Eli Epstein, Brass Department Chair
Brass Master Series
Saturdays, 1:00-2:00 pm (Pierce Hall)
Becoming an Eclectic Musician
February 25
Richard Kelley, Top Jazz and Classical Trumpeter
How to Practice to Improve Your Brass Technique
March 10
Joseph Foley, Principal Trumpet of the Rhode Island Philharmonic
Blowing a Phrase
April 21
Kenneth Amis, Tubist of Empire Brass,
Don't Mind, But It Matters
April 28
Norman Bolter, Veteran Trombonist of BSO and Boston Pops
How to Develop More Endurance: It’s Not What You May Think!
May 5
Eli Epstein, Veteran Horn of the Cleveland Orchestra
Registration is required for the Brass Master Series. You can choose to register for the entire series or just one session online. Click here to register. $40 for the series/$10 per session. Day off registration is available in the NEC Prep Office(241 Saint Botolph St.) Please be sure to arrive early for day of registration.
Brass Fests
Sundays, 10 am-12 noon
Trombone/TubaFest
February 12, Pierce Hall
Norman Bolter and Kenneth Amis
TrumpetFest
March 11, Saint Botolph G01
Richard Kelley and Joseph Foley
French HornFest
March 18, Keller Room
Eli Epstein
All Brass Instrument Fests are free! Please sign up online.
Private lessons
Private lessons of 30, 45, and 60 minutes are offered in all the categories listed under faculty. Prospective students must set up an audition or placement interview with the department chair, who will advise each student personally regarding an appropriate studio teacher placement. Please see our private lessons page for more information about the benefits of taking private instruction here at NEC.
For specific information regarding teacher placement, please contact the Preparatory School office by calling 617-585-1130 or email prep@necmusic.edu.
Chamber music
Eli Epstein, Chair
The NEC Preparatory School offers chamber music coaching of ensembles of all levels and ages. Groups will be determined by age, ability, and instrumentation. Each will receive 28 coaching sessions and two end-of-semester workshops. Students are expected to participate in festival concerts each semester.
Auditions take place in early September. To schedule an appointment, contact the Preparatory School office at 617-585-1130.
Scholarship Brass Quintet
Robert Pettipaw, Coach
Open by audition to advanced brass players, the Scholarship Brass Quintet is a tuition-free ensemble open by audition to advanced brass players. Students must be enrolled in an NEC large ensemble in order to qualify. Auditions held in September.
Trombone Choir
Norman Bolter, Director
Trombone Choir helps students build excellent ensemble skills in listening, blending, rhythm, and intonation. It offers a wonderful sonic grouping and a variety of styles. Mr. Bolter has conducted many trombone choirs around the country and abroad including at the Juilliard School, Eastman School and in Venezuela with the El Sistema program. His goal is to help ignite the natural joy and enthusiasm that is inherent in every player.
Eligibility: At least 3-4 years playing experience with good basic reading skills.
Rehearsals: Saturday, 12noon-1pm
Youth Brass Ensemble
Eli Epstein, Director
Learn ensemble playing from Cleveland Orchestra veteran and brass pedagogue, Eli Epstein. With his upbeat, positive approach to music making, Mr. Epstein provides experiences that promote high levels of musicianship, enhance brass playing technique, develop listening skills, encourage emotional expression and address interpersonal and performance issues. This fun, energizing ensemble experience is open by audition to high school and middle school brass players. Auditions held in September.
Saturday, 10:00-11:30 pm
Orchestras
Please note: admission to NEC orchestras is highly selective, particularly for brass players, as the number of openings is very limited.
Youth Philharmonic Orchestra
Touring ensemble. Open by audition to highly advanced pre-college players. Admission to YPO is extremely selective. Students placed in YPO generally play at a level which will guarantee them admission to selective conservatories. While orchestral assignments are made by level, not age, most members of YPO are in grades 10-12. Younger college- age players are sometimes invited to fill vacancies due to the absence of qualified pre-college players.
