ONE-SENTENCE LESSON #27

WHEN PLAYING THE RIGHT NOTES IS NOT ENOUGH 

Me, to a guy on the audition committee: "So, do you have any comments for me?"

Committee guy: "Yeah. Phil, you played just about a perfect audition today." 

Me: "Thanks, but what was wrong?"

Committee guy: "You sounded like you were playing notes in time and space."

Me: (long pause, puzzlement, and dismay, followed by a miserable woe-is-me trip home).

Evidently, I checked the accuracy box pretty well in the audition but failed to generate any or enough musical excitement to satisfy the judges. Especially for a principal position, there is the expectation that someone will simply blow them away, not just with accuracy, but with dazzling musicality. And that was what the committee had been hoping to hear that dismal day.   

So, lesson learned! My long-lost agenda was refreshed, albeit painfully: 

• Get the notes without losing the drama! 
• Be comfortable multitasking technique and expression! 

We win when we play more than just notes in time and space. It's also much more fun!   

 

 

ONE-SENTENCE LESSON #25

The next time you play, consider that you are entering your own personal mistake-free zone! Consequently, all sloppy boring playing will automatically be transformed into a flawlessly stunning performance, even as you warm up. Wouldn't that be nice!   

Upon entering your zone, you have become King Midas turning every phrase into pure gold! Out of your trumpet bell proceeds accuracy and amazing musicianship. Not a single note is tarnished.

Instead of panic, fear, and hesitation, you are confidently playing with finesse and style. The trumpet is now singing like a famous opera diva. 

"Our passion for playing beautifully must exceed our fear of missed notes." A fantasy? No. This mindset of artistry plus accuracy is key to a mistake-free and boring-free zone. Admittedly this is NOT possible but is a worthy pursuit that replaces uninspired drudgery with a new challenge.  

As one maestro charged us just before the concert, "Your performance tonight must be ravishing!"  

Note: I see this mindset also in light of a scriptural perspective. Speaking of the future city in Revelation 21 it says, "But nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb's book of life."

In Matthew 6 it also says, ". . . lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

  

 

 

ONE-SENTENCE LESSON #24

"Why don't you play like a great musician, and NOT like an average trumpet player?" 

That was the one-sentence lesson, rather blunt and probably offensive, but in the end, very helpful. Often, what's needed most is a shocking jolt of reality, rather than repeated flattery. 

Sounding great starts well before the first note of the day. A strong musical concept must motivate every phrase. Today's determination: nothing is going to sound bad! It's all going to be good, right?

A great musician warms up like everyone else, except that he/she always sounds amazing! Etudes, recitals, solos and excerpts likewise. It's not up to luck, however. The great sound is the result of an obsessive striving for control and style. There must be a daily pursuit of a great sound.   

Mediocrity is a terrible goal. No one pays to listen to average boring playing ever. Great musicianship matters in the practice room. Great musicianship is expected on the stage and demanded by the audience. 

  

FOOTBALL AND BALLET

For sure, the professional trumpet player needs to be as aggressive as a highly paid NFL running back. Being able to heroically bulldoze over the rest of the orchestra is not enough, however. The opposite is also required. It can be even more challenging to gracefully tiptoe through the daisies!  

The well-placed bunt is as important as the grand slam. The gentle lob over the net is as effective as the powerful ace. The three-foot putt is as vital as the long drive. We shouldn't focus on power at the expense of finesse.  

The orchestral works of Mahler require not only great strength but gentle lyric skill. The same is true for Strauss's Zarathustra and Don Juan, Bartok's Concerto for Orchestra, Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition, Stravinsky's Petroushka, you name it. 

Agenda: pp 

Softspoken finesse is as valuable as a shout from the housetop!

ONE-SENTENCE LESSON #23

Our one-sentence lesson came quite unexpectedly at Tanglewood one summer as we were all set to perform Copland's Fanfare for the Common Man. The occasion was Tanglewood on Parade, and in the audience were many well-known music icons. The pressure was on us big time!

The great Roger Voisin was conducting us as we awaited our moment in the spotlight. Leonard Bernstein and his entourage were finding their places in the box seats. Next, we heard from our maestro, "Ok, boys, we're going to play it twice."

