Euphonium.com

Happy New Year to many of you. I am sorry for the long delay in writing, but I am finally going to do a better job of keeping things up to date...really. I have a lot of interesting things happening, so I will try to put up weekly updates.

So in January, I got to go spend 10 days in Portugal and Spain. The trip to Porto, Portugal with Sergio Carolino was GREAT fun. I had a full day of travel via NY City and Madrid, but finally got to Porto and it was great to Sergio's smiling face. We had about 10 students from all over Portugal, the conservatories, military bands, and enthused players. We also put together a fun concert with Sergio's euphonium tuba ensemble, How Low Can you GO?? It was great fun to play Pantomime and Rodrigio's famous Concerto Aranjuez with the group. They will be releasing a CD in a few months and I am sure it will be GREAT!!

I then had a very fun flight on a small propeller plane from Lisbon to Valencia...wow I have not been on a plane this small in YEARS!!

I was honored to see again my great friends from the Spanish Brass for their 3 day festival, Spanish Brass Surround Torrent. It takes place outside Valencia and it was a great festival as well. 12-13 students with some coming from Tenerfie as well as most from around Valencia. I made some great new friends and my thanks to the Spanish Brass and Juanjo Munera from the Band in Bilboa. A great player and a great friend. I also got to hear the amazing Spanish Brass again as well as meet some new friends including the trombone brothers Urrecho. Two funny and great players.

The students did GREAT work and really helped me with my Spanish skills and I they were quick to make some wonderful progress. I also got to work with a budding young composer.

Spain has great euphonium talent and I look forward to going back.

Lastly, a HUGE Kudos to the German Brass...it has been almost 10 years since the last concert I heard from them and they still amaze me...I wanted to go practice immediately!!