Now we are into Autumn, I thought I would try to refocus on some of the technical aspects of playing a brass instrument. So here are some top tips for brass players to get us started, top tips for brass … Continue reading Top tips for brass players

Have you ever had the feeling that you shouldn’t be here, are incapable of doing something and that someone will eventually find you out? Then you may be suffering from imposter syndrome. A scientifically recognised condition where we think all … Continue reading The psychology of brass playing (part 3 – imposter syndrome)

Self doubt is very common. The number of students I see who look frightened when presented with a new piece of music is quite staggering, but why is this? They don’t pick up a book or website they haven’t seen … Continue reading The psychology of brass playing (part 2 – Self – doubt)

After a bit of a break, I thought we would start with a discussion on the psychology of brass playing, from technical matters to the performance issues that many players face. This will be a 3 part series covering “why … Continue reading The psychology of brass playing (part 1 – why we only see the bad bits)

It is an integral part of the brass band world, but the contest stage is arguably the most passionately discussed, practiced for, and debated item in the brass band world, if not the musical world in general. But what is … Continue reading The importance of brass band contests

It was always going to happen, and has been talked about for a while, but opening doors to create good ventilation in rehearsal rooms was always going to be an issue when the temperature dropped. Human beings are warm blooded … Continue reading Cold drafts of Covid?

We have all heard it, whether it’s through dance or music, telling the story is an important aspect of performance. It is of course easy in books or plays to follow the story, well most of the time, some of … Continue reading Telling the story

After the last couple of years we have all needed a break and lots of people have taken the opportunity over the summer to get away, some abroad and some in the UK. I was unable to get away during … Continue reading Give me a break!!

The history of the trombone is fascinating, it is a very old instrument possibly going back to medieval times. So it is perhaps a bit of a surprise that the solo repertoire for the instrument only really took off in … Continue reading Trombone repertoire

Over the various lockdowns there has been a lot of talk about the effects of isolation on mental health, and there is no doubt that some people have missed the daily contact that they normally have with other people. It … Continue reading Music, lockdown and mental health