International Trombone Festival Winners

International Trombone Festival 2010
Austin, Texas
Dr. Jeff Cottrell delights in showing Bryon English the W. Nirschl Dual-Use Trombone.
Winner of the Gagliardi Trombone Competition receives a P.Weingrill TB1 trombone.
Winner of the George Roberts Trombone Competition receives a W. Nirschl Dual-Use Trombone.
See these and more pictures on the link to the right.

Art from Arnold Jacobs' House.
See more on link on right.
See sample at ITEC 2010.

ITEC and Tuba update

Thanks to everyone at ITEC that tried out the newest W.Nirschl tubas. Though some really liked the mouthpipe angle on the J-870, it was not unanamous. Both J-870's sold and there are two more due soon the same way. Thanks to several players that posed for pictures, it appears that the next change should be a 20 degree move to the players right and 10 degrees up.
Betwixt the J-880 and J-870, players were divided nearly 50/50, and adamant, as to which played better. I was surprised by the intensity of opinion and it was divided among top notch players. As to the J-880, it remains unchanged from Walter’s design and is popular with those who play Walter’s 6/4 tuba. It likes to be on a pad.
As to the J-870, it is a little more focused but less broad. Both will have a new thumb ring. (Thanks, Don, for the input.)

J-700 continues to be declared the unanimous best BBb on the market. Thanks for your support. Tell your local band director so your high school students will show up with good equipment.

TU2
Everyone that picks up the P.Weingrill TU2 ends up playing Prokofiev 5 or Romeo & Juliette. It should be sub-titled ‘Prokofiev’. It roars on the low notes and has an even scale all the way up. Perfect for schools that want a rotor tuba and pros that want to excel on those excerpts. Again, spread the word so your high school students will show up with good equipment. (Maybe you can even borrow one when you have a Prokofiev concert.)

See the ITEC pictures at the link on the right and thanks for your enthusiastic support.

Report from Brazil

I am writing this from Brazil where we made the mouthpipe changes to the J-870 CC tuba. I am extremely happy with how it turned out. We did not change the mouthpipe length one centimeter. The tuba blows the same. The 18” bell gives it perhaps just the slightly quicker response and focus. I love the way it sits in the lap for my frame, and the way it sits across the lap when positioned on the right thigh and it drops down to the chair for the player with a shorter torso. I wish I still had chops. I would absolutely want this horn for my everyday playing. I hope you like it as much as I do and can test one soon. I will have it at ITEC along with the J-880, J-700, TU2 and several other tubas you should take a look at.

I was also thrilled that the P.Weingrill tuba is now sporting and 18” bell. With it’s jumbo .830” bore it now has the depth of sound in the low register that I feel make it not only the best value on the market, but the best playing rotor tuba on the market.
See pictures of both on the link at the right.

Focal Dystonia (Task Specific)

Moved to "Golf & Music" blog.

Recent showings

My recent brass displays and tuba trips have been a huge success and a wonderful opportunity to connect with old friends. I had lunch with Don Little and Alex Cauthen in Denton. We haven’t been all together since our studies with Arnold Jacobs in grad school at Northwestern in 1971. It was also nice to see Vern and Jan Kagarice at UNT. Vern was very complimentary about the Dual-Use trombone and its potential.

The enthusiasm for the J-700 BBb has been unanimously enthusiastic.
Reaction to the J-880 CC tuba has been mixed. Everyone loves the way it plays. Not everyone loves the ergonomics but those that do are adamant that it should stay as is. Those players put the tuba on a stand in a very upright position. They really like the right hand position; no bends, no stress.
The players that do not like the ergonomics of the J-880 will be pleased to know we will add another model, the J-870 with the mouthpipe positioned like the J-700 BBb tuba. This model will have an 18” bell and brass slide tubes like the J-700.

Pictures of showings at Rice University with Dave Kirk and Mark Barton as well as at UTA with Edward Jones and UNT are posted at the right.

CC tuba

The J-880SP arrived today.
It's on it's way to Capitol Tuba Conference at Ft Meyer with a stop at the Eastman School of Music. Along with the J-700, TU2, EU2 and I-800ST, I will be off to Texas Jan 10-18.