With the submission of final grades, this unprecedented spring semester is now behind me. For students and colleagues at other institutions who may still have a few more days or weeks to go, hang in there! I’m extremely proud of our students for their resilience and flexibility, and honored to be working with such dedicated faculty and staff. They truly went above and beyond to help our students be successful.

As we move into the summer, I’ll be shifting gears a bit and working on some longer-term projects as well as a few smaller things. One major undertaking is learning to use several apps in the Adobe Creative Cloud, including InDesign, Premiere Pro, and Audition. I’ve had experience with similar software, but this will be my first in-depth look at Adobe’s apps. So far I’ve been very impressed with their power and versatility, and look forward to learning more. I also have plans for another book with Mountain Peak Music. It’s still in the planning stage, but I hope to knock out a large portion of it this summer.

In my own horn playing, I’ll continue to work with the Caruso Routine, as well as various etudes, solos, and other repertoire to keep in shape. One new series that I’ve really enjoyed is Jim Stephenson‘s Maytudes. The composer’s description is below:

A French horn etude project in consultation with Gail Williams, with one etude created every day during the month of May, 2020. Subscribers would receive a new etude in their email box every day, for their own private “world premiere!”

It’s a really cool idea, and the etudes are very well-written, but tough! I’ve recorded a video of the first one (with the composer’s permission), and plan to record more as I’m able. It takes me about a week to learn each one. If you are looking for a good summer practice project it may still be possible to join the Maytudes project. Contact the composer directly to inquire.

In addition to the above, my plans are to continue to enjoy spending time at home with my family. This extra time with loved ones has been a bright spot in the midst of the COVID-19 crisis. Hopefully stay-at-home restrictions will ease throughout the summer, and we will be able to safely venture back into public spaces. If you’ve read this far, thank you! and best wishes for a safe and restful summer.