January / February 2006

North American Saxophone Alliance January/February 2006 in this issue... Michigan State Hosts Saxophone Summit Delangle and Alumni at 1 Saxophone Summit President’s Message The Michigan State University Catherine McMichael, and the Great 2 School of Music and Professor of Lakes Saxophone Quartet performing Saxophone, Joseph Lulloff, hosted the Three Blues by Charles Ruggiero. 2005 Saxophone Summit October 23rd through the 25th. This year’s Summit The Summit also featured a total of Short Lecture on featured internationally acclaimed 8 hours of master-classes with Claude Vibrato French saxophonist and professor of Delangle, Eric Lau, Griffin Campbell, by John3 Sampen saxophone at the Paris Conservatory, and John Nichol, with performances Claude Delangle, as well as Odile by students from Bowling Green State Catelin-Delangle, and MSU Alumni University, Central Michigan Univer- Saxophonists: Griffin Campbell, Eric sity, Michigan State University, the Attention Members Lau, John Nichol, Joseph Lulloff, and University of Michigan, and a high 4 The Great Lakes Saxophone Quartet, school student featuring Joseph Lulloff, Donell Snyder, Paul Forsyth, and Eric Lau. Member Update The schedule of events began with an 5 Opening Recital by the Lulloff-Okada Duo with Joseph Lulloff, saxophone, and Jun Okada, piano, performing Sonata in G minor BMV 1020 by J.S. Bach, Rapsodie by Claude Debussy, Flow by Murray Gross, Two Preludes by Dorothy Chang, and a World Premiere of Night Songs and Flights of Fancy by Charles Ruggiero. The concert on the second night of the Professor Delangle works with MSU Summit was an MSU Alumni Recital graduate student Paul Nolen on Luciano featuring Eric Lau performing Four Berio’s Sequenza VIIb Impromptus by Paul Cooper, Griffin Campbell performing Sonata by from the studios of Brent Mondoskin William Albright, the Eclectic Trio with and Joseph Lulloff. The Summit Joanna White, flute, Kennen White, concluded with a Final Recital featur- clarinet, and John Nichol, saxophone, ing Claude and Odile Delangle per- performing American Counterpoint by forming Scaramouche by Darius David Gillingham and Eclectic Trio by (Continued on next page) 2 Saxophone Summit (cont’d) Milhaud, Airs Autour du Tango by Gustavo Beytelmann, Fantasia by Heiter Villa-Lobos, Fantasia by Ronaldo Miranda, Vals Venezolano, Contradança by Paquito D’Rivera, and Tango Etudes by Astor Piazzola. The Summit was very successful in attracting saxophonists and non- saxophonists alike to Michigan State to enjoy a weekend of wonderful music making. The 2005 Saxophone Summit was generously supported by Vandoren, Inc., Dansr, Inc., the MSU School of Music, Meridian Winds, and the Viridian Quartet. Plans are underway for the 2006 Saxophone The Viridian Saxophone Quartet from Michigan State University and Professor Summit to be held next November on Delangle in rehearsal. Campus ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ I hope this issue of the NASA you would be interested in hosting any Update finds you well at the New of these events, or of you know of Year. Scott Turpen has done a someone who might, please contact a wonderful job soliciting content for member of the NASA Executive this publication. Thanks, Scott, for Committee. making this publication more valuable, and important part of our NASA As always, the NASA Executive community. Committee is interested in hearing from members with comments and It’s almost here! Be sure to suggestions on any aspect of the reserve your hotel room for the Alliance’s activity. Biennial Conference in Iowa. The conference web site has all the We’ll see you in Iowa! Call for Conference Hosts information you need to plan your visit 2007 Regional Conferences to Iowa City. You may also view the Jonathan Helton, President 2008 Biennial Conference conference program online. http:// [email protected] Please contact your www.uiowa.edu/~nasa2006/ Regional Director or a member of the NASA Executive Committee As we eagerly anticipate the if you, or someone you know upcoming Biennial Conference, it is might be interested in hosting time to begin preparations for Re- a conference. gional Conferences in 2007 and the next Biennial Conference in 2008. If 3 A Short Lecture on Vibrato John Sampen – Distinguished Artist Professor, Bowling Green State University For the saxophonist, the concept of Concerning vibrato production, the However, it should be noted that vibrato has become a personal trade- noted American pedagogue Larry Teal most saxophonists of the 21st century mark that provokes great debate and describes four distinctive types: play “at the top” of their pitch. In endless conversation. Certainly other words, when a senza vibrato a) Jaw - “the lips…become the conventions are constantly changing, note is produced, there is very little recipient of changing pressures when along with society’s visions of beauty room to raise the sound above the the jaw moves” and taste. Perhaps we can agree, pitch. Conversely, there