A day or so ago I got my Jan. 2012 International Trumpet Guild Journal.
It's always good to be reminded that there are thousands of trumpet players in the world who are just as excited about the art form as I am. Just reading the list of presenters at this year's ITG conference inspires me to consider my own potential as a musician.
I've come a long way since working I decided to change my embouchure in July 2008. Terrance Blanchard pointed out to me in a master class that by playing with my trumpet all the way to the left I would wear out the muscles and not be able to play very well after about 7 years. Both he and John Labarbera, who I also worked with that summer, said that mid-career they had to undergo embouchure changes. With daily coaching from John and Bobby Shew (during 2 weeks at Skidmore College) I came up with a routine to work on getting the mouthpiece in the center.
Immediately following the Skidmore Jazz program I went to play with the Tidewater Winds in Norfolk, VA for their 2008 summer season. With the support of the trumpet players in the band I could continue working on my new embouchure in a professional setting. Returning to the Crane School of Music that fall was difficult because my range, stamina and tone had lessend significantly.
Over the years I've been incorporating Maggio system into my practice and working regular on long tones, lip slurs, etudes and my Arban's, I can now play up to high G. My high G on my bigger megatone 3C has less body than when I use my Bobby Shew lead piece but so far my solo rep. and band rep only requires me to go up to high D.
I'm enjoying my last semester at Crane and my last semester as a student at SUNY Potsdam. I have come a long way since 2008. That fall I was placed on the third cornet part for large ensemble but this semester, for the fourth time, I am playing principal trumpet. I really love to lead the section, play the solos, and encourage a full, well tuned and blended section sound. As fun as it is to lead a fine, college large ensemble, reading my ITG makes me wonder: what's next for me as a trumpet player?
There are so many great players out there. When I first came to Crane I had one goal: become the greatest trumpet player in the world, at least as good as Wynton. A foolish goal (since it has no really quantitative or qualitative means of evaluating success!) but in many ways I still keep that goal with me. The biggest change to that goal since I established it for myself in 2006, is that rather than to practice and play to earn acceptance, I feel that more and more I simply love to play. Sounding good, playing well, playing perfectly, working on solo rep. and working with my quintet or the large ensemble, the sheer joy of music making only grows as I grow as a musician.
Do I still want to be the greatest? of course! But now I am striving for greater experiences, rather than to feed my pride, or sense of acceptance. Maybe one day, I'll be on that ITG list, too.
