Thanks to Holger Bach for a great experience today. He started a Brass chamber music program at the Thomas-Mann-Schul in, Lübeck, Germany, where he introduced my piece Fanfare, Tango and Fughetta on Hebrew Themes to the students as a competition piece for thier brass quintet whose members range from grades 6–9. They love this piece, and it showed today when I got to lead the quintet in a rehearsal via Skype. They have already advanced from the regional, to the state, and now to the national round in Zwickau, Saxony. Their skill showed in the third run-through in which, to their delight and mine, they nailed it. These are young kids; I was impressed with how far they came with me in one rehearsal.
It was inspiring to work with the group online on my piece in preparation for the German Youth Final Competition. The local newspaper was even there to snap pictures of the rehearsal!
Holger Bach is a trombone player in the Lübeck Philharmonic. He also does volunteer work at the Thomas-Mann-Schul.