is plenty of however, with Dr. Frederick Hemke b) Lip – “moving the lips in something room below the pitch. At least in our who asserts that “vibrato on the like a ‘wa-wa-wa—motion” current era of musical practice, it is saxophone cannot be thought of as an accurate to suggest that “…the tone c) Throat – “tensing the throat embellishment superimposed on the muscles, and results in a ‘quiver’” begins on pitch, moves slightly flat, and tone. When vibrato is to be used, it then returns.” (Mauk 39). Dr. Hemke must be considered inseparable from d) Diaphragm – “…predominantly an elaborates by saying that “if dia- the total sound.” (Hemke 7) intensity vibrato…induced by a grammed, the saxophone frequency changing of the rate of air pressure” vibrato would take the shape of a The actual history of vibrato is well (Teal 55-56) uniform undulation. The undulation will beyond the scope of this short article dip from the actual pitch by .05-.15 of but Jean-Marie Londeix observes that The throat vibrato is rarely favored a semitone and then return to “vibrato had been used sparingly by by saxophonists. Diaphragmatic pitch.”(Hemke 8). wind instrumentalists until the begin- vibrato is often used for flute, oboe, ning of the twentieth century…” bassoon and sometimes clarinet. In learning the vibrato technique, (Londeix 64). By the mid 20th Saxophonists seem to prefer some one may consider the production of century, Marcel Mule had helped variety of jaw and/or lip vibrato (also either curving undulations (Example 2) popularize his wide and distinctive labeled “pitch changing” or “frequency or small loops in the tonal pitch vibrato, a “fashion” which is largely modulating” vibrato). Dr. Steven (Example 3). This author has found gone today; one may observe the Mauk writes that “saxophonists use a the looping technique conceptually current trend towards minimal or even ‘pitch-change’ vibrato created by slight more successful in controlling and senza vibrato as pioneered by some up-and-down motion of the jaw. It is maintaining the tonal center. French saxophonists of the late 20th called jaw vibrato…” (Mauk 39). Dr. century. Londeix agrees that “since Hemke agrees that the vibrato best (Example 2) about 1970, there has been a notice- meeting “… the requirements of the able diminution [sic in] the use of saxophonist is the frequency modulat- vibrato in serious music, as well as in ing vibrato.” (Hemke 7). (Example 3) jazz.” (Londex 64). Assuming that most saxophonists employ lip and/or jaw motion, it is important to consider the vibrato’s pitch One common vibrato problem change in relation to the pitch center. involves tongue movement in conjunc- Larry Teal diagrams the pitch as a tion with vibrato. There is no logical horizontal line around which the vibrato reason to involve the tongue in the makes equidistant loops. (Teal 54). vibrato process; indeed additional Example #1 tongue movement may diminish the tone quality. One may conduct an Pulsating pitch curve analysis of tongue activity in the vibrato by comparing the verbal Basic pitch production of “WaaWaaWaa” vs. Metronomic beats “YaYaYa”. With the “YaYaYa” 4 Vibrato (cont’d) discussion. Most teachers recommend the use of metronome practice while production, the tongue movement may still realizing the ultimate goal of ATTENTION be highly active. vibrato production that is not measured or coupled with the performance NASA In addition, check for throat tempos or rhythms. Having said this, constriction and high/low tongue the speed and width of the vibrato will MEMBERS position. A high tongue may cause most certainly vary with the style and difficulty in the vibrato production. tempi of the musical selection. Also consider the embouchure pres- There is a special start time sure by playing the mouthpiece alone. Finally, it is absolutely permissible for the NASA Biennial Most teachers prefer blowing a and often desirable to choose senza Conference at the concert A or concert Bb on the alto vibrato as a special color or musical saxophone mouthpiece. A higher pitch University of Iowa. effect as long as the performer center may constrict vibrato produc- Professional and student considers all options and makes tion. Finally, analyze the chin position intelligent choices. There is a ten- recitals as well as a lecture (non-bunched) and the actual lip/jaw dency for students to automatically movement (up and down, not forward will be at 3:00 p.m. play contemporary music without and back). on Wednesday, February 15. vibrato, often creating a tonal effect that is bland, cold and colorless. Below are three typical “problem” In addition, Special Guest Remember that a tasteful vibrato can vibratos. The first (Example 4) Frederick Hemke will also add great loveliness and warmth involves ending the undulations on a to our beautiful instrument and to the present a recital with organ downswing, thus creating the impres- exciting new literature of the 21st at 4:00 p.m.

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