Save The Date – Sharel Cassity @ Butler University!

 

I am thrilled to share that we will be hosting Sharel Cassity at Butler University on November 14th, 2024! Sharel will be working with the Butler bandsNoblesville High School, and Pike High School. The event will include a clinic at 6:00 PM, open to the public, followed by a concert at 7:30 PM. Both events will take place in The Krannert Room on the campus of Butler University. I hope you can join us!

About the Artist: Sharel Cassity

“Saxophonist, Flutist, and Educator Sharel Cassity is a prominent figure on the New York and Chicago jazz scenes. Voted the 2023 Rising Star Alto Saxophone and featured on the cover of Downbeat Magazine, Sharel has appeared on the Today ShowGood Morning America, and The Colbert Show. She is an inductee of the Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame and a recipient of the ASCAP Young Jazz Composers Award.

Stocking Stuffers for Early Shoppers – Trumpet Edition

It’s never too early to get your Christmas gifts! Beat the rush and enjoy the holiday season without the added stress. Here at Paige’s Music, we are well stocked with accessories that are perfect for the trumpet player in your life. Here are some of my favorites!


Practice Mutes

If you live in a smaller space or if your student doesn’t have a great place to practice without disturbing others, consider a practice mute. Here at Paige’s, we offer options from Shhmute to the Yamaha Silent Brass system and more. Personally, I own both the Shhmute and the Silent Brass system and use them frequently.


Valve Oil

Valve Oil is a must-have care accessory that every trumpet player should keep in their case. Trumpet players should oil their valves often to keep them moving smoothly. We carry a variety of valve oils in different brands, colors, and thicknesses (yes, we even have different colors!). If you’re unsure which valve oil is right for your trumpet, feel free to reach out for advice.


Trumpet Stand

A trumpet stand is a practical accessory for any level trumpet player! Many stands fit inside the bell of the trumpet while it’s stored in the case. Using a stand helps avoid placing the trumpet on the ground or lap, which can lead to accidental damage. I’ve seen students drop or accidentally step on their trumpets, so a stand is a great way to prevent these mishaps. Although stands can still tip over, they’re more visible than a trumpet laid on the floor.


Trumpet Mutes

We offer a wide selection of mute types, including straight, cup, and harmon mutes, each available in various materials. Most students will eventually need a straight mute, though some schools provide mutes while others do not. I recommend reaching out to your teacher before purchasing. Jazz band players may need a cup or harmon mute, which are fun to use and change the trumpet’s tone quality.


Trumpet Mouthpiece

A new mouthpiece can significantly impact your student’s playing. Personally, I didn’t realize the difference a mouthpiece could make until graduate school, when my teacher recommended a switch that transformed my sound. A mouthpiece is like a shoe; the best fit depends on lip size, shape, and playing style. Schedule an appointment with us to find the right mouthpiece with personalized guidance.


Gift Card

If you’re uncertain what to give your student, we offer Paige’s Music Gift Cards! Visit us in-store to pick one up, and your student can choose the accessories that best suit them.

 

Top 5 Reasons You Should Attend Ball State Flute Day!

The 2024 Ball State Flute Day is coming up on October 19th, and I am so excited to attend again as an exhibitor along with Flute Specialists! You don’t want to miss this FREE event. Dr. Watanabe and her flute studio have a full day of masterclasses, flute choir, warmup sessions, and recitals planned. If you haven’t registered yet and are free on October 19th, here are some reasons why you should attend: 

You will get to learn from Guest Artist Austin Brown and Dr. Mihoko Watanabe 

Principal Flutist of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, Austin Brown, will be Ball State’s featured Guest Artist this year! He will be leading a masterclass and Q&A session, and he will be performing a recital for everyone attending. This is the perfect opportunity to learn from Austin and get to know our new ISO Principal Flutist!  

Flute Professor at Ball State University, Dr. Mihoko Watanabe, is not only hosting this event, but she is leading the mindful warmup session and flute choir reading in the morning as well as leading an open clinic to close the flute day.  

Play with other flutists in the warmup and flute choir session. 

Flute choir reading sessions are SO fun. You don’t always get to play with solely flutes, and this is a unique opportunity to just have fun and play music with your fellow flutists. Dr. Watanabe’s mindful flute warmup will help you get in the mindset to have a relaxed, yet focused and productive flute day. She has done extensive research on applying mindfulness in your practice, so this is a wonderful opportunity to learn from her. 

Meet and make connections with other flutists. 

Flute events like these are the perfect way to network with other musicians. Who knows, you could even make lifelong friends at this event! The music community is smaller than you think, and it is incredibly important to make connections with your fellow musicians. Plus, flute players are the coolest and are so positive, supportive of each other, and fun to be around. 

Try out flutes and stock up on flute accessories from Paige’s Music and Flute Specialists. 

You will have time during the day dedicated to come visit the exhibitors! I am so excited to bring a variety of pro flutes and piccolos for you to try. Without giving anything away, I have some NEW models that I didn’t bring last year. These are some of my favorite flutes that I’ve brought in the shop. 

Hear some amazing performances in the Guest Artist Recital and the Masterclass. 

Did I mention before that this event is FREE? Take advantage of this opportunity to listen and learn from not only Austin Brown, but also collaborative pianist Dr. Michael Seregow and Dr. Mihoko Watanabe. While we don’t know what the repertoire for the recital will be, we do know what will be played in the masterclass! Masterclass performers will perform the following pieces for Austin Brown: Fantaisie, Op. 79 for flute and piano by Gabriel Faure, Sonata by Sergei Prokofiev, and La Flute de Pan by Jules Mouquet. These are very well known and popular flute solos to play, and this would be a great way to learn more about performing them! You can find the scores and more info at the event website: https://ballstatefluteday.weebly.com/ 

 

John Raymond Jazz Trumpet Clinic at Paige’s Music

Have you struggled to understand concepts of Jazz as a trumpet player? Do you wonder how someone can play an improvised solo so well? Have you struggled with matching the articulation or phrasing of prominent jazz trumpeters? If you can relate to any of these questions or just want to dive deeper into jazz trumpet playing, then this masterclass is for you! This masterclass is a must attend if you are auditioning for the All-State Jazz Band! We are so excited to host John Raymond for a jazz trumpet masterclass for trumpet players of all ages and playing abilities on November 23rd at 5PM!

