Chicago, Boston, NY Phil, Philadelphia and Minnesota Orchestra, Washington DC (National), Oregon, Dallas, among others.
Also active as a highly sought-after arranger, Stephenson’s arrangements have been performed/recorded/broadcast by virtually every major orchestra in the country, including the Boston Pops, Cincinnati Pops, NY Pops and more.
Before moving to Lake Forest as a full-time composer/conductor, Stephenson spent 17 seasons with the Naples (FL) Philharmonic as a trumpeter, a position he won immediately upon graduating from the New England Conservatory of Music.
Stephenson is currently enjoying a position of Composer-in-Residence with the Lake Forest Symphony. 
Being a brass player himself, James greatly contributed already to the brass repertoire, composing many solo and chamber group pieces for brass instruments. Looking forward to many more new compositions ! 
http://stephensonmusic.com/

Axiom Brass Quintet

Chicago based Axiom Brass Quintet is one of the great chamber groups representing Chicago and United States around the world today. Winners of multiple national and international awards, such as the prestigious Chamber Music Yellow Springs Competition, the Preis der Europa-Stadt Passau in Germany (both in 2012), the 2008 International Chamber Brass Competition and prize-winners of the 2010 Fischoff Chamber Music Competition, the Plowman Chamber Music Competition, and the Jeju City International Brass Quintet Competition in South Korea, the Axiom Brass is dedicated to enhancing the musical life of communities across the globe and educating the next generation of musicians.
Besides their busy performing schedule, Axiom Brass is committed to the educating of future audiences. For their efforts in the field of education the ensemble was recognized in 2011 with the Fischoff Educator Award.

Axiom is Ensemble-in-Residence at the Music Institute of Chicago, the Boston University Tanglewood Institute and Rush Hour Concerts’ Back of the Yards program. The group performs exclusively on Mutec Mutes and on S. E. Shires trumpets and trombones.

http://axiombrass.com/

Jay Friedman talking about the CSO Brass Style

Priceless information right here !!!!! I have heard so many opinions about why the CSO Brass sounds the way they are, about Arnold Jacobs and Bud Herseth's playing style back in the days when they were in the orchestra... There is quite a bit of confusion out there, at least from what I have experienced, especially about the "loudness" of the CSO Brass. In the following interview, Jay will explain exactly the core ideas and approach of the unique CSO brass section and the legacy they are carrying on after all these years. Highly recommended !

Maniacal 4

The Maniacal 4 Trombone Quartet quickly gained worldwide recognition after their immensely successful YouTube video performing an arrangement of the "Carry On Wayward Son" single, which was originally released in 1976 by the progressive rock band Kansas. Since their initial success the quartet have toured and played concerts on three continents, entertaining audiences with a wide range of styles and time periods. According to their website, "Carry On is Maniacal 4's trombone quartet tribute to the classic rock legends of the 1970s." 
They have been recording and releasing other arrangements of rock singles, from groups such as Queen, Toto, Styx etc. 
Looking forward for more exciting and innovating projects from this great ensemble.
http://www.maniacal4.com/