We tried to hide our panic and quickly steady our breathing. We made our way through the fanfare heroically yet very carefully. Then, as we were catching our breath and trying to restart our embouchures for the second time, Mr. Voisin slyly smiled and whispered, "That'll be all, boys. Good job." 

Lesson: plan to play everything twice. Live for the next moment, the next piece, the next day. Accuracy and drama for sure, but without wasting precious energy. 

ONE-SENTENCE LESSON #22

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 of us were walking on air, ready to take on the musical world. It was a great concert! No nerves, no fear, just genuine enthusiasm. We had just conquered the great Mahler Fifth Symphony! Life was good indeed! 

  

But then came that one-sentence lesson I had not expected and which I have not forgotten. The principal horn of the Cleveland Orchestra stopped me backstage and said, "having a good sound is not enough, you know!" 

I shrugged and tried to dismiss that comment, but he was right. Soon enough we all learn that our strengths alone won't carry us very far. Weaknesses must become strengths. A one-trick trumpet player won't last long. We need a whole bag of tricks. 

In addition to a pleasing sound, we need a great sense of rhythm, unobjectionable intonation, outstanding musical instincts, and not least of all, a generous portion of people skills!

Our best lessons are often unexpected and unwelcomed.

 

Job-winning skill #1

Job-winning skill #1. GREAT RHYTHM!

The good news is that a beautiful tone is not required for this skill. Neither is stunning dynamic control, perfect intonation, or sensitive phrasing. In fact, you don't even need your trumpet! You just need to develop the unshakable skill of rock-solid timing.

When under pressure, this is often one of the first strikes against us. While concentrating on accuracy, we quickly forget about timing. Or while focusing on tone, we rush and slow down unintentionally. 

One dreaded comment from the audition committee: "We would have advanced you were it not for your poor rhythm." Superior tone, phrasing, intonation, and articulation are useless without a steady pulse. 

Since our instrument is not needed to develop this skill, we can work on this anywhere. This should be a fun game. We learn to quickly nail every tempo, maintaining rhythmic consistency under the steady hand of our professor, the metronome.  

Again, we don't need to be in the practice room to perfect this skill. When our rhythm is solid, it is ready for music-making. Rhythmic security should be automatic. 

Don't let the trumpet rob you of being able to demonstrate great rhythm.  

Your best lesson!

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

Analysis, instructions, and detailed strategies are fine, but the best learning happens when we just listen. Sit down with your music, listen, and pay close attention to what you are hearing. Then copy that!

A trumpet colleague of mine in the CSO used to have the three-choir Gabrielli recording playing as his students arrived for their lessons. He simply said, "now play like that!"

Don't sound like a student! How well we play is a reflection of how carefully we listen. 

ONE-SENTENCE LESSON #21

"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's the question I asked a colleague in Cleveland years ago, to which he coldly replied, "you're not sharp and you're not flat, you're just out of tune." What?

Instead of mentally adjusting the notes and trying desperately to please the next guy, just place the notes exactly where they belong. Use your musical gut, not your questioning mind.  Your sense of pitch should be developed so that you can depend on your instincts to play in tune. 

Don't follow, lead! Find the core of each note and drill it down the center. This should fix your intonation problems. 

Our one-sentence lesson: Don't chase the notes, place them! 

 

ONE-SENTENCE LESSON #20

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

These are the five skills that win jobs: Sound, Intonation, Articulation, Rhythm, and Direction.

It was hard to tell which job he was best at, orchestral principal or college professor at CIM. A who's who in the viola world will show that many of his students currently have prestigious orchestra jobs. Consequently, any advice from him is gold.

An audition committee listens for a beautiful sound, unobjectionable intonation, clear and appropriate articulation, an excellent sense of timing, and musical sustaining of phrases. 

Daily practice lists should have check boxes for each item. Consistent and fastidious attention to these five elements of music will put you in the finals. Check each box constantly. Keep a sharp ear for these job-winning skills. It pays well. 

ONE-SENTENCE LESSON #19

"That sounds like it's really hard to play!" 

That was the response after my valiant attempt at the difficult slow passage near the end of Strauss's Death and Transfiguration.  It's supposed to be smooth, lyrical and flowing even though the melody line jumps all over the place and demands some very long sustained high notes. But no. My most critical listener, my wife Sandy, had the correct assessment. "That sounds like it's really hard to play!"

