Recital Recordings are posted

[Todd S. Malicoate]

Really?
Audio recordings AND video on YouTube?
Oh, that'll be the best day ever!

[BriceT]

Wow, I really enjoyed the Barnes Concerto. I think it was all very well done.

[Todd S. Malicoate]

Promise to be honest but dont laugh at it if you think it sucks

I'm sure no one listening to these tracks would think they "suck," but I will be honest and to the point. I still think you shouldn't set yourself up for failure by giving excuses about what is wrong with your playing to the listener before they hear you...stop doing that! Let the listener come to their own conclusions without telling them "this isn't the best I can play it" first.

This was an average to pretty good junior-level recital. The pieces were of the appropriate difficulty, although I think you should have done one more on your own (perhaps an earlier-period transcription...perhaps a Galliard sonata...all of your stuff was very modern).

It's hard to comment on your sound with a live recording, but what I heard was really quite good, particularly in the middle register. I think you need more fullness in the lowest register and a less "pinched" sound above the staff, but just a bit in each case.

Rhythm was quite good, with the exception of a bit of rushing in the outer movements of the Barnes.

Accuracy, as you pointed out in the comments, was a bit more of a concern. The split notes in the Barnes didn't bother me as much as the inaccuracies in the fast movements of the Persichetti, though.

Pitch is your biggest problem...it is not very good, especially on middle Es and Ebs (very flat) and low Ds (consistently very sharp). You sit on out of tune notes and don't adjust. This is the most obvious flaw to even a novice listener, and something you have to address, especially considering your career goals. You will never get through a tape round of an audition or competition with intonation as poor as it was in these tracks.

I hope that was more helpful than a well-meant "good job, everything was fantastic."

[Jay Young]

If your "E"s are flat, don't pull. If your "D"s are sharp, don't push. Sit down with a tuner sometime to really get used to the intonation on your horn.

Some people say "Set it and forget it" about the tuning slides (I'm one) and others constantly fix each note as they go. Who's right? Whoever can play in tune and play accurately with a good sound. You decide.