News and Events (7)
Anyone that knows me well enough is aware of my affinity for gadgets. This year's class of cell phones is no exception. Each device that hits the market now seems to be bigger, and better than the last crop of devices.
My first attempt at was an HTC Dash on the T-Mobile Network. It fascilitated what I needed, E-mail over the airwaves. It was a windows mobile version that was modeled after a standard blackberry device.
The second attempt got a bit more fancy, I purchased and hacked an Iphone. I bought the device straight from Apple. I was not enjoying my job very much in Columbus, Ohio and I figured it was time to just do something crazy. So I purchased the Iphone, something I had no business doing since I couldn't afford it, yet it made me feel good as everything around me was going to (fill in blank). Me and the Iphone had a pretty good time together, that was until I discovered the Android operating system.
T-Mobile, finally came up with a phone of their own that was similar to the Iphone but used this grand new operating system that google had come up with. Many cell phone bloggers said that Android was dead in the water, I was not convinced. The T-Mobile G1, the first Android device had a built in keyboard, a nice screen and app buttons you could customize. I thought it was wonderful. Being the PC junkie that I am, I quickly discovered that not only was it a great device, it might dare I say RIVAL THE IPHONE.
The G1 was a great phone, I had to invest in an extended battery, I was totally hooked on the device. Suddenly I noticed a nice new addition to T-Mobile's lineup, the HTC HD2. Unfortunatly for me, aftering being on Android for a year I didn't realize how incredibly dissapointed I was going to be with a windows mobile phone. The HD2 is basically the windows mobile version of the Sprint Evo 4G, a powerhouse phone that just couldn't live up to the hype due to it's horrid software. The Sprint Evo 4G in comparison is one incredible device, see how much better Android is. The only positive with the HD2 was that It did however allow tethering, which got me through some rough times in a hotel conference room where they had turned off the wifi.
I soon began to learn about the world of hacking and rooting smartphones at this point. I discovered, I could put android on my HD2. It was really buggy and not quite as much fun as I would have expected, however I had a great time experimenting. Finally, my prayers were answered in the form of a new phone from HTC called appropriately the G2.
The G2, same as the G1, faster, better looking, and supporting my favorite the keyboard. The G2 is awesome, I love that phone, the screen was a bit small. Soon enough phones started coming out with touch screens that made it easier to type on, so after a year and a half (record with one phone for me). I went with the T989, T-Mobiles variant of the Galaxy S2. It is totally awesome, I rooted it, it's fast and does what I need in a cell phone. I do miss my G2, but the trade-offs are worth it. Now read on.....
Look at the picture above, thats just an amazon kindle fire, however Samsung has a phone i'm dying to have. Think Galaxy S2 with a 5.3 inch screen and a stylus. It is called the Galaxy Note. Released in Europe it has sold over 1 million units. Supposedly ATT is getting it, maybe sprint and verizon. Believe me, I like that phone but until T-Mobile gets it, i'll stick with the galaxy s2. It really is the same thing except a bigger screen.
For now though I will dream, I wont switch to ATT since I cant afford their ridiculously overpriced plans.
In the spring of 1998, I played my first paid professional orchestra job with the Northern Kentucky Symphony just outside of Cincinnati. It was not the first time I played in symphonic orchestra but it was definatly the first time I was contracted to play specifically. Sure, I did the occasional wedding gig, but I was 19 years old and was very excited. I was playing the fourth trumpet part on Mahler's 1st symphony, I had a very enjoyable time. It's 2012 now, and i've played that piece 4 more times since then, under a whole lot more stress. What's fascinating about that first performance was that I got excited to play it. I recall a few other memorable performance that I was really excited for.
1999 - Copland's Third Symphony with the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music Philharmonia Orchestra - I was playing principal and it was fun.
1999 - Bartok Concerto for Orchestra with the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music Philharmonia Orchestra - I was playing the most awesome 2nd trumpet part ever written for this show.
2000 - Tchaikovsky 4 and Symphonic Metamorphesis with the University Orchestra at Indiana University - First performance at IU, enough said, bit of a crazy program, I had a horrid head cold too.
2001 - Heldenleben with the IU Philharmonic Orchestra - Ok, so this one was really loud but it was totally killer. Tom Brown (US Coast Guard band) sound pretty awesome on the E flat part that night. Probably not the most tasteful playing of my career, but thats what college is for right?
2001 - Mahler 2 with the IU Philharmonic Orchestra - Mahler 2, enough said.
