What was new at yeodoug.com in 2008?

For more information about the DVD, or to view the interviews of me and Terry Everson, visit my new Opening Ourselves To Grace page.

Phil and enjoyed collaborating on two pre-concert talks on December 20 and 21, introducing the serpent to audiences. Phil played his c. 1840 English military serpent by Francis Pretty and I played my English military serpent by the late Keith Rogers, which is a copy of a Pretty serpent owned by Andrew van der Beek, an original member of the London Serpent Trio; the photo at left was taken in my locker room at Symphony Hall in Boston as we rehearsed and planned our talk. We had such great fun, and I recommend the Revels to anyone who wants to have a very creative, enjoyable evening of entertainment centered around Christmas time.

I will look forward to seeing Phil again in May when I travel to England to take part in the 2009 Serpentarium. My serpentine adventures continue!

In 1997, I had played Simon Proctor's Serpent Concerto with the Boston Classical Orchestra, conducted by its then music director, Harry Ellis Dickson. The BCO is a chamber orchestra, now conducted by Steven Lipsitt, that gives a series of concerts each year in Boston's historic Faneuil Hall. The orchestra has hosted many soloists of "unusual instruments" including a tuba duet, glass harmonica, alphorn and serpent. The venue is intimate and the audience is always very engaged. I approached Steven Lipsitt earlier this year about the possibility of my premiering a new concerto on serpent and, as well, playing a solo on ophicleide. Steven was immediately responsive to the idea and the performances last weekend were a rousing success. Gordon's serpent concerto is the most difficult thing I have ever played on serpent, a tremendous challenge. The orchestra played beautifully and I was especially happy that the composer could make the trip to Boston to enjoy the performances. I also played an aria by Handel, his "O Ruddier Than The Cherry" from the opera Acis and Galatea, on ophicleide, in tribute to the great 19th century ophicleide player, Samuel Hughes, who had popularized the piece in performances with the celebrated Cyfartha Band (Wales) and Jullien's orchestra in the mid 19th century.

The photos on left and right show me in rehearsal with the Boston Classical Orchestra in Faneuil Hall. A special part of the week of rehearsals and concerts was a radio interview I gave in the studios of WBUR, Boston's National Public Radio station, on the nationally syndicated program "Here and Now" with Robin Young. The interview afforded me an opportunity to talk in some depth about the serpent and ophicleide and demonstrate both instruments. The interview is archived on the "Here and Now" website along with photos and a video from the interview.

I was also pleased that the Boston Globe's music critic, Jeremy Eichler, gave the concert a positive review titled, "A serpentine member of orchestras past." Complimentary of not only my own playing but of the orchestra and Gordon Bowie's compositional gift, the review was a generous and satsifying conclusion to a very special week of music making in my home town.

Earlier this month I made a trip to The Netherlands to take part in one of the most memorable trombone events of my career, the Dutch Bass Trombone Open. This event, held near Amsterdam, was the brain-child of three Dutch bass trombonists: Marcel Schott, Erwin Dijkstra and Bert Damsma. I had heard about the first DBTO, held in 2006, where Bill Reichenbach, Ben van Dijk and Csaba Wagner were the artist/teachers. When I was invited to come to the 2008 edition of the DBTO, I was thrilled to hear that my friend Ben van Dijk would be there as well as Phil Teele, one of the great bass trombone players in the west coast studio tradition. The photo at left shows the team, with Bert, Erwin and Marcel (top) with me, Ben and Phil (bottom)

Held in the castle (now converted to a hotel and conference center) Oud Poelgeest, this was one of the best organized and most enjoyable events I have ever been a part of. This is due to the fact that the DBTO team - Marcel, Erwin and Bert - did a fantastic job of organizing the event and providing both faculty and participants with every possible convenience. It was a fast paced but also very relaxed event. In total there were 42 bass trombone players in attendance from 13 countries (the DBTO is very proud to say that, "No tenor trombones were harmed in this event."), and they were divided into two groups. Each group met concurrently with either Phil Teele or with me, and we gave the same sessions to each group. My topics were, "Legato: Unlocking the Mystery" and "One Size Does NOT Fit All." I also gave a session for the whole group on the important subject of ergonomics. I found the participants to be very responsive to all of the comments of the teachers throughout the weekend, and we all interacted very well and collegially. To see a group of players of various playing levels and ages - from students to retired players, from fine players to those who were less accomplished - work together so nicely was a real pleasure. There was no sense of competetiveness between all of us - we were all there to learn, interact and have a good time.

