April 2022

… you could create something that’s not an event.

• The goal is to play your trombone, share it with others, and have some fun.
• Play for an important cause. Here’s Adrian Taylor playing Ukraine’s National Anthem. 🇺🇦
• If you don’t know how to play the trombone yet, now is the perfect time to start learning. (Or, set your headphones to play trombone music and dance.)
• You could create a recording like these fine musicians did:

Feed your ears.

• Ryan Keberle and Wycliffe Gordon shared free educational resources and videos.
• Charlie Vernon and the Columbus State University Philharmonic, under the direction of Dr. Fred Cohen, kicked off International Trombone Week with Christian Lindberg’s “Chick’a’Bone Checkout”.
• Calgary Philharmonic’s Trombones hosts Slide Into Spring every April.
• The Stephen F. Austin State University Trombone Octet, conducted by Deb Scott, performed Hex Files by James Kazik to commemorate International Trombone Week.

Grab something good to play.

Here are some excellent options for ITW:

• Ukraine’s beautiful national anthem 🇺🇦 arranged for trombone quartet by Christopher Bill.
• Octets. There are seven famous BoneWeek Fanfares composed by Brad Edwards. You can see the scores, parts, and videos of past performances.
• Quartets by Nick Adams, Spencer Schaffer, and Patrick Cooper Sullivan
• Trios by David Caldwell and Colby Norton
• Exercises from Will Baker that will make you happy while improving your skills.
• Toby Oft’s Bordogni/Rochut Project is a lovely opportunity to listen and play along.
• Explore BandMusic PDF Library and IMSLP (International Music Score Library Project)
• Bach Cello Suites arranged by Doug Yeo
• Brass Bandbook from The Preservation Hall Foundation
• Justice Fanfare by William Pagan-Perez

Carpe Slidem! Here are some ideas to help.

• Give your trombone and mouthpiece a good cleaning.
• Share your painting or drawing of a trombone.
• Have an impromptu garage concert for your neighborhood while practicing safe social-distancing.
• If you can, go outside and be still. Meditate on trombone goodness.
• Practice a new scale, warm-up, or exercise each day during ITW. We like to play a mode-a-day during ITW: Ionian, Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian, Aeolian, and Locrian.
• Play a thought in all the keys.
• Learn about a creative collaboration with Sarah Jo on Classic 107. She interviews guests Joel Green and Kenley Kristofferson who debuted a new work during ITW. Kristofferson’s piece was part of Winnipeg’s ITW celebration with more than 40 trombonists performing.
• Watch Trent Hamilton’s Introduction to the Trombone Family.
• Watch Super Bone’s ITW20 interview with Eric Budd, a multi-instrumentalist from Melbourne, Australia.
• Visit your well-worn copy of Arban’s Famous Method for Trombone.
• Call a grandmother and play her a jazz standard, like Blue Skies.
• Share your recital video.
• Send a front line healthcare hero a Happy Birthday message.
• Learn to use music notation software and arrange something for a trombone friend.
• Begin and end each day with a very looooong long tone.
• Read this article about alternate positions in bebop by Tony Garcia.
• Record an excerpt using a multi-track video app. Our friend Roger Cutts created a legendary collection of Opera Excerpts!
• Soak up some rich trombone history with Will Kimball.
• Do a trombone dance-of-joy through your neighborhood.
• Listen to this beautiful NPR TinyDesk Concert with Ryan Keberle and Catharsis.
• Write a poem about your faithful trombone stand.
• Post a favorite trombone-related quotation.
• Take a moody photo of your plunger mute.

Kick things off right with Sandra Boynton!