Fall 2015 CF Auditions - tuba players, I have put a folder in your Dropbox with the CF audition music. There is also an instruction sheet in the folder. Let me know if you have any questions about either - Dr. Cox

MWRTEC Update

Studio,

Here is where we are with MWRTEC:

- The school booked rooms at the Holiday Inn Express right near the conference. You should be able to walk back and forth without a car to each place. I will be staying at a hotel 13 miles away (cheaper-I am paying for my own room), so I won't be in your hotel.

- The school funded three cars. You will be reimbursed AFTER the conference. I will have to give them a list of who drove, then they will send you a check.

- The SOM IS GOING to pay for the conference fees (actually, I am paying for them and will get reimbursed by the school). So all you really need money for this trip is food (unless you are driving).

- As to the concert, don't forget:

 - Men: tie and jacket (preferably NOT black and white)

 - Women: Pant suit for dress (professional attire)

- As to cars, you will need to work with Zoe and your driver on that. I am leaving Thursday morning for the conference. If you need me to take an instrument down (no room in a car), let me know and make sure I have it by Thursday.

OK, that is it for now. See you in Bowling Green.

Dr. Cox

Mirafone Euphoniums

Studio,
I am missing a couple of Mirafone euphoniums and wanted to see who has them. On my list, I only have one person who has checked one out, but there are none in the storage room (there should be two more, but they are not there). If you have one and are not using it, just drop it off at the front office and leave a Post-It with my name on it. Also, send me an email to my cox1ms@cmich.edu account if you do have one.

Thanks.

Dr. Cox

Rehearsal reminder

Last MWRTEC rehearsal- tonight at 9:00 pm. See you there. 

Thanks. 

Dr. Cox

2nd CF Auditions

Tubas,
This email is for you. Since Joey Woolcox will graduating this spring, the low tuba seat (Tuba 2) will be open. We will, most likely, be holding auditions during finals week. There is a folder in each of your DropBox folder that has the four pieces that need to be prepared for the audition:

- Russian Sailor's Dance - Gliere
- Power - Stevens
- Ave Maria - Bruckner
- Canzona and Song - Isaac


If you are interested in auditioning, please let one of the CF members know. Most likely the auditions will be on Wednesday of finals week (May 6th). But, if some of the auditionees are already out of town, then we may have to either move it earlier or later (first week of school in August). We would like it earlier, so that whoever wins has the summer to learn the book. Any questions, please stop by and ask me, or, talk to a CF member.

Thanks,
Dr. Cox

Rooms for evening rehearsals

Rooms for the evening Tuba and Euphonium Ensemble rehearsals:

Rooms scheduled below:

April 26, 8pm-10pm - RM 156

April 27, 9pm-11pm - RM 155

May 4, 9pm-11pm - RM 155

Thanks,

Dr. Cox

End of the year concerts and rehearsals

Studio,
Please get these dates and times into your calendars:

- 21 April (Tuesday) - 11:00 am, studio rehearsal, Room 155
- 24 April (Friday) - 7:00 pm, Studio recital - Presby
- 26 April (Sunday) - 8:00 pm, MWRTEC rehearsal - Room: TBA
- 27 April (Monday) - 9:00 pm, MWRTEC rehearsal - Room: TBA
- 30 April (Thursday) - 8:00 pm, Faculty Brass Quintet concert: Presby
- 1 May (Friday) - 5:00 pm, Joey Woolcox senior recital: Presby
- 5 May (Tuesday): 9:00-5:00 - JURIES!!!
          - Times assigned so far: 9:30-Bruce; 10:10-Razminas; 1:25-Westendorf; 1:35-Molands; 3:00-McCracken
         - The rest of you - PLEASE - stop by Dr. Lindahl's door and sign up for a time!!! NOW!!!
- 15 May (Friday): 5:30 pm - Mark Cox and Chris Blaha - shared recital at MWRTEC (BGSU)
- 16 May (Sat): 3:30 pm - BGSU _MWRTEC Performance!!!

As to the studio recital, I still need more information from:

  - Ciarra: Pianist???
  - Alex: Arranger/Editor???
  - Greg: ALL INFORMATION IS MISSING


I think I got everything. If I forgot something, I will email you an update as soon as I find out.

Thanks,
Dr. Cox

Studio for 4/7/15

Today,
Bring ONLY your MWRTEC music to my office for studio. We will be singing our music to get the rhythms down. See you at 11:00.
Dr. Cox

Scale Day Postponed

Studio,
Normally I would never postpone such an important day. But with Ralph Sauer here today (former principal trombone with The Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra) giving a masterclass and performing for us, I want to postpone scale day to another day (TBA). So today, head to Staples at 11:00 am for the trombone masterclass/performance (no instruments). Mr. Sauer will be on stage from 11:00-1:00. If you have a class at noon, then you should go. But, if you are free at noon, please STRONGLY consider staying.