2003 - Sibelius 5 with the New World Symphony - first time playing first trumpet at New World
2004 - Mahler 5 on tour with the New World Symphony - Playing Mahler 5 in Rome at the Saint Cecilia Academy was incredibly, a fantastic hall, we went to Carnegie later that year, but seriously this one took the cake.
2006 - Firebird on 2nd Trumpet with LA Philharmonic - So I didn't win the job, but the orchestra sounded amazing, Disney hall is a very neat place.
2006 - Shostakovich 7 with New World - The audience probably hated it, lets jam 700 people into a small theatre, oops.
2008 - Tchaikovsky 5 recording Project with the Columbus Symphony Orchestra - Let's just call this the one bright spot in the dark period of my life, professionally that is.
2008 - Alumni reunion show with the New World Symphony and Rite of Spring - It went well, I did miss one of the 13 high d's though, still stewing over that one.
2009 - Copland 3 with the Colorado Symphony - This time it was a lot more pressure, but it was killer fun at Breckenridge with a side by side NRO performance.
2009 - Mahler 1 - First large masterworks performance with the Colorado Symphony
2010 - Prokofiev 5 with the Saint Louis Symphony
2011 - Mahler 9 with the Colorado Symphony
2012 - Bartok Concerto for Orchestra with the Colorado Symphony
Now, what's the point of this all. I've been playing trumpet for a long time, I never know when the time I'll get really excited and up for a performance. Don't get me wrong, i'm always in the zone, ready to go but just every so often the planets align for some absolutely fun and exciting. It's like the playoffs for an athlete. 17 performances over the past 14 years sure isn't alot since the average over the past 5 seasons has been well over 100+ shows, but seriously every once in a while, it gets really exciting. I also found that under each of these performances, the entire orchestra played rather well. A couple of them were probably just my own personal feelings since it was my new experience, most though it was a pretty uniform experience.
So, now my point - Berlioz Roman Carnival Overture, Bill Hill's Third Symphony and Bartok Concerto for Orchestra last night. I really got excited for this one. First of all, our new principal trombone was in town and that really made the difference. I love our trombone section anyways so it's pretty cool to have a new person add to the destruction :-). I also really like playing for Larry Rachleff, he's at Rice where my teacher Marie Speziale, that puts a little more pressure on, however it makes it fun and exciting. My friend Guy Piddington was in town playing the 2nd trumpet part and covering Bill HIll's piece, he did a fantastic job, puts the pressure on for sure, but I love every second of it.
Next week we're playing Pictures at an Exhibition, always a challenge but not quite the same as Bartok. Reminds me to an important line about trumpet auditions, Pictures is in the Prelims, Bartok's in the finals. The thing is, just cause it's an excerpt doesn't mean it's hard, it's expected of the job, so let's get going. Thanks for all that attended last weeks performance. I listened to Bill HIll's Symphony, it really was pretty a pretty awesome piece, wish I could have played it, Guy did a fantastic job. With Berlioz and Bartok on the program, it was already over the top, don't need to "sprain my tongue". Seriously, contrary to jokes that Mike Rosen may make on the radio about Trumpet players, they can get injured, this summer I had a pretty severe cut on my lip, recovered pretty well, but I got a bit scared since I had so much work to do. People that don't know the business can act as if they do, write their newspaper articles and bring down us for our supposed 20 hour work week, but anyone that knows me, I put in a lot more than 20 hours on Bartok this week, and i'll put in just as much if not even more next week. Classical music is not dead, as long as people at the Denver Performing Arts Center keep hitting the level 1 button in the elevator when they wanted to go to level 3, that tells me were still getting new audience members and as funny as it to see peoples faces, it shows that in a metro area of 2+ million people, theres always someone out there that cares and enjoys the music.
Have a great week and Roll Tide Roll Monday night!
Justin
It's 5:24 Mountain time, a little more than 2 hours away from this evenings Masterworks performance of Bartok's Concerto for Orchestra, our Timpanist Bill Hill's Third Symphony and Berlioz's Roman Carnival Overture. I've always been a huge fan of Concerto for Orchestra. When I was a Sophomore studying Trumpet Performance at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, I used to play the first trumpet part to Bartok out the window at all hours of the day. The first trumpet part is rather high and challenging, one of the reasons I learned the part was because I had heard how difficult it was. Being the brash young trumpet player that I was I decided to make sure I could play the part, probably had more to do with stupid trumpet ego than anything at that time.
