Notes from Brian Merrill's Visit 1-25-2016

1. 5 Choirs/Family Concept w/chorale

   1. Tuba, Baritone, Horn

   2. Trumpet, Trombone

   3. Saxes

   4. Clarinet Family

   5. Double Reeds, Flute, Piccolo

   6. Allows for more depth of listening-tuning-matching-color awareness

   7. connect ending chord of one group to starting of another

2. Gandalf

   1. melody lines must push and lead through beat 2 on quarters and dotted quarters

   2. when tuning chords

      1. establish root

      2. balance 5th in

      3. fit in 3rd

      4. add color notes (9th and such)

      5. when balancing we really want a cylinder instead of triangle

   3. @111 Gabrieli Moment

      1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oUHm07LDkLo

      2. balance up to first trumpet-smooth and not overblown 

3. Sousa notes

   1. 44-49 all upbeats need to try to play in one breath

   2. 74-ww's protect the trombone solo-play underneath

   3. 147-create layers

      1. ww-most important

      2. horn-2nd

      3. brass-3rd

      4. percussion-4th

4. Opus 99

   1. get more middles and lows into the balance of all chords-especially at top

   2. 16-17-keep second note in slur/staccato sequence longer-more body of sound

   3. 55-make sure we hear the moving notes in the chordal progression

   4. @ 6-get more line and keep the motion of line moving forward

   5. 60-61 more bass trombone

   6. 68-longer on 8th after dotted quarter

   7. @8 -refine tech

   8. 107-same bass trombone figure-bring out

   9. 116-longer 8th at end of note

   10. last 3 chords-longer and less bouncy-get more body of sound