Rehearsals – Saturday, 3:10-6:00pm
Youth Symphony
Steven Karidoyanes, Director
Touring ensemble: June 2011 tour. Open by audition to advanced players. Admission to YS is very selective. Students placed in YS generally play with a high level of musicality and technical mastery, are comfortable playing complete concertos from all stylistic periods, and have significant prior orchestral and chamber music experience. While orchestral assignments are made by level, not age, most members of YS are in grades 10-12.
Rehearsals – Saturday, 3:15-6:00pm
Youth Repertory Orchestra
Jane Ezbicki, Director
Open by audition to upper intermediate to advanced players. Students placed in YRO generally play with good intonation and tone quality, a variety of dynamics, and are comfortable carrying their part independently while blending with the ensemble. While orchestral assignments are made by level, not age, most members of YRO are in grades 8-11.
Rehearsals – Saturday, 1:00-3:00pm
Junior Repertory Orchestra
Adam Grossman, Director
Open by audition to intermediate string players. Students placed in JRO generally play with fluidity, have a developed vibrato, and are comfortable playing three-octave scales and arpeggios. While orchestral assignments are made by level, not age, most members of JRO are in grades 8-9.
Rehearsals – Saturday, 1:30-3:00 pm
Massachusetts Youth Wind Ensemble
Michael Mucci, Director
Touring ensemble: June 2010 tour. Open by audition to advanced high school-age (grades 10-12) players. Auditions are generally at the level of allstate auditions.
Rehearsals – Friday, 4:15-7:00pm
Jr. Massachusetts Youth Wind Ensemble
David Samour, Director
Open by audition to junior high school-age (grades 7-9) players. Auditions are generally at the level of Jr. District auditions.
Rehearsals – Friday, 4:15-7:pppm
Baroque ensembles
Aldo Abreu, Director
Renaissance and Baroque Wind Band
Open by audition to intermediate players. This ensemble specializes in Renaissance and Baroque wind instrumental music written between the years 1500 and 1750. Students play their own modern instruments, and the parts are transposed from the original scores. While there are no specific age guidelines for this ensemble, most members of the Renaissance and Baroque Wind Band are in grades 7-12.
Rehearsals – Friday, 4:30-6:30pm
Recorder and String Orchestra
Open by audition to intermediate players. Students placed in RSO are generally comfortable shifting and playing fast passagework. While orchestral assignments are made by level, not age, most members of RSO are in grades 3-11.
Rehearsals – Saturday, 4:00-6:00pm
Preparatory Baroque Ensemble
Open by audition to beginning players. This orchestra includes strings and some wind instruments, specializing in easy music from the Baroque and Renaissance Periods by composers such as works by Susato, Attaignant, and Purcell. While there are no specific age guidelines for this ensemble, most members of the Preparatory Baroque Ensemble are in grades 3-9.
Rehearsals – Saturday, 3:00-4:00pm
Friday Baroque Ensemble
Open by audition to intermediate players. Students placed in FBE are generally comfortable shifting and playing fast passagework. While orchestral assignments are made by level, not age, most members of FBE are in grades 3-11.
Rehearsals – Friday, 6:30-8:30pm
Suggested course of study
Beginners (first year)
- Private Lesson
- Musicianship or Theory Class
- Observe Brass Master Class Series
- Attend NEC Brass Bash
- Attend BSO Performances
Intermediate (second year)
- Private Lesson
- Chamber Music
- Theory Class
- Participate in Brass Master Class Series
- Attend NEC Brass Bash
- Attend BSO Performances
Honors
- Subsequent years – can be completed over multiple years
- Private Lesson
- Large Ensemble: Youth Brass Ensemble/Youth Orchestras/MYWE/
Jr. MYWE - Brass Master Class Series
- Theory for Teens
- Improvisation
- Art of Practice and Performance
- Attend NEC Brass Bash
- Attend BSO Performances
2012-01-12
DIZZY GILLESPIE