Does the sweat from your hands eat through the finish on your horn? Gold, silver, lacquer, and brass – they can all succumb to the effects of acidic sweat. The leadpipe on my old Bach [...]

By James Boldin Most music students will at one time or another need to write their own program notes, but this useful skill often goes overlooked in an undergraduate curriculum.  The ability to write and [...]

A video by James Boldin, assistant professor of horn at the University of Louisiana at [...]

Disappointment is a part of life, and it’s a big part of being a musician. Maybe you blow an audition, or choke on a recital, or make a blatant mistake during a concert. Maybe your [...]

The quandary This is a very straight forward tip but it has taken me years to grasp that it is essential if I am to keep playing to the level I want to! Like many [...]

5 tips for new music conservatory students Starting out as a 1st year or ‘freshman’ at a music conservatory or music department at a university can certainly be a daunting prospect. It may seem like [...]

So here’s a brief rundown – in 7 points – of the prep you should do before a gig. Give some wiggle room as some require different dress, or instruments. Regardless, there are some things [...]

We are going to look at a little bit of theory in this article. Nothing heavy, just simplifying a standard tune with the following 3 tips. Locating key centres in jazz. 1. What is a [...]

A working brass player fulfills many roles in the modern music scene. Many players will be studio musicians and touring artists for one group on top of being a private teacher, solo performer, or composer [...]

So, you want to play the Penny Lane trumpet solo? Or maybe all those high baroque trumpet pieces? (without learning natural trumpet! )? Or maybe high parts in shows, or brass quintets… …the high-D trumpet [...]