I've performed the piece three times before, twice as second trumpet and once playing the third trumpet part. I thoroughly enjoy the 2nd trumpet part almost as much as I enjoy the first part, however I always knew the 5th movement trumpet duet would be very difficult and was waiting for the day I'd actually get to play the first part in concert. Over the past month or so i've been noticing that my upper register has been lagging a touch flat. I've been trying to figure it out, I've also been trying some new trumpets, they have had an extremely flat upper register and thought maybe that was the issue, maybe my ears were adjusting to those. Now my high notes I was noticing them to be a little bit low on my standard equipment and trumpet. I started to think, why over the following months has my upper register C's and D's been creeping ever so flatter. Hmmmm. So I thought, maybe it really was something so unbelievably simple that I just wasn't thinking about it. I wasn't having any range issues, what could it be?
So I went in for a consultation. Mr. Justin Bartels, Meet Mr. Mouthpiece Brush - Problem Solved :-).
After one quick swab of the mouthpiece brush (i'll admit, I'm a horrible horn hygenist), suddenly my high C's and D's are now much sharper and supported, hmmm way to go Mouthpiece throat size and backbore. Problem solved, I came to this conclusion by simple trial an error with other equipment that I had and a bit of common sense. I'd been playing on another mouthpiece with my E flat trumpet and it was much better in the upper register, it was a clean mouthpiece too about equivalent size (my rotary mouthpiece actually). Seriously, what is the point of purchasing a mouthpiece with a drilled out throat and backbore if you're just going to gunk it up :-). There are times each year where I feel like an absolute moron, this is one of those times.
If your downtown 7:30 PM tonight and tommorrow, come check out Bartok, I promise my high C#'s will be at pitch :-).
Justin
Alabama vs LSU for the National Title coming up, I still remember the last 20 years. This is a reprint from USA Today.
Tide football program suffers decade of decline - May 5, 2005
November 1992 — Gene Jelks tells a newspaper he got a $2,100 "signing bonus" when he committed to Alabama in 1985 and received money from coaches and boosters during his playing career, which ended with the 1989 season.
Jan. 1, 1993 — Alabama beats Miami (Fla.) 34-13 in the Sugar Bowl for the national championship, the school's 12th and most recent.
January 1993 — The morning after the Sugar Bowl, All-America defensive back Antonio Langham signs a napkin at a party that sports agent Darryl Dennis later says is a representation contract. Langham plays in all of the regular-season games in 1993 before being declared ineligible. The NCAA denies an appeal.
Aug. 2, 1995 — For violations tied to Jelks and Langham, the NCAA puts the program on three years' probation, bans it from a bowl for a year, cuts nearly half its scholarships over two years and says it must forfeit eight wins and a tie in which Langham played in 1993.
November 1995 — On appeal, Alabama gets some scholarships back and its probation cut to two years.
November 1996 — Head coach Gene Stallings resigns, effective at the end of season.
December 1996 - Mike DuBose is named Stallings' successor.
Aug. 4, 1999 — DuBose tearfully confesses to an affair in the wake of a sexual harassment lawsuit filed against the university by his secretary. He is allowed to remain by athletics director Bob Bockrath over the objections of several trustees.
Sept. 21, 1999 — Bockrath is fired after the football team's first loss of the season, to Louisiana Tech.
Nov. 23, 1999 — After a search in which two of the three candidates withdraw, the school hires Mal Moore to replace Bockrath.
Nov. 1, 2000 — DuBose is fired in the wake of a losing stretch on the field and rampant questions involving NCAA investigations into alleged improper recruiting.
Nov. 18, 2000 — Alabama completes a 3-8 season with a 9-0 loss to archrival Auburn; it is the Crimson Tide's worst season since 1957.
Dec. 4, 2000 -TCU's Dennis Franchione is hired as head coach after several high-profile candidates withdraw from consideration.
Feb. 1, 2002 - The NCAA hits the program with five years' probation, a two-year postseason ban and a reduction of 21 scholarships in a three-year period.
Sept. 18, 2002 — The NCAA denies Alabama's appeal.
Dec. 5, 2002 — Franchione is named coach at Texas A&M, ending two weeks of speculation concerning his future.
Dec. 18, 2002 — Washington State's Mike Price is hired as coach after a couple of high-profile candidates withdraw from consideration. He is offered a seven-year, $10 million contract but never signs it.
Dec. 21, 2002 — Former recruiting coordinator Ronnie Cottrell files a $60 million civil suit in Montgomery, Ala., against the NCAA and others, accusing them of defamation of character.
April 25, 2003 - Rumors surface about Price's conduct April 16, the day before he was to play in a pro-am golf tournament in Pensacola, Fla.
