I hope you all are well and enjoying your summer. I sure am…!

I’m in Toronto for 9 days to do a conference with Canadian Brass called “Idea City.” Check it out! Lots of Canadian innovators will be speaking and inspiring over a three-day period. They’re advertising it as “Canada’s Premier Meeting of the Minds.”

Nina and I are looking forward to spending over 3 months together this summer! She’ll be along for the ride while I perform with Canadian Brass, do a few solo things and teach a few master classes. We’ve already been together a month, and it’s been wonderful.

We just returned from Thailand, where we took our “honeymoon!” I know, it’s 2 ½ years late, but it couldn’t have happened at a more perfect time. We were in Thailand for almost 3 weeks and enjoyed every second of it. From elephant riding, to zip lining, to SCUBA diving, to hiking, to riding in the back of a Tuk Tuk, everything we experienced was amazing!

If you’re interested in following our travels for the summer, we’re writing a personal blog.

I just completed my 2^nd year as assistant professor at Indiana University. I have learned so much from teaching 20 students…the time just flies! I couldn’t be happier than I am now, with both Indiana University and Canadian Brass. It’s the perfect blend of performing and teaching.

If you’re interested in seeing what we’re doing with Canadian Brass, follow along by reading my blog “Backstage Brass.”

I’ve had a few other performing experiences in addition to Canadian Brass since January that have been extremely rewarding as well!

In February, I performed a full concerto with orchestra. Bloomington’s Camerata Orchestra invited me to be their soloist playing Strauss Horn Concerto #1. It was such a great experience. Here’s a picture of me in rehearsal with them!

Also in February, I was invited by Alex Kerr to play some chamber music. It was a wonderful blend of musicians from Cincinnati, Bloomington, and Holland! We performed Schubert Octet and the Till Eulenspiegel Quintet for audiences in Cincinnati and Bloomington.

In February I also performed a recital and taught a master class for students at Interlochen Academy for the Arts. I did a bunch of solo stuff, and was joined by some students for some horn ensemble pieces.

I was able to fly to Philadelphia to see Nina perform as the mean Kabanicha in the Janacek opera “Katya Kabanova.”

In March, we were excited to have my dear friend and colleague Roger Kaza come to IU to do a week of teaching and maser classes.

Here’s Roger teaching one of my Doctoral students, Lauren Hughes.

Roger and I performed the Kuhlau Concertino for 2 horns in our weekly “studio” class.

Our “Freshman Horn Choir” took a trip to Midwest Illinois Horn Festival for their horn conference. I accompanied them, as one of the two drivers. Here they are rehearsing outside at IU. Left to right: Kurtis Henderson, Mike Lombardi, Jenny Smoak, Aaron “Mr. Sparkles” Kibbler, Ryan O’Connell, Everett Burns, Zach Glavan, Lizzy Garza (her hair anyway…), Kelsey Westvelt.

Here are some of us on the drive to the conference at 6am!

In April, Nina and I traveled to Calgary for a chamber music series of “Living Room Concerts” hosted by Jeff Neufeld and Brinna Brinkerhoff. It was during Canadian Juno week, and while we were there, we participated in a bunch of special events.

One of these events was appearing on Calgary’s Breakfast TV. Here’s a great picture of Brinna, Jeff and Jeff playing part of the Brahms Horn Trio on the show.

Much to my surprise, my good friend Adam James was scheduled to appear on the same TV show, on the same morning! Here we are with the host of the show between spots!

A couple of my mom and dad’s friends from their singing days in Edmonton made it down to see our concert. Here we are post concert.

It’s always nice to be in Calgary because so many of my good friends live there! Here’s me with Adam and Jay. Jay is my best friend from high school who runs “Christmas Future”. This is a wonderful charity aimed at eradicating extreme poverty.

Adam and I even got last minute tickets to the Junos before heading back to Indiana! It was so exciting to see so many wonderful Canadian artists all in one place. We rock!

As the end of the school year approached, Studio Nelsen had their first annual “SN Recital” and the following night, the “Talent Show.” Everyone in Studio Nelsen performed something on horn the first night….. aaaaaand of course, everyone did amaaaazingly! Then the following night, the only rule was, “No Horns!”

It was a GREAT evening! Every performance was a highlight! I didn’t get pictures of everyone…sorry! Here are some of the pics I did manage to get!

Freshmen “La Bamba” on the recorder (…and of course, maracas stuffed in their socks)

To Die Walkure via hand farts thanks to Tim Huizenga (…and Tim learned even hand farting needs “Magic Line Theory” work, cause sweaty palms do not a musical fart make.)

And from the violin playing of Julia Filson,

To the harp sounds of Kurtis Henderson,

To the trumpet duets of me and Darcie Kozlowski,

To the piano and broadway songs of Jessie Thoman,

To the human voice of all of us singing together!

It was a wonderful bonding experience to end the 2007/08 school year. We all have hilarious memories to keep us going through the summer, before we begin making new memories together in September!

We began May by taking a trip to NYC to spend a day with our friend/photographer Daniel D’Ottavio. Nina and I both needed some new publicity pictures, and we took a couple together too!

After our visit with Daniel, I flew to Cincinnati, where I played a week with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. We performed Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring. Here we are post concert…

I was honored to be asked to judge the 2008 Fischoff Chamber Music Competition.

Because all the judging happened behind closed doors, I didn’t get any pictures. :) Buuuuuut, I did get one of us after the finals of the competition. Here I am with Anne Epperson, George Taylor and Kevin Cobb.

And then I headed up to the Calgary area again to play in the “Windy Mountain Chamber Music Festival”. I performed the Mozart Quintet, the Dohnanyi Sextet and the Herzogenberg Woodwind Quintet.

From Calgary, I flew to Los Angeles, where Nina and I spent a couple of days with her mom, Janice, before flying to Thailand.

When we returned from Thailand, we had 5 days in Santa Barbara before we drove to LA for a Canadian Brass concert for the Rotary Club. We performed two ½ hour concerts for 14,000 people each time.

And…of course, we can’t be in Los Angeles without a stop at the “Magic Castle.” At IU , one of my “extra activities” is as faculty advisor to Jordan Goldklang. Jordan is in a special program IU offers called the “Individalized  Major”.  Will Shortz, of New York Times Crossword fame, got his degree in enigmatology in this fantastic program at IU as well in 1974.  Jordan very well might be the first person to major in “Magic” at a university EVER!  His present name for his degree is, “The Theoretical and Practical Application of Prestidigitation, Misdirection, and Deception “, but I think a degree is magic is much cooler! Jordan recently turned 21, and with his older brother David (who will be studying horn with me at IU next year), the two of them drove down to LA from San Francisco for a great night at the Castle. Jordan even got to do a private magic show while he was there!

Here we all are with magician Tony Picasso (who encouraged Jordan to perform his act and gave him wonderful critique afterword).

It was a grrrrrreat night!

The rest of the summer finds me touring with Canadian Brass. We’ll be heading to Greece, Belgium, England, Luxembourg, Austria, Germany, New York, Chicago, Interlochen, Bloomington, and Santa Barbara.

As always, it’s wonnnnnnnderful to be home in Toronto. We’re enjoying spending time with my parents and relaxing a bit before heading to England to spend some time with my sister, Lisa, bro-in-law Alex, and niece Tilly!

Nina and I are looking forward to keeping our “Travel Blog” going throughout the summer. Feel free to follow us in our travels!

I hope you are enjoying your summer, aaaaaaaaaand …………….

Stay relaxed! We sure are!!!

Best,

Jeff

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