Some random things

I greatly enjoyed my recent endeavors preparing for ITG and NTC. I wanted to take the time to point out some observations about some obvious stuff and some maybe not so obvious stuff. I hope somebody finds some wisdom in my otherwise rambling thoughts.

1) I’m curious why so many people take it upon themselves to play music that is diffult and not very musically satisfying. Many people on the lists for undergraduate and graduate at NTC have chosen to play a movement or several movements from incredibly difficult trumpet music. I would have to question that practice, as in my experience, few who participate in NTC can ever say that have “mastered” any music. I am inclined to say that time spent practicing a movement of Kennan, Legend, or something comparable can be more musically motivating and less destructive than, say, the Davies.

2) Sort of a shoot-off of my previous point, and perhaps more commonly applicable to trumpeters (or perhaps simply everybody), people feel compelled to verbally compete, or even compete with actual physical playing. This seems to be human nature, and I am certainly guilty. But when you stop to think about it, this really can’t possibly help, even from a competitive standpoint. Since so much of music has nothing to do with how many notes there are, how high it goes, etc, this attitude is rarely justifiable (or never). Also, what a person can do and what a person can do on stage or otherwise in a pressure situation are usually quite different. Finally on this point, I ask the question: what good is a routine of any kind if it doesn’t help you be successful on the repertoire?

3) I really enjoy hearing other trumpeters. Maybe it is a competitive edge in me that prompts me to listen to other students, but I find it more likely that I just really like trumpet. I do love to compete, as I think nothing hones my playing more than hearing someone else who does it “better,” and I even learn something from standard mortal trumpeters. But most of all I love trumpet. The solo repertoire is always exciting for me, and as a friend recently put it: Mahler 2 can change your life. It is a great time to be a trumpeter and a musician.