May 3, 2003 — Alabama President Robert Witt announces Price has been fired.
Sources: Montgomery Advertiser, USA TODAY research
http://members.trumpetguild.org/content/itg-news/25-justin-bartels-master-class-at-troy-university
Here is a repost of an ITG Article about a Masterclass I gave at Troy University this past September, thanks to Mike Huff for being a wonderful host.
Justin Bartels master class at Troy University
On September 6, 2012, Mr. Justin Bartels, Principal Trumpet of the Colorado Symphony and Alabama native, presented a master class for the trumpet students at Troy University in Troy, Alabama.
Bartels began his class by performing several standard orchestral excerpts. He went onto work with senior Josh Wine, who performed the first movement of the Haydn Concerto and senior Stan Lawton, who performed the first movement of the Ewazen Sonata. Throughout the class, Bartels discussed practice techniques, how to best interpret music in our repertoire, his views on the future of music and his opinions on equipment. The class concluded with Mr. Bartels and Dr. Huff performing "Come, Sweet Nymph" from Mark Dulin's recently published book of Thomas Morley canzonets for 2 trumpets.
Source: Mike Huff, DMA, Assistant Professor of Trumpet, Troy University
Today is Christmas Eve, before I moved to Colorado I used to have a lot of work on Christmas Eve. For five years I was part of a brass quartet that played in Birmingham, AL. We would play at this lovely old church downtown. We showed up at 5:30 to play one service, in between eat Sushi, then play a late night service. In Denver, I've been here for for four years and have only been called for one Christmas Eve job, which is rather eye opening. In other parts of the country I used to have to fight off the phone calls for Easter and Christmas Eve, but Denver is a bit different. This is one of the prevailing reasons why I am glad the Colorado Symphony Orchestra will be going out more into the community more next year. After awhile you get to the point where you must make it happen on your own. Last night several of my colleagues and I played in a brass group tentatively titled the Bartels Brass. The group was made up of the six best Brass players that I know.
We played a set of around twenty charts, some were purchased from the Pittsburgh Symphony Brass, a few quintet arrangements adapted for Brass Quintet, and several charts that I arranged from choir parts. The goal was to provide music for the Englewood Arts Concert Series in Englewood, Colorado that would be classicaly themed, bring the audience into the music and not just use a cheesy nitch for cheap laughs. Some Christmas shows get away from their base and go for gimmicky popsy nitches and this scares me. It's like the praise band at church, I understand the value of getting young people involved however, I'm more of the mantra, try to throw a couple fun pieces into the mix but never to go overboard. For a first time group, I felt that the credibility of the group being made Colorado Symphony Musicians would be key and along with an agressive program would provide for a high quality experience for the audience. I feell it was a very sucessful venture and I'm very proud of my colleagues for participating.
Here is a special Thank you to Steve Kilburn (Trumpet), Michael Thornton (Horn), Paul Naslund (Trombone), Greg Harper (Bass Trombone) and Michael Dunn (Tuba) for being a part of the group this year. I'm extremely proud to play with such high quality people and musicians. Now the need of playing a Christmas Eve service is fulfilled and I get to stay home on the 24th with the family.
Christmas with the Bartels Brass
The Bartels Brass makes it's annual debut this Friday, December 23rd at Hampden Hall in Englewood, Colorado with a program entitled "Christmas with the Bartels Brass". The group, founded by CSO Principal Trumpeter Justin Bartels is based on a similar Brass Sextet style of the Pittsburgh Symphony Brass. Made up of the finest Orchestral Players in the Denver Area, this Hour and a Half Event promises to put you in the holiday spirit by the end of the evening.
Selections from - Hansel and Gretl, Sleigh Ride, Silent Night, Pretty Much Everthing that is Festive this Season
Here's what some Brass Players are Saying
"If you don't come see this show, Santa won't come and see you" - Justin Bartels (Colorado Symphony Orchestra)
- Justin Bartels - Trumpet (Principal Trumpet, Colorado Symphony Orchestra
- Steve Kilburn - Trumpet (Tuscon, AZ | Columbia, SC | Washington, DC)
- Michael Thornton (Principal Horn, Colorado Symphony)
- Paul Naslund (Acting Principal Trombone, Colorado Symphony Orchestra)
- Greg Harper - (Bass Trombone, Colorado Symphony Orchestra
- Michael Dunn (Professor of Tuba Univeristy of Colorado, Former United States Marine Band)
When : Friday December 23rd, 2011 at 7:00 PM
Where : Hampden Hall - Englewood Civic Center