I couldn't possibly mention all of the highlights of the weekend - which went by much too quickly - but here are a few. The food was absolutely fantastic. Oud Poelgeest is a really interesting place to have the event and I enjoyed the architecture of the various buildings and the setting was truly beautiful and inspiring. Seeing Phil Teele in action - his book of pedal tone warm-up exercises is nearly legandary - was a special treat; we became good friends through the weekend. Phil has played on over 1000 movie scores and we enjoyed sharing stories about John Williams and other conductors and composers for whom we have each worked. Being with Ben van Dijk again was wonderful; Ben is one of the most positive people I have ever met and he demonstrated his fine playing at the faculty recital on the first evening. The trombone ensembles were great fun to work with - whether I was conducting (20 bass trombone players in Ben's arrangement of excerpts from Wagner's "Ring Cycle" for bass trombone ensemble - see the photo, right), listening (to Phil conduct an arrangement of music from "The Pirates of Penzance" for 20 bass trombones) or playing (in Bill Reichenbach's "Getting Medieval" played by 41 bass trombonists).

It was also great to see Yamaha (which was a major sponsor of the event), Thein and Atelier Pfeiffer (a leading music shop in The Netherlands) all display instruments and accessories for everyone to try and buy. A special highlight for me was performing as soloist with Brassband Schoonhoven conducted by Erik Jansen. I chose to play several pieces that I recorded on my CD, "Proclamation" including the title track by Gordon Langford and Bill Geldard's "Stella By Starlight" in tribute to George Roberts. A special treat was being asked - at the last minute - to play Joy Webb's "Share My Yoke." The timing of that request was nearly perfect as I had been rehearsing that piece to play at my youngest daughter's wedding a few days after the DBTO. It was very rewarding to hear several participants tell me that my performance of "Share My Yoke" was a highlight of the weekend for them.

In all, the DBTO 2008 was a very satisfying experience in every way. I could not have asked for better hosts, better organization, more responsive participants and a more ideal location for such an event. Happily, there are many ways people can learn about the DBTO - through the Dutch Bass Trombone Open Website (once in the site, click on Fotos and you can see many photos of both the 2006 and 2008 event), on YouTube - search for both Dutch Bass Trombone Open and DBTO, and on the Dutch Bass Trombone Open Facebook site. Thanks again to Marcel, Erwin and Bert for organizing a great event. The next DBTO will be in 2010 and I highly recommend it to all bass trombonists who want to enjoy a weekend of good teaching, playing and collegial interaction with bass trombone players from around the world. Bravo to the DBTO team!

This week, I've been taking part in one of the most interesting and unusual musical performances of my career. Over the summer, we in the Boston Symphony got word of two possible Boston Pops concerts/media projects. They were tentative at first but firmed up just as we were leaving for vacation at the end of August. Both are occurring this week and the first is already under way. Sony is producing a new event with jazz trumpeter Chris Botti and the Boston Pops Orchestra is backing up the concert in Boston's Symphony Hall. Botti is a fine trumpet player - the real deal - and this concert (actually two concerts - one was last night and the other is tonight) is more than just a concert with Botti and his combo. Rather, it is an event full of pop and classical music superstars including Sting, Steven Tyler, Katharine McPhee (of American Idol), John Mayer, Josh Groban and Yo-Yo Ma. It's a "who's who" of American popular culture. Ordinarily these kinds of things don't even appear on my radar screen - I don't have any interest in the "cult of the personality" and most rock and pop music leaves me looking for musical substance elsewhere, but I have to say that this event has been very satisfying in many ways. While the orchestra has its role to play, it's been interesting to be on stage and watch the whole thing unfold - the collaboration between the artists, the way these kinds of pop/rock concerts are produced, and all the rest. The photo to the left was taken from my seat on stage at yesterday's rehearsal and shows Chris Botti (with trumpet, left) with Josh Groban and Sting (Boston Pops conductor Keith Lockhart is also seen, on the right), rehearsing Sting's "The Shape of My Heart." It is a haunting song and easily the highlight of the evening for me.

