Benediction-Feed Back

[pokefan213]

Hi all,

I thought this was a fitting place to post this, I hope it is. I took part in the New Mexico Music Educators Association All State conference a few months back and we played the beautiful piece, Benediction by John Stevens. I was the Euphonium soloist, and was just putting this out in the hopes of getting feed back. All criticism is welcome

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IBi-E6hdizk

Thanks!

[ColbyFahrenbacher]

Very nice playing! I know this piece in it's tuba-euphonium quartet form. I was not actually aware that there was a version for concert band, and it's quite nice! This is some very beautiful music that works very well for tuba-euphonium quartet, but is also very nice to listen to when it has been flushed out for a full concert band.

In the quartet version, the solo euphonium line is actually in the first tuba part, which I have had the opportunity to play. It's a lot of fun of play, not technically challenging, but difficult in it's own way. When I played it, the last note before the ensemble comes in for the first time didn't speak! That's what I get for trying to play it so quiet!

You play the solo quite well, and there is only one comment I would make, and you can certainly disagree and take it with a grain of salt. I hear the solos as very somber, rich and dark. So, I think you could have taken more time everyonce in a while and not rushed through it as much. You also have a very nice vibrato, and it is clear that you have worked hard on it and have good control over it. That said, I think you could have toned it back a bit. A little bit of vibrato, not quite as fast, maybe a touch wider would fit in well with the "rich and dark" idea. The word "benediction" makes me think of a Catholic mass, and a few that I have attended, the cantor is usually even-toned (note: not vibrato). I think going that far is too much, but somewhere in the middle of lots and no vibrato. Your sound is a little bright for my tastes, but I am a tuba player, so I pretty much always want it darker

Again, bravo!

[pokefan213]

Thank you so much for the kind words!

And the criticism was very constructive too! I definitely agree that my vibrato wasn't what it should have been, and I rushed it a bit. I think it probably had something to do with nerves, this was my first big solos in an ensemble setting like this.

[ColbyFahrenbacher]

I meant to ask if nerves had been a problem at all, since that's pretty common and can easily have affected a few of the things I pointed out. Glad to hear that your first big solo with an ensemble went well! Trust me, it'll get easier from here on out as long as you keep at.