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When we reach 1,000 Likes on our Facebook page,
we will hold a drawing for your choice of a Blessing Trumpet Backpack Case or a Cryogenic Treatment for your horn at the Blessing shop!  Both prizes have a value of $250!

www.facebook.com/blessingbrass

Blessing Brass

Blessing is hiring!

E.K. Blessing Co., Inc. is a musical instrument manufacturer in Elkhart, IN, since 1906, specializing in band & professional brass instruments; now a subsidiary of Verne Q. Powell Flutes of Maynard, MA.

E. K. Blessing Job Description

Job Title:  Materials Manager

Department:  Production

FLSA Designation:  Exempt

Date written:  May 4, 2012

PURPOSE:

To ensure efficient inventory and stockroom operations.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:
The following list of essential job functions is not exhaustive and may be supplemented as necessary.

1. Adhere to, monitor, and enforce compliance with all company policies, procedures, and standards.

2. Manage inventory stock, including timely purchasing based on MRP and/or Kanban.

3. Supervise shipping, receiving and inventory personnel. Provide training, direction, and employee performance management. Assist in selection and development, safety training, and counseling for materials department members.

4. Develop and implement policies and procedures for the materials department. Work with appropriate departments and vendors to resolve materials related concerns.

5. Construct BOMs and routers and maintain changes to improve accuracy.

6. Manage master scheduling and analyze work center capacity. Track labor against work orders.

7. Ensure quality of all incoming materials via inspection and appropriate communication with vendors.

8. Establish/maintain a visual backup inventory system (Kanban).

9. Source parts, including negotiation of improved terms and prices. Negotiate and develop contracts and long term agreements for both materials and services. Manage vendor relationships and cost reduction activities.

10. Develop and present metrics to supervisor in order to measure and manage departmental and individual performance.

11. Plan, oversee, and reconcile inventory counts.

SUPPORTIVE FUNCTIONS:

In addition to performance of the essential functions, this position may be required to perform a combination of the following supportive functions, with the percentage of time performing each function to be solely determined by the supervisor.

1. Other projects as assigned by supervisor. Examples include capacity analysis, MRP implementation,

SPECIFIC JOB KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES:

The individual must possess the following knowledge, skills and abilities and be able to explain and demonstrate that he or she can perform the essential functions of the job, with or without reasonable accommodation, using some other combination of skills and abilities.

1. Ability to read, write, speak, and understand the English language to communicate well with customers, vendors, and employees.

2. Ability to effectively deal with internal and external customers, some of whom will require high levels of patience, tact, and diplomacy to collect accurate information, assess situations, and make decisions.

3. Ability to use and maintain different types of office equipment and software, including MRP/ERP.

4. Extensive knowledge of, and experience with, brass instrument manufacturing and inventory control concepts.

5. Experience with BOM, production routings, tracking labor, and managing materials.

6. Math skills: Ability to complete a cost analysis, convert from one unit of measure to another (for example, pounds to feet and minutes to hours), calculate raw material requirements per part, understand and use ROQ calculation, and compute rolling averages.

7. Ability to read a drawing or schematic, use inspection equipment, and check manufactured or purchased parts against the drawing for accuracy.

8. Ability to multi-task.

Education: Any combination of education, training, or experience that provides the required knowledge, skills, and abilities. Bachelor’s degree in a business discipline required; CPM and APICS certifications preferred.

Experience: Five to seven years of materials management experience in a manufacturing environment, preferably with brass musical instruments.

Licenses or certificates: None.

Kick-start your career into action at E. K. Blessing and be rewarded for your achievements and hard work. We are an equal opportunity employer and welcome all qualified applicants. Resume and cover letter requested.

Please submit your applications through email to Denise Capello

Blessing Artist Dominick Farinacci Radio Interview!

Blessing Trumpet Artist Dominick Farinacci recently gave a fantastic interview with Blaise Lantana to talk about his start in music and his unique sound. He also gives advice for budding trumpet players and how he is bringing kids up close and personal with music.

http://kjzz.org/content/1204/rising-trumpeter-dominick-farinacci

TMEA 2012, Bugler's Holiday!

Students from Coppell Middle School North in Coppell, TX stopped by the Blessing booth and serenaded the crowd on our instruments!

Brass Artist Feature - Rob Parton

We had the chance to interview Blessing Brass artist Rob Parton about his career as a music educator and performer.  He discusses his inspiration, advice for young musicians, and future projects below.

At what age did you begin playing trumpet? 

I started playing trumpet when I was going into the 6th grade.  The summer prior to 6th grade they started all instruments separately.

What inspired you to choose instrument?

The kid across the street played trumpet and he told me it was the coolest instrument!  I am so glad he was right!

What would be your advice for young people interested in learning trumpet?

First of all, find a private teacher if at all possible.  Listen as much as you can to great trumpet players so you can get some sort of sound in your head. Of course this responsibility lies more on the band director to play stuff for the kids.  Create a simple regular warm up routine where you can monitor your progress day in day out.  Mixture of long tones and scales can work for a while.

