Music … playing and teaching

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Peace and good tunes

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Time to settle back into the teaching routine. The kids are back in school and the gig level has dropped back to just weekends. My private studio is running at about 85%.

I’m excited for the Fall season. The foliage in this part of the country is amazing and it’s time to start organizing for my New Hampshire Independent School of Music fall ensembles. I’m blessed to conduct 3 adult ensembles. The folk group is around 7 members strong. The jazz group is 5 members and the string group is a little thin at this time with just 2 musicians (one violin and one cello). I’ll have to step up to the plate and dust off my viola chops so we can have a string trio. If anyone in the lakes region of New Hampshire is interested in any of these groups check out the NHISOM web page at www.NHISOM.org

Peace and good tunes to you, D. Patrick

It has been one of the busiest summers for music performances since I moved to the East coast a little over 8 years ago. I logged in 55 gigs from June 1st to August 31st. That isn’t a record but is certainly comes close.

Labor Day 2008 is now in the history books. School is back in session for the lakes region of New Hampshire. The morning s are feeling a little more crisp with a dry coolness in the air. Some of the leaves are starting to show signs of change. Time to settle back into a more steady teaching routine. There are some big shows coming up, not to mention Lisa’s CD release party but the gigs will taper off to mostly weekends. I am however, getting excited to the group of returning and new music students.

Peace and good tunes, D. Patrick

Day one of the New Hampshire Independent School of Music over night camp was … exciting, hectic, fun, and over with to fast. Between fixing trumpets, guitars, violas, and flutes, learning our schedule and where to go for classes, finding the lunch hall and meeting and greeting old and new faces, the day just flew by. What a great assortment of 46 kids, all loving their music and wanting to grow musically. This years camp is held once again on Lake Winnipesaukee this time at the North Woods & Pleasant Valley YMCA Campground.

Peace and good tunes to you, D. Patrick

The rain has been strong and deadly. We had a fatality at a campground in Ashland due to flash flooding. Tragically a 7 year old little girl lost her life. Life is so fragile and tenacious. It’s an old but true adage … “we must live the moment because we never know when it will end”.

Today I start preparation for the New Hampshire Independent School of Music over night camp on Lake Winnipesaukee. We have a lot of excited kids fir the camp. Many are returning campers and a few new to spice up the week. This is our third year holding the overnight camp and it has grown past our widest expectations. But how can you go wrong, outdoor fun, water play (canoeing, fishing, swimming), and music. Sounds like a great combination to me.

Peace and good tunes to you, D. Patrick

The 2008 New Hampshire Independent School of Music summer day camp was once again a huge success. The camp had 26 students. I was blessed this year by being able to work closely with eleven of these fine musicians. I was honored to conducted two guitar groups with three guitarists in each, one guitar ensemble of seven guitarists, two students with DAI (discover an instrument) on cello, five DAI guitar, and three DAI on violin. The performance on Friday afternoon was wonderful and exciting for all the parents and friends of these fine musicians. Time and again I would hear someone say to me or one of the others teachers how amazed they were that we could put together such a fine concert in five days. Our humble response was unanimous, “it’s not just us … it’s those amazing kids.” We were treated to a great concert of vocalists, jazz groups, blues groups, classical piano and woodwind groups. The finale was the entire camp performing an audience participation tune called “Listen to the Rain”. You can check out the pictures at www.myspace.com/standupfclef I’m already looking forward to next years camp but first it’s time to prepare for the overnight camp on lake Winnipesaukee later this month.

Peace and good tunes to you, D. Patrick

The 2nd day of the New Hampshire Independent School of Music day camp is in the books. What a great line up of musicians ranging in age from 7 to 14. This year the day camp is very guitar heavy. I am conducting two different groups of three guitarists in each, an ensemble of 7 guitarists, 5 guitar students are in my discover an instrument (DAI) class for guitar, three DAI for violin and two DAI for cello. You guessed it they are keeping me on my toes. I am so blessed to be a part of the musical lives of these young musicians and I take very seriously the role I play as their teacher and mentor.