The Mystery of the Euphonium: Understanding Its Dual Clefs

Bass Clefs, Treble Clefs, and Tenor Clefs. Oh my!

The euphonium is a unique and often misunderstood instrument, even among experienced musicians. Over the years, I’ve encountered many questions about it: Is it called a euphonium or a baritone? Why don’t we see euphoniums in orchestras? Should the bell face forward or up? Does it have three or four valves? And what exactly is a compensating euphonium?

One of the most intriguing questions, and the one we’ll explore today, is: Why is euphonium music written in both treble and bass clef?

What to Do When You’re Ready to Upgrade Your Flute

The beginning of the school year is here! As the excitement of the new term settles, you may hear from your student’s band director or teacher that it’s time to upgrade their flute—especially if they’ve been playing for at least a year. Choosing the right step-up flute can feel overwhelming, but we’re here to make it easier for you!

How to Start the Flute Upgrade Process

Save the Date: John Raymond Jazz Masterclass on November 23rd

We are thrilled to announce that world-renowned jazz artist John Raymond will be hosting a jazz trumpet masterclass at Paige’s Music on November 23rd at 5PM!

As an Associate Professor of Jazz Studies at the prestigious Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University, John brings a wealth of experience and expertise to the table. He has released nine albums under his own name, and has been featured on over thirty recordings, including four GRAMMY-nominated albums! Along with his musical accomplishments, John is the author of “The Jazz Trumpet Routine: Fundamentals for the Creative Improviser” and hosts the popular podcast “The Trumpet Summit”. As a Bach performing artist, John Raymond’s insights will be invaluable to musicians of all skill levels.

This masterclass is open to trumpet students of all ages and abilities who are eager to dive deeper into the world of improvisation. Whether you’re a seasoned player or just beginning, this clinic is for you!

We’re excited to partner with Bach and Conn-Selmer to present this incredible opportunity. More details, including how to RSVP, will be shared on our social media outlets and website soon. Plus, there will be a special giveaway for attendees—so make sure to stay tuned!

If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out. We can’t wait to see you on November 23rd for this unforgettable event!

NFA Part II: Top Takeaways from NFA 2024!

Now that I am back home, I am so excited to share with you some things that I loved about the 2024 NFA Convention! The atmosphere was electric in San Antonio, and it was so fun to catch up with fellow musicians and geek out together on all things flute. I attended several amazing concerts that even premiered new compositions, which I already have a sheet music shopping list started. I am especially excited for some new music by Ian Clarke! Here are a few things I experienced that I think you all would especially be interested in:

New Products to be on Your Radar:

While I was at the convention, I had the opportunity to try out the new products that Haynes Flutes has developed: a redesigned Amadeus headjoint, Q series piccolo, and a 9K Q Series flute. I am so excited for these! From now on, the step up Amadeus flutes that we will receive in the store will have the redesigned Amadeus headjoint. The biggest change is the lip plate is wider so that it will sit comfortably and be more stable on the players chin.

The Q series piccolo is in the pro level category, and I think it would be a great piccolo to try out if you are in the market for one! It has Pisoni Star pads, a solid silver mechanism, and a High G# mechanism. This piccolo will be available from Haynes later this year, so let me know if you are interested in trying it out!

The Q 9K flute is another new product I HIGHLY recommend trying if you are interested in gold flutes. I loved the warm, rich tone quality of this flute. The 9K has 10K white gold springs, silver rings, silver soldered tone holes and mechanism, and Pisoni S2 pads. You are also able to choose your headjoint option from one of Haynes’s professional Custom headjoint cuts.

I was also able to visit the Trevor James booth and test out some projects they have been working on: their Copper Alloy C flute with a wooden lip plate and their alto flute with a .958 silver headjoint. I absolutely loved the sound on both of these flutes! The wooden lip plate brings such a nice and warm tone quality to the copper alloy, and the .958 silver headjoint on the alto has a deep, rich tone quality. I could tell a huge difference in my sound on the .958 silver vs. the sterling silver headjoints.

Sessions on Performance Anxiety & Mindfulness

While there were many fantastic sessions that I attended, I especially enjoyed the ones that addressed the “player” as the instrument instead of the flute. If you are like me (and most musicians) you deal with some amount of performance anxiety. Flutist and Mindset Coach, Chelsea Tanner, led a great session on managing performance anxiety. We went through exercises on how to manage your anxiety as well as gained a better understanding of why our bodies and minds go through this. If you’d like to learn more about this subject and learn more about Chelsea and her work, go check out her website at www.chelseatanner.com.

I also went to multiple sessions that addressed mindfulness for musicians. We were led through guided meditation and learned how to approach a growth mindset when you are practicing flute. Ball State University’s own Dr. Mihoko Watanabe led an insightful and inspiring session titled “Mindful Musicians: Holistic Practicing Using Mindset and Mindfulness with Professor Mihoko Watanabe”. This session definitely helped me be more self aware, and I left with practical knowledge on how to bring mindfulness and a positive mindset into my daily flute practice.

These are just a few of the highlights of this wonderful convention. I could write so much more about it, but I would love to talk to you all about other concerts and sessions if you have any questions about them!