How is your current role as an educator at Capital University different from your experience as a performing musician?  What do you find to be the greatest challenges and rewards as an educator?

I am really energized while getting to work with future music educators. The energy these students have is exciting and it is exciting to know that my teaching philosophy could get carried on through these students. The great part is that my performing responsibilities have actually widened now that I am in Columbus.  I am playing with the Columbus Jazz Orchestra when needed, performing at many churches for special occasions and acting more as a guest soloist with concert bands and of course jazz bands.  I am also still involved in Chicago when needed, for example I am playing all next week with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.  The concert features the original score of West Side Story with film!

 What advice would you give to young musicians – including those wishing to pursue a career in performance, and those wishing to pursue a career in education?

Performance students- practice to the point that you have complete control of your instrument.  Be versatile and most of all be positive!  If it is orchestral performance you are pursuing, then you must study the full piece and not just the excerpts.  Get a score and learn what is happening throughout the piece.

Music Educators-take performing very serious and take all classes having to deal with teaching the instruments very seriously.  Try to make analogies to the trumpet or whatever your major instrument is.  Watch great teachers teach and decide how you want to be viewed as a teacher.  Study hard and realize that teaching is a calling and a major responsibilty.  We have to continue cultivating the audiences and supporters!

What projects do you have coming up in 2012?

I have a new CD coming out with the Rob Parton Big Band.  It will be called "We'll Be Together Again." Mostly due to my leaving Chicago, but I'll be back somehow!  I also have a Christmas CD that I have been working on for a long time.  I'd like to get that out by next Christmas.  It will be titled, "A Chicago Christmas."

Could you tell us what you like most about Blessing brass?

The products I use made by Blessing Brass have shown to be very consistent.  This reliability in all areas of craftsmanship, and has helped me to become more consistent over the entire horn. As a player this is critical and is possible due to these well built instruments by Blessing.  The best part is that they are made 100% in the USA!

E.K. Blessing is taking a long winter's NAP!

E.K. Blessing will be closed December 19 through January 2nd - we will reopen on January 3rd.

We hope you and your family have a wonderful holiday season!

See you next year!

Brass Artist Feature - Rob Slowik

Rob Slowik“Life under the big top” may be the dream of many young people, but it is a reality for Sonaré trumpet artist Rob Slowik.  Slowik, a native of Detroit, is currently in his 14^th season with the Big Apple Circus.  After speaking with Rob, I discovered that his appointment was initially temporary, as he had planned to perform with them for only a few months.  Now the Musical Director for the show, Slowik functions as a conductor and performer simultaneously.  He states, “I conduct with my left hand and play trumpet with my right.”  His current appointment is something that he thoroughly enjoys, and it is definitely a logical step along the path he has taken in his musical career.

Rob Slowik, a native of Detroit, began studying music in the third grade, learning both drums and trumpet.  He attended East Detroit High School and later enrolled at Eastern Michigan University.  His primary trumpet teachers include Ben Grycan, Jim Underwood, Carter Eggers, and Armando Ghitalla.  While studying at Eastern Michigan, he took a semester off to play in a tour of the Bob Fosse show Sweet Charity and began his professional career as a performer.  Slowik then performed on cruise ships for five years as a trumpeter, conductor, and music director.  He moved to New York City and had the good fortune to immediately land a steady position subbing with Broadway shows.  According to Slowik, he performed in over 40 shows, including Sunset Boulevard, Pippin, the Pajama Game, and Crazy For You.  While he was in between shows, he received a call from a trumpet player friend he performed with on Broadway.  The friend asked Rob if he could “fill in” for him for a few months with the Big Apple Circus.  Expecting to perform with the show for only three months, Rob stayed and was appointed Musical Director in 2000.

In the show, Slowik performs on trumpet, piccolo trumpet, bass trumpet, flugelhorn, and french horn.  He occasionally returns to his “roots” and plays percussion as well.  When I asked about the switch to french horn, Rob said he “picked it up in the last few years to add color” to the ensemble.  He mentioned that he can easily switch back and forth from trumpet to french horn without negatively affecting his embouchure on either instrument.  In the show, he performs a variety of styles including classical, jazz, bebop, rock, and fusion.  The ensemble consists of 2 brass players, 2 woodwind players, guitar, keyboard, bass, and drums.  The music for the show is put together a year in advance, and the process starts with Rob viewing videos of the circus acts.  He watches the videos, decides on a musical concept, and then communicates back to the performers to see if the music works for them conceptually.  Ultimately, Slowik and the ensemble make constant tempo changes and adjustments in the live show to insure the seamlessness of the music and the performance. 