Look for a CD release of the concert in December, "Chris Botti Live in Boston". A TV show will be on the Public Broadcasting System (PBS) in the USA in March and a concert DVD will also be released at that time. For a slice of American pop culture, this has been a surprisingly enjoyable experience. I'm heading over to iTunes to download some more songs by Sting.

As to the other Pops project this week, it occurs over the weekend and is a "heavy metal" version of Handel's "Messiah." Wow...

When I was nine years old and started playing the trombone, if someone had told me that as a result of playing the trombone, I would have played at a National Football League Superbowl (Superbowl XXXVI), an NBA Finals game, and a Major League Baseball American League Champoinship Series game (Boston Red Sox vs. New York Yankees - the Red Sox won), as well as innumerable other sporting events, I would have told you that you were crazy. But such is my life, full of unexpected blessings and pleasures. Go Celtics! Beat LA!

I can thank my friend, Roger Green, of County Wiltshire, England, for introducing me to the sound of the British Brass Band in the mid 1980s. My interest in this kind of ensemble - which I had never heard or even heard of before Roger introduced me to it - grew over the years and reached a climax when I travelled to England to record my first solo CD, Proclamation with the Black Dyke Mills Band. Several pieces were commissioned for inclusion on that recording and when I asked around the Boston area if there was a brass band with which I might be able to read through the new music, I was introduced to the New England Brass Band. Several years later, when then Music Director William Rollins stepped down from leading the band through its first nine years, I was asked to take over the podium. Initially a bit reluctant due to my already busy schedule, I was persuaded to accept the band's invitation - by my wife, who had for some time wanted a group in which she could play baritone horn. And so began a 10 year collaboration that has far exceeded my wildest thoughts when I first began.

The activities of the band are detailed on the New England Brass Band's website. But a few highlights are worth remembering here. The NEBB has attended the North American Brass Band Association Championships five times (and will return a sixth time in March 2008). In 2004 the band won first place in the "Challenge" section and in 2006 it took first place in the "Honors" section (scroll down on this page to the entries for April 2, 2006 and April 17, 2004, for some commentary on those events). These trips to the NABBA Championships have been rich times for the band as we have prepared to give very special performances. We have also recorded five best selling CDs, the most recent of which, Be Glad Then America, was released in November of this year (see the entry for November 17 on this page); it has subsequently been awarded first place in the 2007 North American Brass Band Association "Recording of the Year" contest. Recorded in Boston's Symphony Hall, these recordings have been one of the great joys of my 10 year collaboration with the NEBB. We have played concerts throughout New England, from the Berkshire Hills of Massachusetts to Gorham, Maine, and dozens of venues in between. A concert at the 2007 International Trumpet Guild Conference, a program in Symphony Hall celebrating the 125th anniversary of the Boston Symphony (where the band was guest conducted by Boston Pops conductor, Keith Lockhart) and a concert celebrating the Golden Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II (sponsored by the British community in Boston) are among other highlights.

Yet the greatest highlights have been our weekly Monday night band rehearsals. These have been memorable times, both musically and socially, when the band gathers to prepare our concert programs. I am so pleased to have been a part of this hard working, talented group of musicians who, without receiving any salary or payment of any kind (I accept no salary, either), bring their best to the band's rehearsals each week. I will miss them. But nothing can go on forever and I feel I am being called to some other activities that simply cannot be squeezed into my schedule as it is currently structured. This is the right decision for the right reasons at the right time, but it is still a bit bittersweet as my wife and I will leave a group that has become such a big part of our lives.

My last concert as Music Director of the New England Brass Band will be on June 1, 2008, at Hope Church in Lenox, Massachusetts (see the band's website for its full concert calendar). As I cut off the last chord of the concert, a flood of memories will come over me as I move to the next stage of my relationship with the NEBB - that of enthusiastic audience member. Until then, we will enjoy our remaining concerts and rehearsals together as we enjoy the conclusion of this 10 year collaboration. Sempre avanti!