As always seems to happen in November and April (the two busiest months in many university music departments), my ability to keep up a regular schedule of posting to the blog has been compromised because of other responsibilities. After today’s post I hope to write something every weekend in May and June, take a break during July and the first week in August, and then return on August 14 or 15 with a report on the Alessi Seminar, which will take place in early August.

Today’s post shares the primary reason for my delinquency in blogging over the past couple of weeks: preparing for this past Monday’s Faculty Recital Series performance at the University of Mississippi. This concert, entitled “Music for Low Brass by Young Composers,” featured works for alto trombone, tenor trombone, bass trombone, and euphonium by composers born after 1970. My collaborator for this concert and all of my solo performances thus far at Ole Miss was Professor Stacy Rodgers, who is both an incredibly talented pianist and in every way a pleasant person with whom to work. He makes me sound better!

While I will likely choose only the best of these videos for more long-term inclusion on my faculty website at the university, here I am presenting the recital in its entirety. The performance was very well received and I was satisfied with it, though there are the occasional blemishes that always occur in performances of live music. The alto trombone piece Mythos II: War of the Wood was especially difficult and somewhat out of character for me, since I tend to be more conservative in my programming choices. However, the challenges for me as a performer generally and as an alto trombonist particularly were very healthy. I know the instrument a lot better now than when I started working on this piece. The newer electronic accompaniment for Pearls, which in its original version is accompanied by piano, makes the piece more interesting, in my opinion.

Anyway, I hope you will enjoy these performances.

Frank Gulino (b. 1987): Southeastern Rhapsody

Nathan Daughtrey (b. 1975): Coming Home

Roland Szentpáli (b. 1977): Pearls—I. “Ducati SPS 916”

Roland Szentpáli (b. 1977): Pearls—II. “My One and Only Love”

Roland Szentpáli (b. 1977): Pearls—III. “Susi”

David Herring (b. 1970): Mythos II: War of the Wood—I. “Forest of Enchantment and Delight”

David Herring (b. 1970): Mythos II: War of the Wood—II. “The Gremlins”

David Herring (b. 1970): Mythos II: War of the Wood—III. “Sprites”

David Herring (b. 1970): Mythos II: War of the Wood—IV. “Battle Amongst the Oaks and Elms”

Steven Verhelst (b. 1981): Concertino