Sousa Hands Across the Sea Trumpet Part for Navy Band Audition
Written by Ben Wright
Do you ever wonder what, when, and how to practice? Learning to practice efficiently has taken me years but would have been faster if my teachers could have been in my practice space to help. This is the idea behind Practice Window Training.
Practice Windows are 5-minute videos recorded during a practice session. The idea is to capture a short clip of how you actually practice – it is not a performance. Practice Window Training™ is a 20-minute lesson, watching the Practice Window together, to create a more efficient, productive, and satisfying practice experience.
During the fall of 2019, my former student Bret Magliola was learning the material for the Navy band audition that he eventually would win. Hands Across the Sea came up and I MARGINALLY learned it in helping him prepare. This year, as the Navy Band announced another opening, I used the Practice Window Training on MYSELF to finally learn the Sousa. It seemed like the thing to do in helping my current crew as they made their recorded round auditions.
It was interesting for me to see how this worked in my own playing. I recorded the first session, was slightly perturbed at how inconsistent I was, and then got to work. Figuring out various things that were adding to those inconsistencies started to be kind of fun – I am not the kind of person to be satisfied with unanswered questions – especially when it comes to the trumpet.
Practice Windows are 5-minute videos recorded during a practice session. The idea is to capture a short clip of how you actually practice – it is not a performance. Practice Window Training™ is a 20-minute lesson, watching the Practice Window together, to create a more efficient, productive, and satisfying practice experience.
If you’d like to sign up for a practice window training with me click the button.
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