On top of the camp schedule I am playing electric up-right bass Wednesday with the Moose Mountain Jazz Band at the North Hampton Bandstand, acoustic up-right bass Thursday with Andy Kustas at a jazz garden party, Friday electric bass-guitar with Lisa Young & Co. at the Weirs Beach Lobster Pound, Saturday with Lisa’s band at Fun Town Splash Town USA, and ending the week with Lisa at the Town Dock’s restaurant Meredith. Idle hands are the devil’s workshop so I guess I’m safe for now.

Peace and good tunes to you, D. Patrick

As a teacher for New Hampshire Independent School of Music (NHISOM) I have the privilege of forming and conducting several group ensembles. One of these ensembles is my adult jazz group. The core of the group has been together for going on three years. Currently the group consists of tenor sax, flute, string bass, guitar, and a vocalist. Last night this amateur group (lovingly referred to as Trish J and the Doctors of Jazz) gave an hour long concert at the Surrounds art studio in Sandwich NH. The group performed well and the audience of close to 50 people were very receptive. It is just too cool to watch this group of players mature and grow to the point where they can pull off an excellent concert. Once again I have had the honor of witnessing the power of music.

Peace and good (jazz) tunes to you, D. Patrick

Next week the New Hampshire Independent School of Music (NHISOM) will be holding their music day camp. As a co-founder of NHISOM I am very excited for the camp. I have the privilege of teaching the guitar and strings portion of the day camp. The music camp will run from Monday, July 28th till Friday, August 1st. On August 1st we will hold a public concert and give the camp students a chance to show off the music they have been working on all week.

Peace and good tunes to you, D. Patrick

One of the favorite warm up exercises for me and my students is the “Crab Crawl”. It works well for both beginner and advanced guitar students.

The exercise is simple, starting on the 6 string (low E) we place our 1st finger behind the first fret and pluck, next the 2nd finger behind the second fret and pluck, then 3rd behind third fret, then 4th behind fourth fret. Next we repeat this sequence of 1st finger first fret 2nd finger second fret etc. on the 5 string (A), then on the 4 string (D), etc. When we have completed this forward pattern we will end up with our 4th finger on the fourth fret of the 1 string (high E). Next we shift our hand up the neck of the guitar 1/2 step. This now places our 4th finger on the 5th fret of the 1 string (high E). Staying in this position we reverse the exercise, 4th finger fifth fret, 3rd finger fourth fret, 2nd finger third fret etc. When we reach 1st finger second fret we now continue the same reverse pattern by moving our 4th finger to the fifth fret of the 2 string (B) and repeat the reverse motion of 4th finger, 3rd finger etc. When we have completed this reverse pattern across all six strings we will end up with the 1st finger on the second fret of the 6 string (low E) where we now shift up the neck of the guitar 1/2 step and start the forward pattern starting with the 1st finger on the third fret of the 6 string (low E).

I will vary the length of the crab crawl to accommodate the ability of the student. For my beginners we will do the crawl to when the last motion is the shift up the guitar neck of the 1st finger fifth fret of the 6 string (low E). My advanced students will perform this exercise up to the 12th fret and then reverse the pattern back down the neck.

When a student has become proficient at the crab crawl and can make the string changes and shifts smoothly I’ll add in the metronome. My students really enjoy measuring themselves to the metronome. We log their fastest beats per minute (bpm). The crab crawl must be performed smoothly and seamlessly between all strings and shifts for a bpm to be logged.  Regardless of my advanced students ability I always start this exercise out slow (100-120 bpm) to avoid injury. Once the hands and fingers are sufficiently warmed up we turn up the speed. The students get a real charge when they hit the “200 club”. My ongoing challenge is for the student to beat my best time. On a good day my crab crawl is clean at 400-420 bpm. I currently have two students that smoke me with a consistent 440 and up, and one knocking on my door at 380 bpm.

Peace and good tunes to you, D. Patrick