A Note to “Serious” Music Students

“I’m thinking about transferring to a different university.” As a college music professor, I have this conversation every now and then. As someone who transferred to four schools during my undergrad years, I would like to offer my thoughts on the subject. Most of the time when students investigate a move, they feel like they could be getting a better education somewhere else. For me, one…

Another Music Conference Comparison

In February of 2011, the saxophone prof at my school, Allen Cordingley, asked me to play on a recital with him at NASA. I know! Pretty cool, right? Well, to him and eventually me, this actually meant driving to Chicago and playing at the North American Saxophone Alliance conference. Not as many space ships as I was hoping for but there WERE a few more similarities than you might initially…

ITG 2011

If you are reading this blog, then you are probably someone who is well aware of what ITG is and what they do in the summer. Well, in the event you happen to be some renegade string player who loves to read trumpet blogs, ITG is the International Trumpet Guild. It's like a trumpet fraternity, without the hazing. Each summer the Guild holds a week-long conference somewhere in the world and the…

Stravinsky Soldier’s Tale Production

Hi Everyone, I have maintained this site solely for educational purposes and will continue to do so. However, I want to take this brief moment to use ATT as an advertising board for a very special concert I have coming up. Every couple of years a concert comes around that promises to be really special and one of those is right around the corner for me. On March 5th I'll be involved in a…

Organize Your Repertoire

A while ago, I came across a trumpet repertoire list that was put together by David Hickman. Hickman is the trumpet professor at Arizona State and one of the most important and influential trumpet teachers around today, so the list of his that I am about to share with you is pretty heavily weighted in importance. Looking at this list encouraged me to make an inventory list of my own and in…

A Clinic With Bud Brisbois

Here is a transcript from a clinic given by the great Bud Brisbois. He gave a concert at my alma mater Lawrence University with the group Matrix (mentioned below and pictured above) just before he committed suicide. While I was not at Lawrence at that time, many of my teachers were. They talked and still do talk extremely respectfully of Bud and I am very thankful that they turned me on to one…

Adolph Herseth, part 3

In May of 2005, I hosted a trumpet conference that featured the former principal trumpet of the Chicago Symphony, the great, Adolph Herseth. It was a three-day event that not only showcased him in recital with none-other than Doc Severinsen, but featured him in a number of educational settings. What follows is an article written by a former student, Jerod Sommerfeldt, and myself that appeared…

Adolph Herseth, part 2

Adolph Herseth, part 1

Recital Programming

Most universities require that their music majors perform a half recital (20-30 min) their junior year and a full recital (45+ min) their senior year. Here are some thoughts and strategies I have on programming. Programming Strategy Your first recital can be a nervous endeavor. Like many of us, when nerves come in to play, our endurance suffers. I encourage my students doing junior half…