We heard some great brass juries today – bravo to all the students on their hard work!  I’m planning to post a bit more about juries on Wednesday, but for today here’s a list of some projects for horn students (and other brass players) to consider over the summer break. Summer is a great time to build on the momentum from your end-of-semester jury, and any of the projects on this list would make a good way to spend a few weeks (or more) over the break. Go ahead and take a few days if you need to decompress after the stress of final exams, but before you get too far into the summer make sure you have a plan for how you want to improve. Pick two or three things off the list to start, and come up with your own creative ideas to supplement. Have some other ideas for fun summer horn-related projects?  Feel free to comment.

• Attend the 44th Annual International Horn Symposium.
• Compile and read through a “recommended reading” list.
• Take the Randy Gardner Accuracy Challenge.
• Find a partner and play some duets and/or improvisation games.
• Build a horn out of paper. (Recommended only if you have LOTS of free time.)
• Make a conch horn.
• Work on  stopped horn playing.
• Arrange or transcribe something for horn or horn and piano.
• Plan and prepare a summer recital.
• Work through a different major/minor key every week in this book.
• Work on transposition. Pick a different key every week or so (see above)
• Start an etude recording project.
• Try a new warm-up or daily routine.
• Start a practice journal.
• Start a physical fitness regimen.
• Learn to restring valves.