A Mello Catechism

A Mello Catechism

by John Ericson

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John Ericson is Associate Professor of horn at Arizona State University with a Doctorate in brass pedagogy from Indiana University and a Masters and Performers Certificate from the Eastman School of Music. He is also one of those wonderful people with knowledge, talent and curiosity. This is evident in his selection of the mellophone as the subject of his latest text entitled A Mello Catechism.

Unlike his peers in the horn world, John took the unusual step of investigating the mellophone to learn more about the instruments and strategies that could be undertaken to ensure that his horn students don't negatively impact their horn playing when they switch to mellophones during marching season. This is unusual considering most horn instructors shun the mellophone outright and refuse to even address the instrument. Horn faculty members who opt to ignore the mellophone are doing a disservice to students who perform with the instrument. So, it's even more refreshing to something like A Mello Catechism written by someone as accomplished and respected as John carrying a banner for our beloved mellophone.

A Mello Catechism is comprised of 30 pages and is organized into sections addressing the instruments, how best to prepare on them and special topics for directors and arrangers. The dizzying amount of mouthpiece strategies for the modern bell-front mellophone is aptly covered. Of particular interests to directors and arrangers is advice concerning the use of B-flat marching horns and scoring mellophone parts.

What is a good tone on the mellophone?
Is there a mellophone mouthpiece designed for horn players?
Will playing mellophone impact my horn embouchure?
How should I warm up on the mellophone?
What solo works may be performed on mellophone?

Music for recommended warm-ups that includes first note warm-ups, an embourchure setting exercise, work-up exercise, low register stretch and pedal tone warm down exercises are incorporated into the book.

This is a compact, but no less informative narrative that is hopefully one in a series of treatises on the mellophone by this informed and talented author.

You can purchase your copy here and see other titles by John, including a great horn companion book to the Brass Gym.

Learn more about John and his work at Arizona State University at his site hornnotes blog site.

John Ericson is Associate Professor of horn at Arizona State University and serves on the Advisory Council of the International Horn Society. He previously served as Website Editor for The IHS Online and was Artist Faculty for seven seasons at the Brevard Music Center in North Carolina.

His two solo CDs have received critical acclaim: The Horn Call hailed Les Adeiux, released in 2003, for "Fantastic playing.... The level of musicality, nuance and artistry is not to be missed;" Canto, released in 2005, was reviewed in The Horn Call as a "Terrific collaboration between horn and piano." Both were released on the Summit label. Ericson has made recordings with The Potsdam Brass Quintet, The Nashville Symphony, and other ensembles, including performing on the Grammy Award nominated Fourth World of Native American flutist R. Carlos Nakai.

Ericson has performed and presented sessions at three international horn symposiums and numerous regional events. Author of over 25 articles and four new books, Ericson is an authority on the history of the early valved horn. He received the Harold Meek Memorial Award from the IHS for his article "Crooks and the 19th-Century Horn." Excerpts from his publications and teaching materials may be found in his website, Horn Articles Online.

Besides performing as Principal Horn in the Brevard Music Center Orchestra, he was a member of the Nashville Symphony, has performed with the Indianapolis Symphony, the Phoenix Symphony, and the Rochester Philharmonic, and was active in the recording studios in Nashville. Prior to joining the faculty at ASU he taught at the Crane School of Music (SUNY Potsdam), Tunghai University in Taiwan, Western Kentucky University, and the Bay View Music Festival.
A native of Emporia, Kansas, Ericson earned his Doctorate in brass pedagogy from Indiana University, Master's degree and Performers Certificate from the Eastman School of Music, and Bachelor's degree in performance from Emporia State University. Ericson resides in Tempe, Arizona with his wife and two children.