Thanks,
Dr. Cox

Studio recital info and MWRTEC update

Hello all.

I hope you had a restful and relaxing spring break. These next weeks will go by fast, so buckle up. Well, I finally got to schedule a studio recital for this semester. The date and time for the recital:

- April 24th at 7:00 at the Presby.

This is the final Friday night of the last full week of school. If you have a conflict, please check with it and see if you can get out of it. If not, come talk to me to see what your options are.

As to MWRTEC, I still don't know when the ensemble is going to perform! They made up a schedule last week and left OUR ensemble OFF of it. I wrote back asking why. Just a mistake on their end. But, I still don't know when we are going to perform. I sent a reminder email to them and am still waiting for their response. As soon as I hear, I send out an email.

OK, see you tomorrow at studio.

Dr. Cox

Studio - 20 January

Everyone -
 Please bring your INSTRUMENTS today! We are going to be reading some of the music we are playing at MWRTEC. We are in room 230.

Thanks,
Dr. Cox

Studio for 13 January 2015

Studio,
We will be holding our first studio class of the semester today at 11:00 am in Room 230. Most of you do not need to bring an instrument. I have asked Brandon Bruce to play today, and would like one volunteer from the group. Please send me an email (cox1ms@cmich.edu) if you are interested.

Thanks,
Dr. Cox

Change of venue for tonight

Studio,
There was a double-booking tonight for Staples, so we will start at 7:00 pm in Room 157. At 8:00 pm, we will move over to Staples to finish off the night. Please be READY TO GO at 7:00 pm, NOT walking in at that time!

Thank you and see you soon,
Dr. Cox

Lesson cancellation for 11/5/14 (Wed)

Studio,
After last night's concert I felt a significant tickle in my throat. And after being so run down over the last couple of weeks, I really can't afford to get sick with my recital a week away. Having said that, I am calling in a sick day and will not be at the office. If you need me, send me an email and I will get back to you (if I am not napping). Sorry. For those with lessons, please use the time to practice your Tuba/Euph ensemble music.

Thank you,
Dr. Cox

Dropbox and my solo music

Studio,

As some of you know, I've decided to try a new way of getting solo music out of my studio and into your hands. Since I am scanning most of my music for the ITEA S&E project, it dawned on me that this would be an easier(?) way of getting music to you. Here is what I trying:

- When you want music, come into my office and look through the music just as you did in the past.

- When you find the music you want, put the title/composer on a Post-It and give it to me.

- If the music is already scanned, then I will place it in your Dropbox folder (more on that in a minute). You can then access the folder on any device, any where. It will ONLY be the solo, no piano part (if applicable). You will have a few days to download and/or print the music. After several days of it residing in your folder, I will then remove it.

- I will also place permanent items in your Dropbox folder as well, including, scale sheets, scale checkoff sheets, fingering charts, possible excerpt, etc. These items can stay in the folder as long as you want. That way, when you lose one (or more) of these items, you can reprint or download them from the folder.

You will no longer need to sign them out and have me get upset for holding on to the music for months at a time. You WILL still need to sign out mouthpieces, the Zoom, visualizers, etc. on the old sheets.

Now, as to Dropbox. First of all, it is free!!! You will have two options to view items in your Dropbox folder:

1) you will be getting an email notification from them that something has been "shared" in your folder. You can look at these items with smartphone, tables and computers - but that is all you can do, one at time, using the link(s) that they sent you. You can't see anything else (at the same time) in the folder.

Next Option:

2) You will be getting a REFERRAL from Dropbox...from ME...asking to join and create an account with them for free. If you decide to do this option, then you can see everything (at the same time) in that folder. IF you decide to start a Dropbox account, PLEASE, PLEASE, use the referral that I sent. Each time one of you starts an account with my referral, I get ANOTHER 500MB of space for free. This, in turn, will allow me to put more and more (duets, trios, quartets, etc.) on the site for your access. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO GET AN ACCOUNT, but it helps both you and me. If you don't understand how Dropbox works, I would be glad to give you a demonstration. I have had my account for several years and not used it. Now, I am doing a ton with it. One can store: photos, videos, PDF forms, MSWord and Excel documents. Then one can share these with other people.

Example: Let's say you have to submit a video of yourself for an audition (Master's level). The video is 50MB. NO EMAIL program will let you send that big of a file through them. You could put it on Youtube, but if the other person has to download the video, it is not an easy process. Dropbox allows the person whom you've shared the video to either: view the video on their browser, or, easily download the file WITH NO COMPRESSION.

