Thursday, August 26, 2010

Studio Party

Hello all.
The studio party for this semester is this Sunday at 3:00 pm out at our house. All you need to bring is your good looks, charm, and personalities - we will supply the rest. If you can't make it until later, this is perfectly fine. Directions to my house has changed a little because of construction. Here they are:

- Take Broomfield Rd. East (towards Midland)
- Cross over Interstate 127
- You come up on a stop light. This is Summerton Rd.
Normally you would keep going straight, but the next two miles of road are under construction.
- Turn RIGHT on Summerton Rd.
- Go one mile
- Turn LEFT on Deerfield Rd.
- Go one mile
-Turn RIGHT on Leaton Rd.
- Drive 3/4 of a mile, my house is one the left.
The address is:
5611 S. Leaton Rd.

The house is white with green shutters and green roof.
For you older people, the barn is NO LONGER there!

If you go too far, the road dead-ends in another 1/4 mile, it dead-ends into the interstate.


If you have dietary issues (vegetarian, allergies, etc.), please let me know.

And - NO ALCOHOL!!!

See you all this Sunday (8/29/10)

The Drs Cox

Friday, August 13, 2010

Welcome Back!

Hello all.
Hope your summer has treated you well! Ours, obviously, has been hectic, with many trips to Grand Rapids. I have gotten to know that route more than I had ever wanted to. Sarah is doing well, for the most part. Back in July (the day before my birthday - a great present!) her Leukemia was in remission. Though wonderful news, the doctors continue on as if she still has cancer. More on this later.

This looks to be an exciting semester, and year, coming up. We will be hosting, with WMU and Dr. Swoboda, the Midwest Tuba and Euphonium Conference here at CMU in March. An event I am really excited about having on campus. Now, it is not in place yet, Dr. Swoboda is working on it, but I think the guest artists will be the President's Band top quartet. We had them at the Falcone Festival a couple of years ago and they were great! We also have a new interim trumpet professor. As most of you know, after 40+ years teaching here at CMU, Dr. Horton retired. We had a large pool of qualified candidates apply for the one-year position, and am glad to announce that Dr. Edward Phillips will be filling in. He is such a qualified candidate, that if he applies for the permanent position, I am fairly sure he will be one of the ones being considered for it.

As to the Brass Band, the brass faculty are in full support of keeping it going. There are several options we are looking in to, but I can't discuss them at this time. We want to get together as a full body (all four brass teachers) and discuss it in detail next week. So please be patient.

As to lessons this year, here is where it gets a little complicated. I will have to take Sarah down to out-patient clinic either on Monday or Thursday, depending on the week (in a few weeks, we go from every week, to every 10 days, thus the rotation). So, I will be teaching my lessons ALL day Tuesday and Wednesday. I will coaching CF and other groups on Fridays. I have the lesson schedule up on my bulletin board, so please stop by and sign up - first come, first served. And lessons DO start the first week of school. As to Thursday studio classes, the days that I have to be out of town to GR, we will still have Tuba/Euph ensemble. We have, I believe, six seniors conducting this year, so they will be conducting on those days (we will treat them as if I have a faculty meeting - like we have done in the past). The other Thursdays that I am here, I will either conduct or critic the seniors who are conducting.

Seniors who are conducting - please stop by my office ASAP and pick out the music that you want to conduct. If it is something that I have to order, stop by even sooner!

Freshmen - make sure to introduce yourself to anyone hold a tuba (or sousaphone) or euphonium (and everyone else, introduce yourself to them). If you need anything from me, please call me, in the evenings, at home (989.828.6481). Don't forget your:
- tuner
-music
-metronome
-Instrument
-valve oil
- slide grease
- and an MP3 player, if you have one (you will want to load it up with tuba and euphonium music).

Studio party - we will have the yearly studio party sometime in the first week or two of school. As usual, we will have to work around the marching band schedule (the first game is 9/2/10). Food, games, and maybe a movie at my house.

Concert Band Audition - please remember to prepare something for Professor Williamson for you concert band seating auditions. The auditions usually take place in the first week of classes. He likes something that compares and contrasts (slow and melodic combined with technique. It can be be two or more different works, etudes, etc. performed for him).

OK, I think that is it for now. Buckle up. The crazy ride begins soooon.

See you all shortly.

Dr. Cox