Slowik’s experience with the circus has brought him together with many celebrities and has led to additional performing engagements.  He noted that one evening, Harry Connick, Jr., attended the show.  Rob was then asked by Harry to join him for a four-month tour of the U.S., Europe, the Middle East, New Zealand, and Australia.  Slowik is extremely happy to have celebrities in the audience and states, “it’s cool to see the people we look up to as musicians in awe of what we do at the circus.”  Rob recalls several famous guests at the circus and mentioned that they are all “very down to earth.”  Of the list of famous circus attendees, Rob has met Robert De Niro, Paul Schaffer, Jon Stewart, Tom Cruise, Katie Holmes, David Bowie, Cyndi Lauper, James Gandolfini of the Sopranos, Comedy Central’s John Hodgman, and “all the detectives from Law and Order SVU.”  On the musical celebrity side, Ed Carroll and Ray Vega have attended the show as well.

As a Sonaré artist, Slowik has a variety of instruments to meet the demands of his performances.  He performs his Sonaré 800 and Blessing 1580 in his shows and for classical, symphonic, and brass quintet playing.  He also practices his Sonaré C trumpet daily to “feel at home with it and keep up the chops.”  He commends Sonaré on the consistency and intonation of the C trumpets and states, “Everytime someone tries my C, they want to buy it.  It’s the best C trumpet I’ve ever played.”  We thank Rob utilizing Sonaré and Blessing trumpets as his tools of the trade, especially with such a busy and diverse career.  If you are in New York, the Big Apple Circus performs at Lincoln Center Plaza in Damrosch Park (next to the Metropolitan Opera House).  You can also catch the show on tour March-December.  For more information, visit www.bigapplecircus.com.

New Blog Entry!

Brasswind Chamber Music in High School

By Seelan P. Manickam

Check it out!

Fall Rebate Offer!

Purchase any BTR-1580 or BTR-1460 and get a $100 or $75 REBATE!

BTR-1580 Features:

• Newly designed #14, 1-piece hand-hammered bell
• Hand-lapped Monel pistons
• New professional mouthpiece receiver
• Nickel outside main tuning slide tubing
• Available in a variety of finishes
lacquer, vintage, silver plate or silver plate with gold trim

Get a $100 mail-in rebate on any BTR-1580 model - including our BTR-1580R with reversed leadpipe!

BTR-1460 Features:

• .460” bore
• Monel pistons
• Red brass leadpipe
• Nickel mouthpiece receiver
• Available in a variety of finishes
lacquer, silver plate or silver plate with gold plated trim

Get a $75 mail-in rebate on any BTR-1460 model!

Click here for a printable pdf with full details

Brass Artist Feature – Dominick Farinacci

We are pleased to welcome Cleveland-born jazz trumpet artist Dominick Farinacci to the family of endorsing artists for Blessing Brass.  Mr. Farinacci has traveled around the world leading his own band performing at such prestigious venues as Lincoln Center, Severance Hall and the 02 in London.  In July, Farinacci released his second U.S. CD “Dawn of Goodbye,” receiving a stellar review in the New York Times.  This month Farinacci wrote an article for Jazz Times discussing the music of one of his main inspirations, Clifford Brown, who was also a Blessing artist.  He currently resides in New York City, and while performing around the world manages to periodically return to Cleveland where he has spearheaded an educational outreach movement involving some of the finest young jazz artists of today.  Mr. Farinacci recounts his musical journey below:

I’m quite fortunate to have been surrounded by wonderful mentors and performers from an early age.  One very special part of jazz culture is the tradition of encouraging and nurturing young musicians, and the gracious and dedicated mentors of mine in Cleveland helped me to gain the musical ability and confidence to move to New York City and attend Juilliard in 2001.  Leading up to that, I was so very fortunate to have met Wynton Marsalis in High School, who invited me to perform with him in NYC on a PBS special!  Shortly after, I moved to New York to attend school, and through various performances in the NYC area, I had an opportunity to record as a leader for a Japanese record label.  It went extremely well and I released 8 CD’s in Japan over the years, helping to establish myself out there.  In 2003 I had the honor of winning the ITG Carmine Caruso Trumpet Competition, and continued to travel with my band and develop my music in many of the clubs and festivals I’ve always dreamed of playing.  In 2009 I released my very first U.S. CD on the current record label I’m on – Eone Music.  It’s called “Lovers, Tales & Dances,” and I had the privilege of working with some of my favorite legends of this music – Kenny Barron, Lewis Nash, Joe Lovano and others.  While touring for that CD, I got to travel to London and perform on a concert with Jeff Beck and Jamie Cullum, and back here had the chance to meet and play for some people I never thought I would...including Quincy Jones!

All of this has been such an invaluable experience for me, and I’m constantly reminded of how important it is to support and encourage younger musicians.  We’re currently on the road promoting my latest release, “Dawn of Goodbye,” and I’m really excited about this new educational outreach program I’ve put together in Cleveland… it’s for Tri-C’s Center for Creative Arts, the place I grew up studying at.  There is so much musical potential in Cleveland, and we’ll be reaching out to these kids to help give them the opportunities I was lucky enough to have.

I’ve pretty much played the same horn since 6^th grade… until now.  When I tried out the E.K. Blessing horns, I absolutely loved them.  While no horn in the world will make me sound good if I don’t put in the time and dedication to practicing, these horns help to make the type of playing I do a little easier.  So it’s a nice reward in the midst of an endless journey of practice and improvement.