PMC Quick Note - Monday, October 24, 2005

Palen Music Center Quick Note

Monday, October 24, 2005

The PMC Quick Note is a weekly service provided to all area directors. It is part of our mission to support the lives of band directors across the Midwest. The weekly Quick Note will contain helpful tips and suggestions from area directors, spotlights on area college and university band programs, calendars of upcoming events, advocacy articles promoting music education, links to helpful web resources, and much more. Comments, suggestions, ideas, and articles are always welcome.

Maintain Your Clarinet by Mike Lutley

Swabbing is one of the most important ways a woodwind player can keep his or her instrument playing at its full potential. Pulling through a cloth-type swab or brushing out the bore of the instrument with an absorbent wand swab periodically while playing (even 3 or 4 times per hour) is helpful in the following ways:

• It prevents excessive moisture buildup in tone holes and absorption into pads resulting in fewer gurgling notes, and yielding longer pad life.

• In wood instruments, helps the woods moisture content to remain stabile, lessening chances of cracking. Bore shape remains more stable. Swabbed sockets cause less end-grain water absorption.

• Non-functioning notes are prevented. Hands stay dryer (usually saxophone)

• Laying a damp swab (unfolded) across the top of a clarinet or oboe, or in the accessories compartment of the case---along with an instrument case humidifier during the heating season, will help maintain the correct humidity level while the instrument is not being played.

• Note: Swabs will not wear-out the bore of the instrument, but do give off lint. Proper vacuuming of wand swabs and cleaning/inspecting of tone holes at pad-change intervals is a good preventative measure as well.

Remember to store the moist swab OUT of the bore of the instrument, to dry over time, and NEVER pull harder on a very tight swab---it will only get stuck! (try to pull the opposite end out slowly and gently, or get assistance!). Remember... "Swab with care, More great music to share!"

Mike Lutley is an expert service technician at the Yamaha Custom shop. The article is compliments of the Rico website.

Hammons Hall for the Performing Arts Events

STOMP is coming to the Hammons Hall for the Performing Arts in Springfield, Missouri on November 10-12, 2005. STOMP is explosive, provocative, sophisticated, sexy, utterly unique and appeals to audiences of all ages. The international percussion sensation has garnered an armful of awards and rave reviews, and has appeared on numerous national television shows. The eight-member troupe uses everything but conventional percussion instruments – matchboxes, wooden poles, brooms, garbage cans, Zippo lighters, hubcaps – to fill the stage with magnificent rhythms. As USA Today says, “STOMP finds beautiful noises in the strangest places.”

Other upcoming events at the Hammons Hall for the Performing Arts:

Bela Fleck – November 5, 2005

Chris Botti – March 4, 2006

Blast – April 20-22, 2006

For more information, visit the Hammons Hall for the Performing Arts website.

Need Some Sousaphones?

Missouri State University recently purchased 18 new sousaphones from Palen Music Center and we took their existing instruments in trade. If you are in need of a used silver sousaphone (with case) in great working condition, please contact your PMC road representative. We have twenty to choose from and they will go fast!

Upcoming Area Marching Band Festivals

Saturday, October 29, 2005

Bi-State Invitational – Potosi, MO

Greater St. Louis Marching Festival – St. Louis, MO

JAMA Marching Contest – Blue Springs, MO

Blue Valley Northwest Husky Invitational – Overland Park, KS

Contact Your Local Palen Music Center

Can we assist you with anything? Please contact your local Palen Music Center school road representative for all of your music education needs.

Springfield (417) 882-7000 Bob Hopkins and Mike Brown

Springfield North (417) 862-2700 Martin Probstfield

Columbia (573) 256-5555 Robert Pitts

Moberly (660) 263-0109 Clint Thompson

Joplin (417) 781-3100 Wayne Blades

Liberty (816) 792-8301 Ken Crisp

If you would like to submit material, make changes or corrections, give comments, or wish to be removed from this mailing list, please contact Casey Tillman.