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