The US Army Field Band just completed a 36-day tour of the Southeast. We traveled from Fort Meade, MD, down to Miami and back, giving concerts all along the way. The band spent time in Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, and Alabama. I'll do several posts over the next few days with some of my favorite pictures and highlights from the trip. One of our first hotels of tour, the Hampton Inn of New Bern, offered the band a marquis greeting. We had a very...read more

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Traveling such a beautiful part of the country makes tour go by quickly. Our concert in Daytona Beach was at the Peabody Auditorium, just 1/2 a mile from the Atlantic. The audience loved us and it was a treat to play in a nice hall. I didn't get a chance to take many pictures before or during the concert, but I thought I would offer a glimpse of what the post-concert teardown is like. The band is pretty darn efficient when it comes to clearing out after a show and leaving no trace. All...read more

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After such a long and snow-filled Winter, I'm so glad to see Summer. I've been keeping busy with work but making sure to enjoy the nice weather. Brass Five + 1 celebrated Flag Day, (June 14th), with some local elementary school kids. They enjoyed our patriotic show, and I even gave them a taste of the euphonium with a performance of "Auld Lang Syne." I'm not sure they knew what to make of it, but some of the kids started clapping along with the 2nd variation... don't...read more

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Last week I had the privilege and pleasure of attending the 2010 International Tuba Euphonium Conference (ITEC), in Tucson, AZ. This gathering of low-brass enthusiasts occurs every two years and brings together the best and brightest of our musical community. I attended as a representative of the US Army Field Band. It was an inspirational experience. Below I've highlighted some of my favorite moments. One important function of these conferences is to provide an...read more

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 The US Army Field Band is currently out on a 33 day tour of the Midwest and just hit the halfway mark. So far we have trekked across Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, and Minnesota. The audiences have been great and very enthusiastic. This first picture is from a very cool venue called the Palace Theatre in Marion, OH.  This concert was in a very different kind of location. It was the Madison Park Church of God in Anderson, Indiania. It has to be one of the largest...read more

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The US Army Field Band sent its many chamber group components all across the nation during the last week in February. These mini-tours allowed members of the concert band to perform and interact in a more intimate setting than our large venues generally allow. Since the euphonium is not traditionally an instrument found in common chamber groups, (brass quintets, woodwind quintets, trios), I took the opportunity to strike out on my own and do some solo teaching and performing. I was...read more

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Before the Snowtastrophe struck, I was fortunate enough to attend the 2010 United States Army Band Tuba Euphonium Conference. This fantastic annual event is held at Fort Meyer and provides a wealth of opportunities to perform, hear great live music, and participate in valuable seminars and lectures. One of the best things about the conference is that it brings together musicians from all the Armed Service branches. I'd love to share a few pictures with you. The highlight...read more

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Well, this Texan has experienced her first blizzard. It has been interesting. I'll try to start at the beginning of the past few weeks of winter madness. This picture was taken on Saturday, January 30th. I was on Fort Meyer in D.C. for the annual Army Tuba-Euphonium Conference when the first snowstorm hit. I had to make it back to Maryland that afternoon, so a friend and I got out on the roads and VERY slowly made our way North. For the record, I did...read more

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This lovely, busy Summer is winding down, and I'm eagerly anticipating a fantastic Fall! Here are some highlights from late August through September: After being in the Field Band for a full year, it's nice to no longer be considered a "newbie." Here I am posing with one of our brand new members, Jeannie Wiesman, at her first TUSAFB concert. This gig was our rain-plagued Alumni Concert, that turned out great, despite the weather refusing to cooperate....read more

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The Field Band's second tour this Summer was very special to me because it marked my first time to be playing as a professional in my home state of Texas. I've collected some of my favorite pictures to chronicle events.... This lovely green monstrosity of a government van was my life for four days and 1,360 miles prior to our tour. I volunteered for a duty lovingly known as the "dead-head," where a group of band members and our professional truck drivers convoy with...read more

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