Yes, it should look easy, but much more importantly it must sound beautiful and effortless. It should look like we are playing a single long tone, but it must sound smooth, singing, and expressive.  

Clarinet players always have this skill on display with every lyric line. Take their solo in Pines of Rome, the one accompanied by the chirping birds. No matter how wide the intervals, they dazzle the audience with seamless legato technique. That's the goal: no bumps, no fluffs, no questionable intonation, and no strain! 

So, that was my most recent one-sentence lesson. Don't let others know that it's difficult. Instead, we want to hear, that's fantastic, and you make it sound easy! 

ONE-SENTENCE LESSON #18

"Great trumpet players can play soft!" That was the advice from one of the most powerful players on the planet, Mel Broiles, first trumpet at the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra for 45 years. 

I remember him for the three P's, passion, power and pizzazz. Endurance, transposition, and volume were the goals at every lesson. A well-bruised embouchure came to be the mark of honor for all of his students.  Nothing was to be played with tentative shyness. He exuded a confidence that was off the charts. I left those lessons loaded for bear and ready to unleash electrifying heroics for the neighbors! 

So, to hear this one-sentence lesson from him some years later was a stunner. I wish he had stressed the soft end of playing as much as he did the aggressive dynamics. As we all eventually learn, the soft stuff can kill us easier than the blasting. Good quiet playing will actually help the loud playing. 

A few notes on practicing the soft stuff:

• Increase your amount of quiet practice.
• Don't lose expression when playing pianissimo. Increase it.
• Go from loud to soft constantly.
• Practice fortissimo passages in pianissimo.
• Pretend you're practicing so as not to awaken the baby.
• Rest more. Take a day off.

"Great trumpet players can play soft!"

ONE-SENTENCE LESSON #17

 

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 weekly challenges for section placement. By a majority vote it was either "move him up or move him down."

I had reigned in the coveted first chair position all summer. On that dark day in July, however, I received the dreaded verdict: "MOVE HIM DOWN." Dethroned in an instant! I felt like the kid in the movie Christmas Story who not only got pummeled by the neighborhood bullies, but also had to endure "awh, what's the matter, kid!" 

Not handling the setback well at all, I moped around all week fuming about everything. Finally, a wise counselor pulled me aside and offered some much-needed advice. What he told me didn't stop the emotional bleeding at the time but has helped enormously in the many challenging situations that followed.

"Phil, a chair doesn't determine your value."

He also pointed out that I was no less of a musician in the second chair. The vote he said was correct. I not only needed technical improvement on the trumpet, but also a healthy jolt of humility. Maturity doesn't come without many painful trials. 

Sometimes a defeat is our best teacher! Whether I sufficiently learned my lesson that week or not, I reclaimed the first chair the following week!

Pictured below: Ken Gross, Doug Myers, Jim Thompson, Doug Sturdevant, Larry Hodges, me, and Mr. Robert Grocock. Dr. Gorden Mathie tallied "the vote" in the photo above. Mr. Grocock was rightfully annoyed at the guy playing backwards in the bottom pic. Note: Jerry Hey was third in line in the first pic. Wow! 

One-Sentence Lesson #16

The Promenade from Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition is the trumpet player's signature excerpt and the one usually heard first on every audition. That famous opening solo is expected to sound great, to be in tune, in time, and flawless. Hence, our total focus on polishing every one of those 54 notes! 

After recording a recent practice session of this excerpt, I asked for some feedback. I heard this comment. "It sounds like you don't want to be in the art gallery."  

Definitely NOT the advice I wanted to hear! Yet that honest assessment was the one-sentence lesson I needed. The opening requires not only secure technique, but a bold splash of vibrant sound expected by the rest of the orchestra and by the whole audience! More drama, less trauma. 

It should sound like you are thrilled to be there!   

ONE-SENTENCE LESSON #15

 

The conductor looked annoyed and kept tugging at his ear as he glared at the trumpets. Finally, he stopped the rehearsal and said: "One of the trumpets is sharp!" My colleagues knew who it was, but wisely refused to look at me. Gulp. I received a painful but effective lesson that day!  

So, how do we fix our faulty, bone-jarring lack of correct intonation?

