Monthly Archives: January 2011

Big Phat Play Along

Remember the days of vinyl? As in LPs, records? Back in the day, Play Alongs (accompaniment tracks) were precious few, and only available in LP or cassette format. The innovators on this method of learning and enjoyment for musicians were Jamey Aebersold and Music Minus One (or remember this one? Drum Drops).

Fast forward to the present, and Play Alongs are available in multiple formats — CD, digital, online and beyond. And they’re available for more instruments, and even more genres (karaoke, anyone?), than ever before. Play Along collections offer many benefits:

The recordings provide professional accompaniments, many of them from live studio musicians — you get to play along with the best!

Rehearse and play at your own pace, in the comfort of your home; as often or as little as you like.

Many Play Alongs include full version tracks, which include the melody/your part. Hear how the pros sound, and try to emulate it!

Check out the NEW Gordon Goodwin Big Phat Band Classics collection!

Oklahoma Horn Day

It’s Wednesday — Midweek Newspeak for Band and Instrumental @ Pender’s Music Co.! As we begin 2011, we also begin a new initiative — The Pender’s Buzz — an added way in bringing content, resources, teaching tidbits & strategies, social media and more to our loyal customers. Today, we look to our Oklahoma City store for inspiration…

The University of Oklahoma’s Horn Studio hosts an annual workshop each year for horn players of all ages. While Oklahoma Horn Day is filled with Masterclasses and sessions that are led by artist/faculty from various Oklahoma universities, the day is always centered on a featured Guest Artist. This year’s guest is Julie Landsman, long-time principal horn of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra (a position she held from 1985 to 2010). She was born in Brooklyn, New York and is a graduate of the Julliard School, where she studied with James Chambers.

Topics for middle school will include classes on Horn Basics (Horn 101), and how to start developing technique. High School sessions will concentrate on solo masterclasses in preparation for State Solo & Ensemble Contest. Collegiate and Adult performers will be able to participate in masterclasses that cover solo literature and orchestral excerpts. There will be numerous opportunities for both individual playing as well as ensemble performance.

Anectdotally, Landsman’s Met audition was documented in the last chapter of the national bestseller Blink: The Power of Thinking without Thinking by Malcolm Gladwell.

What: Oklahoma Horn Day 2011
Who: Masterclass with Julie Landsman, Horn
When: Saturday, February 19th, 2011
Where: Oklahoma University Music Department
How: Register in advance or at-the-door. Registration fee is $10.00 per person.

Midweek Newspeak for Band and Instrumental, the series, will post to www.pendersbuzz.com a couple of times a month, with information from our staff, our publisher partners, guest bloggers and more. Come back to this site, or access it from our main Home Page, to find out the latest buzz!

ASTA and You

It’s Tuesday — Time for Tuesday’s Tidbits for Strings @ Pender’s Music Co.! The Pender’s Buzz is our added way in bringing content, resources, teaching tidbits & strategies, social media and more to you, our loyal customers.

If you’re a string person, whether it be a teacher, student, or performer, you’re most likely aware of ASTA – The American String Teacher Association. This national organization supports string orchestra teaching and playing, by providing various resources and benefits that include an annual conference, membership competitions, advocacy initiatives and more.

But here’s something you may not know about yet: The brand new Eclectic Strings Festival, which is scheduled for March 17-19th, in Kansas City, MO. The Eclectic Strings Festival (ESF) is a three-day event that provides participants with the opportunity to work with nationally-recognized clinicians in their specialty areas. For 2011, it’s: Andy Carlson (fiddle), Christian Howes (rock), Martin Norgaard (jazz), and Randy Sabien (jazz). The event will culminate in a featured performance at the ASTA National Conference.

Who’s eligible to attend, you ask? Well, students in the eighth through twelfth grades during the 2010-2011 school year can apply, as well as registered participants of the National ASTA Conference, may participate in this event. The festival is sponsored by Yamaha Music Corporation, NAMM (The National Association of Music Merchants), and Alfred Publishing Co.

Tuesday’s Tidbits for Strings, the series, will post to www.pendersbuzz.com about once a month, with information from our staff, our publisher partners, guest bloggers and more. Come back to this site, or access it from our main Home Page, to find out the latest buzz!