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Thread: THE SUMMIT: JTJ, FSUNG, and SNORLAX

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    Indianapolis area
    Posts
    1,003

    THE SUMMIT: JTJ, FSUNG, and SNORLAX

    NB: Moderators, please feel free to move this, if you wish, to a better place.
    I'm putting it here because we discussed (what else?) EUPHONIUM BRANDS.

    I just returned to Indianapolis after five days in Chapel Hill, NC visiting my mother. Of course, I also wanted to meet Felix (FSUNG) and John (JTJ), who live in the area.

    As it turns out, Felix's church, home of the famous euphonium tests, was only TEN MINUTES from my mother's condo!! This church has beautiful acoustics; the congregation is fortunate to have a building that so enhances worship.

    I PM'd John and Felix, and they were gracious enough to agree to meet me at the church. John, who is recovering from surgery, brought his Mirafone 5050 and Felix brought his Sterling Virtuoso and a double-bell euphonium. I had my Willson 2905 and Elliott setup. Felix also brought 67,583,096 mouthpieces for me to plug in!!

    While I certainly enjoyed playing Felix's Virtuoso, I was absolutely blown away by the Mirafone 5050!! It took EVERYTHING I could give it and responded beautifully...high, low, loud, soft, staccato, legato. Simply amazing instrument! I don't know if they are all so responsive or whether John's was especially fine, but I intend to find out if I can move my 2905. I also enjoyed playing "stupid bell tricks" on the double-bell, which had been modded to use a large-shank mouthpiece.

    Of all the mouthpieces that Felix brought, I was most struck by the Demondrae Thurman model and the "Wedge" mouthpiece. The Thurman I found to be very responsive, but I shall reserve judgment about the "wedge." I found it more responsive if I put it 90 degrees out of phase

    Then we sat down to play some trios/duets that Felix arranged. They are beautiful arrangements that fit the euphonium perfectly.

    John and Felix are great players; it was an honor to join them! As if that were not enough, they arranged and facilitated our "summit." They were both very welcoming and accomodating to a stranger whom they knew only under the "nom de forum" of a Pokemon character!

    So...THANK YOU BOTH, John and Felix!! You made my week!
    And thanks to Dave for providing a forum that makes such "summits" possible!!

    PS--to see the fotos fully, you may have to close the side bar...just hit the "hide" button! Sorry; not sure how to shrink 'em and post 'em here--I just linked to them from my son's photobucket account.

    Jim W.




    Fsung, Snorlax, and JTJ in action!



    The Mouthpiece lineup (wedge at right end; look carefully at the rim!)








    Jim Williams N9EJR (love 10 meter CW)
    Formerly Principal Euphonium in a whole
    bunch of groups, now just a schlub.
    Shires Q41, Yamaha 321, 621 Baritone
    Wick 4AL, Wessex 4Y, or whatever I grab.
    Conn 50H trombone, Blue P-bone
    www.soundcloud.com/jweuph

  2. #2

    THE SUMMIT: JTJ, FSUNG, and SNORLAX

    It was great to meet you as well and blow a few notes together, Jim. I look forward to hooking up again in the not-too-distant future.

    Jim has a wonderful, seemingly effortless, high register that I would just about kill for.
    A couple more pics from the summit and an audio clip of the hymn Sandon, by Charles Henry Purday. I'll extract and post a few others when I have time.

    Speaking of the Wedge mpc, for those who may be interested, I'll be posting a preliminary review of the Wedge mpc shortly. In the meantime, you can read about the Wedge mpc here.
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails IMG_1831.JPG   IMG_1832.JPG  

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    West Palm Beach, FL
    Posts
    3,853

    THE SUMMIT: JTJ, FSUNG, and SNORLAX

    Nice pics and sound file. You guys sound good!!

    Thanks for sharing.
    Rick Floyd
    Miraphone 5050 - Warburton BJ / RF mpc
    YEP-641S (recently sold)
    Doug Elliott - 102 rim; I-cup; I-9 shank


    "Always play with a good tone, never louder than lovely, never softer than supported." - author unknown.
    Symphonic Band of the Palm Beaches
    El Cumbanchero (Raphael Hernandez, arr. Naohiro Iwai)
    Chorale and Shaker Dance
    (John Zdechlik)

  4. #4

    THE SUMMIT: JTJ, FSUNG, and SNORLAX

    Gotta second Felix's comment on Jim's high register. Effortless ultra-high concert E flat and F's, with great core and no air. I think he was channeling Dorsey the day we played together.

    Yep, the Miraphone just gets better and better.

    John

  5. THE SUMMIT: JTJ, FSUNG, and SNORLAX

    How awesome to meet and play together! Great pics, arrangements and sound.

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