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Aug 10, 2019

Palette

I'll admit that I'm a movie music nerd and a fan of the usual suspects (Williams, Horner, Howard, Zimmer, etc.). Some others on the less...

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Michael Allen

Apr 3, 2019

Atmosphere

In early 1914, Holst heard a performance of Schoenberg’s Five Pieces for Orchestra. This seminal experience along with a suggestion from...

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Michael Allen

Mar 14, 2019

Good writers write...always

I retired from a 30+ year professional playing career in May 2018. Retire is a funny word because I hardly feel retired. Since before...

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Michael Allen

Mar 14, 2019

One on a part follow up

I'm working on a large brass ensemble transcription (gasp) of highlights from a Puccini opera. I always immensely enjoyed playing...

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Michael Allen

Jul 29, 2018

Color Separation

A single yellow bloom will really pop in a bush of red ones, even though they are all roses.

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Michael Allen

Jul 28, 2018

Get your head out of the score

Conductors who can't lift their head out of the score are a pet peeve. It usually means they don't trust their own understanding of the...

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Michael Allen

Mar 21, 2018

Trumpets - a primer

I've played on the same mouthpiece since I was in high school - my teacher handed me an old Conn Helleberg style mouthpiece when I was...

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Texture 1 - Writing for the whole ensemble

Michael Allen

Mar 18, 2018

Texture 1 - Writing for the whole ensemble

A while back, I wrote an entry called 4 Dimensional Texture where I identified 4 basic ways to group instruments in a large ensemble.

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Michael Allen

Dec 5, 2017

Texture 2 - Writing for families

However, in my brass ensemble writing, I'll write passages for a grouping of trumpets when the music calls for it, and/or as a contrast

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Michael Allen

Nov 9, 2017

Bass Doubling

I wrote something yesterday that was confusing even to me when I read it again today. Mea culpa. The offending sentence was: Wright notes...

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