Michael AllenJul 27, 2017First impressionsMusicians spend years in solitude learning to perfect their craft, and are rightfully protective of what comes out of the horn. Musicians...
Michael AllenJul 26, 2017Choosing a projectNever being one to shy away from difficult projects, in 1978 I set out to make a version of Toccata and Fugue for my brass playing...
Michael AllenJul 24, 2017Why the piccolo trumpet is second fiddleThe way I think about writing for brass has evolved a lot over the years, especially for the instruments with which I'm not intimately...
Michael AllenJul 22, 2017E flat linchpinThe liner notes for the Philip Jones Brass Ensemble recording of Pictures at an Exhibition contain a brief account of Elgar Howarth's...
Michael AllenJul 20, 2017Less is moreI had the great fortune to play bass trombone in Dave Caffey's excellent jazz band at the University of Denver. We played a lot of...
Michael AllenJul 18, 2017One on a partA friend just sent me a note on an earlier post, and he mentioned that he is writing a lot for brass band. I love the sound of a brass...