First, acknowledge that the problem may actually by our own, not the other guy's. 

Next, determine to examine each note with the honest help of a tuner. 

Then, correct the pitch without losing the rich core of the sound.

Play musically but play in tune. Playing musically but out of tune is not playing musically. Unfortunately, this is a lesson that must be relearned daily. 

The Problem with the Trumpet!

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 case, smugly defying its owner to conquer it. It seems to enjoy frustrating and stifling inspiration. What's worse, it never practices!

The good news is that it can be brought to life and made obedient! Consider Frankenstein's monster, springing up after a few powerful jolts of electricity. Pinocchio similarly became a real boy when controlled by his inspired and caring master. Frosty also began to bounce around jovially once all the kids expected that he would. Simple examples but think about it: a few powerful jolts from a caring owner who believed his lifeless puppet could come to life!

So, what's the magic potion? It is an enormous musical stockpile, continuously infusing greatness into a lifeless instrument. A huge reservoir overflowing the banks of the dry land. A musical fortress that can be strengthened to withstand all challenges. 

The instrument will always be lifeless, but the player has the joy of providing all that's needed to bring it to life!

 

ONE-SENTENCE LESSON #14

I once asked a veteran oboe player in the Cleveland Orchestra how often he felt good about his playing. I expected a response like, "every time, man!" I was stunned to hear him say, "I feel great only about 10% of the time." 

It sure didn't sound that way! His playing was always musical and flawless. I wish I had asked him how he did it, but I suppose the answer is obvious. It's why he had that job. 

So, what's the takeaway? 

• Be encouraged that you can learn to sound great even if your heart isn't always in it. 
• Fool your listeners. Act the part.
• Always bring your performance face.
• Don't depend on feeling great.
• Turn boring into "bravo!"
• We all have our 10%. Learn to be convincing on the 90%.  

ONE-SENTENCE LESSON #12

"Greatness is the perfect mixture of technique and artistry." 

Related thoughts:

• Guarantee purity!
• Secure your technique for the purpose of flawless expression. 
• Faulty technique will not contribute to great artistry.
• Artistry requires technical control.
• The purpose of great technique is compelling drama.
• When artistry rules, mechanics can obey. 
• When mechanics obey, artistry can emerge.
• Passionate drama is well-organized. 
• Emotions must be skillfully controlled.
• Accuracy needs artistry. Artistry needs accuracy.

Only 1 Lesson!

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 needed to hear. But it was the way he did it, starting pianissimo with a crescendo to fortissimo, and returning to pianissimo. Or it can be done with the reverse dynamics with a variety of articulations. Really quiet and really loud, without forcing or pinching. Always with a fabulous tone! 

The rest of that lesson was inspirational for sure, but the details have been forgotten. What I remember today however, is the ease and finesse with which he released a superior sound!

Lesson 2 was watching him play first on the Planets in the Philharmonic. It was the same thing: power and finesse all in one player! Articulations exploded out the bell. We heard exciting dominating trumpet playing from a rather small, mild-mannered gentleman. 

Of course, who cannot be amazed at the beauty of his Posthorn Solo in Mahler 3! His gorgeous playing still rings in my mind every time that excerpt comes up. He said very little that day, but his playing said everything I needed to hear!  

Overcoming the Nerve Monster

Great news! The NERVE MONSTER is not invincible! The dreaded adversary can be overcome or rendered ineffective and no longer a dangerous opponent.  How great would that be!

To be able to resist the onslaught of nerves requires a strengthening of your message. There should be no enslavement to crippling bouts of fright every time you take the stage! 

For this to happen, something more powerful than fear must take control. When it does, a successful performance or audition could actually happen. How great would that be!  

A public speaker who was known for his effective speaking before large crowds once admitted that were it not for one thing, he would be a nervous wreck every time he approached the podium. Nervousness was an admitted obstacle until he remembered why he was there!  

So, what turns hesitancy into confidence, fear into boldness? Answer: a total focus on your message! 

When there's much to share, there's no room for self-consciousness. An effective performer concentrates on his music, not on himself. Confidence comes from a sustained passion to deliver a great product. The audience pays to hear the music, not your attempt at an error-free zone. Plunge into the drama and avoid the trauma. How great will that be!