Vickers 12* Commandments

(Updated 3/16/11) I thought I’d put these in print for my students to laugh at – but numbering them like Gibbs’ laws (NCIS) seems like a good idea…

1. Thou shalt not roll from bis to B natural.
   1a) Except when doing funky altissimo passages. Then maybe it’s ok, depending on the preceding and subsequent notes.
2. Thou shalt not add side C to bis.
3. Thou shalt not double cross-finger.
4. Thou shalt not just sit on a middle D without adding low B key.
5. Honor thy Mule and thy Ferling.
6. Thou shalt NOT Muczynski Concerto. Period, don’t ask.
7. Remember Dr. Beat, for it is holy.
8. Thou shalt have no other instruments before saxophone.
9. What happens on the saxo-trip, stays on the saxo-trip.
10. When in doubt, blame Duane Torres.
11. Thou shalt not bear false witness to thy practice session.
12. Thou shalt not stand the bari sax upright in its case (again, Duane Torres).

So let it be written, so let it be done.

Looking at “Clouds”

I haven’t blogged anything recently, but hopefully my activity will increase drastically in the next few months. «Clouds» is the 17th étude by Christian Lauba. Dedicated to Nicolas Prost, Nico and I swapped music this past week. I sent him a copy of «Arak», and he scanned in the solo part for «Clouds». The piece is for alto sax and cd accompaniment – and it is actually a new melody/sax part on top of a pre-existing synthesizer piece by Lauba called «Mist». The synth part can be heard on my friend Richard Ducros’ cd of Lauba music, entitled «Hard».

Once I’ve had a chance to sit down and work through it, I’ll write more. But, along with «Stan» (11th étude), this is the 2nd piece Lauba has written to use cd accompaniment.

New Artist Relationship

As of today, I am now an artist for Rico Reed products! I’ve been playing their soprano sax Reserve reeds, strength 3.5, for over a month. They are the most responsive reeds that I’ve ever played on soprano. Rico is also launching a new line of alto reeds this week, called “Classics.” They’re even producing an ‘in-between’ size of 3.0+ (about 3.25…) and I’ve had my hands on some trials. They’re also fantastic! The tenor reeds play a little softer for me, so I’m playing 3.5’s (whereas I was playing 3’s, sometimes 3.5’s on Vandoren).

So, things are happening. Future appearances may now be partially sponsored by Rico/D’Addario!

update on Lauba etudes

It’s been awhile since I’ve posted anything, but I’ve been busy for sure. I just spoke with Christian Lauba by facebook chat. He has finished his 20th etude! Also, news that Doug O’Connor has finished a recording of Worksong that will accompany the published Leduc version – nice! Here’s an updated listing of the new Lauba etudes, with titles and dedicatees:

#13) Cadenza – for Richard Ducros (alto)

#14) Massaï – for Richard Ducros and Olivier Sliepen (alto and tenor duet)

#15) Worksong – for Doug O’Connor (alto)

#16) Kabuki – for Claude Delangle (soprano)

#17) Clouds – for Nicolas Prost (alto with electronics, I think…)

#18) Arak – for Jeffrey Vickers (me!!! soprano)

#19) Partita – for Lars Mlekusch (not sure about instrument)

#20) Twins – for Éric Devallon & Damien Royannais (2 baritones)

Keep ’em coming, Christian!!!

Surprise from Lauba!

Well, a cruddy day of teaching unprepared students got WAAAAAY better this evening. When I got home from work, to my surprise was an envelope from France – Christian Lauba actually. The contents, well… that’s the cool part. It seems Christian had sent me a gift – etude #18 for solo soprano saxophone, titled “Arak.” Yes, the piece is written and dedicated to Jeffrey Vickers (hey, that’s me!).

How lucky can a guy be? Arak is a town in Morocco. I have barely begun to look at the piece, but it looks R O U G H. More will surely come on this!!

Yet ANOTHER new commission???

Well, we hope so! After a few months of discussion with Canadian composer Robert Lemay, it looks like it will happen. I have known of his reputation, but unfortunately was unfamiliar with his music – until this past April, when I bought a copy of his 5 Etudes. They are incredible concert etudes, and very idiomatic for the saxophone. I contacted Robert and inquired if he would be interested to work with my as part of my CTRI project (Contemporary Tenor Repertoire Initiative). Apparently, the idea sparked some inspiration with him, and today I mailed off a completed grant application for Canadian Arts Council assistance. We hope that they will subsidize his work. The plan is to have the piece finished by January 2011 for tenor sax and piano, with an intended World Premiere performance at the Region IV NASA conference in April (Sam Houston St.). So, positive thoughts are appreciated! At the very least, if you’re reading this and have not done so, please check out some of Robert’s music. I really believe that there are very few composers out there who understand the saxophone like Lemay, and even fewer who are capable of creating such great pieces that use the techniques appropriately. Start with 5 Etudes and let me know if you want further recommendations.

For more information on my CTRI project, please check out my personal website and look under “Activity.” And if you haven’t done so yet, feel free to subscribe to this blog using an RSS reader or email updates! ~JV

New commission

Wow! I woke up this morning, 9/2/10, to a facebook message from Denis Levaillant. He is a Parisian composer, and I met him via some interesting circumstances. His tenor sax/piano piece Manhattan Rhapsody is on the repertoire list for the 3rd Londeix Competition, which also has a link to his website. I went to the site, and I really liked his music. Eventually, after some discussion, he had his USA agent call me to work out some details and promote his music to me. All of this has led to a commission for a new piece written for me for soprano sax and piano, to be premiered sometime in 2012. Levaillant has most recently had his ballet performed by the Ballet de l’Opéra National de Paris!

new Lauba etudes

Well, for those of you who have bothered to keep up with my blog, here’s a little insider info. I skyped with Christian Lauba today, and he has received 1st proofs from Leduc for 2 new etudes: #13 Cadenza and #15 Worksong.  He just received them, so they’re still a ways off from mass production, I think. He was kind enough to ask if I had any comments on the manuscripts he gave me – and I offered a few suggestions for fingerings and some courtesy accidentals. It made me feel useful, at least! Anyway, I have no way to know, but something tells me that these etudes will be available by the end of the year, if not in the next couple of months. It depends on how quickly Christian gets his proofs returned to Leduc. From an editing standpoint, it should be fairly easy for Leduc (we hope…).

New video – Xyl on youtube

I just uploaded my performance video from Estoril. It’s Xyl – Balafon 2 by Lauba. It’s an unlisted video for now, until I get the go ahead from Lauba. I wanna make sure he’s happy with the performance – which I think he was. For now, I’ll only list it on my blog and twitter, which are connected. Take a look if you’re interested, it should be processed soon.

Cd selections

So, I’ve received some email inquiries about what I intend to record, if I ever get around to making that first cd…Thanks for your interest, guys.

Obviously, having just worked with Lauba I want some of his music on there. Etudes 10-13 are likely candidates: Hard Too Hard, Stan, Xyl, and Cadenza. After that, I’ve been having fun with Robert Lemay’s 5 Etudes, which are excellent pieces. That’s already quite a bit of music. But I really love Bleu, Rouge, Brun, Violet by my friend Claudio Gabriele, and I also worked on a piece by David Schumacher called Deconstructing Eddie, which is based on Eddie Van Halen guitar solos! I also love Lutte, an unaccompanied piece by Thierry Escaich that doesn’t get nearly enough attention. I’m sure this list will change, but at least it’s a starting point for what my intentions are.