William “Bill” Adam quote for today, "we blow the embouchure into place."
This comes up in my mind a lot as I teach, and/or encounter someone who wants to debate how this all works. ("In my mind" meaning, I don't always verbalize it... no sense arguing if someone is determined to take the wrong road...).
Maybe that person tries to get their lips to do "whatever" without any air going (I see this a LOT).
Or maybe there are faulty thoughts as to how the embouchure forms, or what its function is. And I will also add that, almost without exception, this is the person with chronic chop problems and/or frustrations.
The fact is, there is no meaningful, workable embouchure without the breath first initiating it.
The insidious thing about these misconceptions is that ANYTHING we do to set something "on purpose" not only does not work, it BLOCKS the intuitive from doing its best work. That is, we have to get out of our own way, leave everything that is flesh in repose; no "setting" or "forming." None, nada, zero. If we try to outsmart the system by consciously trying to control all of the minutiae, we just blocked our best from happening.
As the breath commences, guided by the thought of sounding just like we want to sound, in great detail, the "flesh" goes exactly where it needs to go. This happens in an instant…
Mr. William “Bill” Adam former trumpet professor at Indiana University School of Music.
Hugh Rankin
It was like history repeating itself. In 1897, a teenage Eugene Fischer was there when the University of Michigan Band played its first public performance. From his house, Eugene could walk to the Michigan Football games, where he heard and saw the Michigan Band. And as a young adult, Eugene became the conductor of the Michigan Band and was instrumental in pushing the University to assume control and responsibility for the band.
Like Eugene Fischer, Eric Becher grew up near Michigan Stadium. And after halftime, the gates would open for anyone to enter the Stadium. And Eric was there every Saturday. In high school, Eric played trumpet under the direction of the legendary Victor Bordo. Eric wanted to major in music, and it was a no-brainer that he should go to the University of Michigan. Eric marched in the Michigan Marching Band under the direction of George Cavender. Upon graduation, Eric became one of George’s graduate assistants. In the late summer of 1980, Glenn Richter resigned as conductor of the Marching Band, and H. Robert Reynolds had the task of finding a new conductor. He turned to Eric.
Thus, began ten years of special times for the Michigan Marching Band. At the time, Eric was the band's youngest (faculty) conductor. He was only a few years older than many of the band members. And his first drum major was Guy Bordo, Vic’s son. From the get-go, Eric announced three goals for the Michigan Band: To support the team, to entertain the audience, and to create a positive experience with each other within the band. This latter goal would transform the way things were done in the band. Excellence was achieved through positive reinforcement. There was a real effort to treat each other with respect.
At the end of Eric’s first year, the MMB went to the Rose Bowl. Thanks to Bo Schembechler’s winning teams, the MMB went to a bowl game every year. Also, the Michigan Band played at the 1984 World Series (Go Tigers!) and a Super Bowl. Thanks to the expertise of arranger John Stout, the MMB played music that resonated more with the students in the Stadium. Activities such as the Crisler
Concert, the “Birthday Cake,” the “Animal Husbandry Show,” creative skits at Bandorama, and many others became Michigan Band traditions. The Elbel Club started during this time, and the financial support to the Michigan band has been astounding. The idea and planning for the expansion of Revelli Hall began under Eric’s leadership. After a few years, Paul Boylan, Dean of the School of Music, asked to meet with Eric. He told Eric, “Someday, you will be an administrator.” Eric asked why. The Dean explained, “It’s because you know how to get things from A to Z.” Boylan’s prediction came true. Today, Eric assists non-profit organizations in finding the means to thrive. As we celebrate 125 years of the Michigan Band, we should remember and celebrate the contributions and leadership of Eric Becher.
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