Ascenda Music Publishing

11/01/2024

I've been thinking about how to create more diverse concert programs, to reflect the richness of our culture. When I looked for resources, I was quite surprised at how many I found. For a quick survey of what I found, check out my latest blog.

A survey of online resources to help musicians find repertoire from composers of diverse identities, including Black, women, and LGBTQ+.

09/18/2024

Ascenda Music's Tim Myers interviews cellist Michael Kaufman about a career that includes Hollywood movie studio recording, chamber music, opera orchestra, and teaching. Watch how Michael does all this and still keeps true to the reason he became a musician in the first place.

Ascenda Music's Tim Myers interviews cellist Michael Kaufman, whose busy career includes recording film scores, performing opera and chamber music, and teach...

09/17/2024

Do you need to finalize this fall's trombone ensemble programs? Tuesday through Sunday, get 25% off all trombone ensembles at https://ascendamusic.com/brass-catalog-2/.

09/07/2024

Ascenda Music is happy to offer three new brass ensembles, including Eagle Columns Fanfare, composed by Mitchell Arnold. The Fanfare was commissioned for the dedication of a Chicago sculpture, Eagle Columns, by the great American sculptor Richard Hunt.

The revered American sculptor Richard Hunt created Eagle Columns, a public sculpture created for Chicago's Jonquil Park, in 1989. Conductor and composer Mitc...

08/29/2024

For anyone interested in getting into arranging for trombone ensemble, Ascenda's interview with University of Maine Trombone Professor Dan Barrett offers some insights into how to create playable and fun arrangements that are playable by groups that may have a wide range of skill levels.

According to Dan: "There's a lot that can be learned from just keeping your ears open and seeing what other people have done."

University of Maine Trombone Professor Dan Barrett talks to Ascenda Music Publishing about how he got started with arranging for trombone ensemble and how he...

08/26/2024

Are you thinking about arranging and composing but can't seem to get started? Ascenda Music's interview with Gerry Pagano shows you how one musician who never thought of himself as a composer got started.

Gerry says, "It's a creative part of me that never got exercised, or I didn't even know it existed, so you know it's something that I don't think I'm gonna stop doing anytime soon because it has been enjoyable."

Are you a performing musician who has thought about arranging and composing but have been afraid to take the risk? Gerry Pagano, retired Bass Trombone of the...

08/22/2024

Are you and your small music group struggling to keep up with everything you have to do? Here's how one group puts it all together.

The SAKURA Cello Quintet offers some insight into how a small music group can put it all together, musically and operationally.

08/13/2024

Gender and equality are hot topics in our society, and the American symphony orchestra is not immune to workplace issues like harassment and gender equity. My former St. Louis Symphony colleague Amanda Stewart sat down with me to discuss her experiences as a woman in the orchestra workplace. Amanda shares some of the experiences that motivated her to look deeply at the causes of gender and racial discrimination in our world.

You can also see Amanda's passion for advocating for gender and racial equality in a video presentation she presented recently at the International Trombone Festival titled "Women: Rights, Equality, Protections: A Discussion of Statistics, History, and a Path Forward." (See a link to that presentation in the comments section below).

Check out more discussion about the everyday issues of performing musicians at https://ascendamusic.com/blog/.

Amanda Stewart is Associate Principal Trombone of the St. Louis Symphony. Amanda discusses the challenges she has encountered as a woman in orchestral workpl...

07/12/2024

We've all experienced those concert nights when things don't go as planned. This week's blog post offers a some ideas (learned the hard way!) to help you and your group to learn from these unexpected hiccups. It's a shared journey we all partake in.

Performances are never perfect, but musicians can and should learn from our performance errors in the spirit of team learning.

06/18/2024

Have you ever finished a concert with the feeling that something was missing? Did you ever feel like the audience wasn’t quite with you? Here are four things you can do to improve your stage presence at your next performance.

You can improve your stage presence by making eye contact and talking to your audience, as well as by opening your awareness and showing gratitude.

06/16/2024

For all trombone players: check out this great new video from Michael Lake about learning to play the alto trombone.

Discover the beauty of playing the alto trombone in this tutorial video and preview of my book "Alto Trombone Savvy". Whether you're a seasoned trombonist l...

06/01/2024

At ITF, I got to catch up a bit with Jemmie Robertson!

04/25/2024

Are you looking for ideas to make your small group rehearsals more effective and efficient? In this week's blog, I discuss some rehearsal techniques.

Here are some small group rehearsal techniques that can help a small music group effectively and efficiently prepare for their performances.

04/11/2024

Do you want to take your chamber music group to the next level? Take a look at this week's blog, which discusses five actions you and your group can take now to improve your rehearsals and performances. https://ascendamusic.com/five-actions-to-improve-your-chamber-music/

04/11/2024

A new arrangement from the SAKURA! Premiering this week in Bend, Oregon.

03/28/2024

Are you getting started with a new chamber music group? This week's blog digs into the nitty-gritty of running a chamber music rehearsal.

Getting started as a chamber music group can be daunting. Here are five tips your group can follow for a successful chamber music rehearsal.

03/14/2024

My musical history includes a couple of chamber music groups that have meant everything to me. As I look back on what went right and what could have gone better, I am starting a series of blogs about how you can find your chamber music success. Here is my first offering.

Here are some strategies to ensure successful start for your chamber group. Ask yourselves: what kind of group do we want to be?

03/07/2024

This week's blog continues to look at how publishers help composers bring their music to performing musicians.

How do classical composers bring great music to musicians? The publisher and the composer must make a publication agreement.