OK, that should be enough for now. Look for my referral. If you want the free account, then sign up. If not, then just throw it away.

Thanks in advance,

Dr. Cox

Tuba and Euphonium Dress Rehearsal

Studio, after spending quite a bit of time with Dan Koefoed yesterday during studio rehearsal time, we managed to FINALLY find a time for our dress rehearsal. The hall was completely booked with very little time available. I know a couple of you will have conflicts, so if you can't get out of them, then please come and see me. The day/date for our dress will be: November 17th (Monday), 7-10 pm. You have almost a month to review work schedules, classes, etc., please start working on them now. Mark it in your calendar.

Thank you,
Dr. Cox

T/E Rehearsal cancelled

Studio,
Due to today's faculty meeting (and other things), I am canceling today's rehearsal (Thursday - 10/9/14). Please take this time to practice either your music for the ensemble or for the forthcoming studio recital.

Thanks,
Dr. Cox

Studio rehearsal schedule - 9/23/14

Good morning.

Today's t/e rehearsal schedule is as follows:

11:00-11:20 - Keera Allen's piece
11:20-11:35 - Katie Wiley's piece
11:35-11:50 - Aurther Kimmon's piece

Please stay close by if you have some down time (not playing on a piece). If you do not play on any of these pieces, then you have the hour "free" (go practice). Rehearsal is in room 230. I will not be at today's rehearsal. And yes, I do know that there is a trumpet masterclass today, but we will not be attending it.

Speaking of trumpets, Dr. Mueller's recital is tonight and it is mandatory attendance. Aurther will be taking roll FOR ALL OF THE BRASS FACULTY tonight! He will be by the 097 people, so please sign in before the concert.

And as far as I can tell, we are still having the CF auditions tonight at 6:30 pm. Please meet at my studio. I don't have a room yet (the new process is quite cumbersome) and will hopefully have one by tonight. Worse case scenario, we hold the auditions in my office.

Thanks and have a great morning.

Dr. Cox

Wessex Tubas

Good morning all.

Nothing like being at your desk at 5:30 am! Anyway, I received an email from Andy Loree from Wessex tubas. Here is what he has to say:

"Hello Mark,

Thank you for your interest in Wessex Tubas! I have visited Phil Sinder's and Paul Carlson's studios in past years. I recently received a shipment from which I am still filling backorders, and am making travel arrangements to visit China in October to inspect instruments at the factory prior to our shipment. Wessex instruments are made to our own specifications, and I believe Wessex is the only importer inspecting instruments at the factory before they are shipped.

You're probably aware that Wessex participated in a spring 2013 study at Tim Olt's Miami University of Ohio studio? In the blind play-testing, every player preferred Wessex compensating euphoniums to the Yamaha 642 tested, and the Wessex Mahler CC tuba was thought very comparable to a Miraphone 186CC.

There is a link to the tuba portion of Miami of Ohio study .pdf file on this page (look for blue type):
http://www.wessex-tubas.com/cc-rotary-tuba/

I would like to schedule a time for your students and friends to try Wessex low brass, but that may have to wait until after my next shipment arrives in November. A couple of our most popular tubas are nearly "sold out" at this time. Wessex US focus is primarily low brass; many "high brass" items shown on the website ship to customers directly from Wessex UK. At present I do have all the available finishes of compensating euphoniums available, but only one Mahler CC tuba (unlacquered). One school recently purchased all the other CC's I had in stock.

I do have a few Brahms and Strauss F tubas in stock, but am receiving frequent inquiries about them. The Brahms I have differs from the website pictures; mine are 5-rotary valve with thumb-operated 5th instead of the 4+2 arrangement preferred in Europe. The Brahms tuba is not the old design plagued with intonation problems, and is a popular seller for our distributor in Germany.

I will phone or email you when my stock of instruments is in greater supply!

Best wishes,
Andy Loree"

So, it looks like we will have to wait a little to get our hands one these. Let's talk about it in studio at 11:00. And don't forget, the studio party is at my house tomorrow night starting around 5:00 pm. I'll give you maps to my house at studio.

See you soon,

Dr. Cox

Marine Recruiter on Campus

Studio,
With me having an Area meeting today (which we will be discussing the shortage of pianists in the area - a very important topic) and a Marine recruiter here in Room 155 at studio time, I thought best to cancel studio for the morning. If you are even remotely thinking about making the military a part of your life (something I am sure Chris Fenner never thought of before his senior year), you should stop by Room 155 and talk their representative.

Thanks,
Dr. Cox