Trumpet Matters

For sure, the professional trumpet player needs to be as aggressive as a highly paid NFL running back. Being able to heroically bulldoze ove...

Our one-sentence lesson came quite unexpectedly at Tanglewood one summer as we were all set to perform Copland's Fanfare for the Common ...

My wife and I were students at the Cleveland Institute of Music, and the orchestra had just finished an amazing performance of Mahler 5. All...

Job-winning skill #1. GREAT RHYTHM! The good news is that a beautiful tone is not required for this skill. Neither is stunning dynamic contr...

Your best lesson should not cost you anything! No travel expenses, no fees! All you need is your undivided attention, your music, and some g...

"Intonation, trumpets!" Panic! I know I'm the problem. It's me who's out of tune, but am I sharp or am I flat? That...

This one got my attention! Mr. Robert Vernon, former principal viola of the Cleveland Orchestra and amazingly successful teacher had this to...

"That  sounds like it's really hard to play!"  That was the response after my valiant attempt at the difficult slow passage ne...

"Great trumpet players can play soft!" That was the advice from one of the most powerful players on the planet, Mel Broiles, first...

  A disaster of monumental proportions was about to happen to me in the summer of 1966 at the Interlochen Music Camp. It was time for our we...

The Promenade from Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition is the trumpet player's signature excerpt and the one usually heard first ...

  The conductor looked annoyed and kept tugging at his ear as he glared at the trumpets. Finally, he stopped the rehearsal and said: "O...

The problem with the trumpet! It is unmusical, it has no sound, rhythm or brains. It's dumb! It just lies there lifelessly in its ca...

I once asked a veteran oboe player in the Cleveland Orchestra how often he felt good about his playing. I expected a response like, "ev...

"Greatness is the perfect mixture of technique and artistry."  Related thoughts: Guarantee purity! Secure your technique for the p...

Sometimes it only takes one lesson to make a lasting impact.  In 1974 John Ware played a two-octave scale up and down for me. That was all I...

Great news! The NERVE MONSTER is not invincible! The dreaded adversary can be overcome or rendered ineffective and no longer a dangerous opp...

Stop! Hold on! Slow down and listen!  You  need to play the Floating Fermata Game! Imagine a fermata hovering over each line of your music a...

"You are spraying the air with thousands of notes of highly questionable value!" (Mel Broiles) Quality beats quantity. Quality win...

As a junior in high school, I was super excited about my first lesson with William Vacchiano. On my new C trumpet, I had prepared #6,  molto...