The Best Trumpet Teachers

DWheeler · Posted: Thu Mar 20, 2003 7:26 pm Post subject:

I know there have been some other tags posted about this, but I wanted to start a fresh one.

If a guy wants the credential (DMA) to be able to teach trumpet at a college level, who are the best schools and teachers to consider?

I have been impressed with:

1. David Hickman, Arizona State
2. Barbara Butler, Northwestern Univ.
3. Michael Ewald and Ron Romm at Illinois

Really and truly...whose students tend to get the jobs?

Please offer input,

David

308WIN · Posted: Fri Mar 21, 2003 1:55 pm Post subject:

Chris Gekker at University of Maryland

R

jcdob · Posted: Fri Mar 21, 2003 3:06 pm Post subject:

Hi

I am currently doing my DMA with Professor Hickman. He is the best teacher I had so far. He makes everything possible to get his students jobs and realize their dreams.

jc

DSanchee · Posted: Fri Mar 21, 2003 3:17 pm Post subject:

Well I was just accpeted at U of I with Ron Romm and Michael Ewald for trumpet performance so I hope I am taken care of.

dbacon · Heavyweight Member Joined: 11 Nov 2001 Posts: 8592

Dotto on ASU with Hickman. Also Keith Johnson at North Texas is exceptional. He's a master at teaching players with real problems and bringing them up to full potential.

Dave Bacon

DWheeler · Posted: Sat Mar 22, 2003 8:38 am Post subject:

Thanks all for input...please keep it coming.

I have heard that Mr. Gekker is a fine player and teacher. But does anyone know of specific students of his getting jobs?

Also, is there anyone else who competes with Mr. Hickman's track record of his students getting jobs? I am not asserting there is not, I just really want to know.

Dave, thanks for mentioning Keith Johnson. I have heard good things about him and talked with him via telephone before and he is a gentleman, no doubt.

Keep reports coming please!

David

Irving · Heavyweight Member Joined: 11 Feb 2003 Posts: 1888

David,

Your question seems contradictory, since on the one hand, you are looking for "the best teacher", but on the other hand, you are concerned about the types of connections this potential teacher might have to be able to recommend you for a job when you graduate.

Consider these points:

A teacher can only give you a recommendation. He can't actually appoint you to a position unless he is the one in control of the actual job.

You might select a teacher because his student has gotten jobs as of late. This doesn't necessarily mean that, supposing your teacher has connections, that he will have connections to every University.

You will still have to pass the interview/audition, so...why not base you teacher selection on the quality of the teacher and the University? This is something that you have much more control over than basing your choice on something as nebulous as a potential connection between a teacher and University that might or might not exist.

dbacon · Heavyweight Member Joined: 11 Nov 2001 Posts: 8592

Keith Johnson has a number of intangibles that some students won't see until they are out in the real world. I studied with him at Northern Iowa (before NT), and found years latter that so much of what he covered in lessons came back to me in the heat of battle when I needed it the most. I did not appreciate at the time what he did for me, but certainly have since.

Dave Bacon

DWheeler · Posted: Sat Mar 22, 2003 9:49 am Post subject:

Irving,

I politely disagree with your assessment of my question. In my opinion, the best teachers produce great students which in turn get the jobs. I am looking for someone with a great track record in the whole process. When getting a DMA, one is doing so primarily to open doors for jobs afterwards (besides improving playing ability).

If someone is a supposed to be a great teacher but no one knows about them or their students' track records, then while they may be great, they may not also possess the "clout" and respect in the trumpet world necessary to help someone gain an edge in the job market.

Dave, I have heard nothing but great things about Dr. Johnson. I am keeping him and UNT on my short list.

Thanks,

David

308WIN · Posted: Sat Mar 22, 2003 1:18 pm Post subject:

DWheeler,
Hate to tell you, but there's a LOT of merit to what Irving is tellin' ya. As far as Chris Gekker goes. He's probably one of the most respected teachers/players around (Just ask any of the other potential teachers that have been named so far). One thing to keep in mind though is that he's been teaching at UMD for a relatively short time (only since '97-9

. I'm finishing up my DMA with him now. I don't think he's graduated any DMA students yet (although, since I really never have to be down there anymore, he may have) so a comparison really cannot be made. What's important though is that your teacher is just that. Ultimately, you are the one responsibe for getting you a job. To rely on "good recommendations/teachers' connections" will result in a looooong wait.
Just my $.02
Rich

DWheeler · Posted: Sat Mar 22, 2003 2:36 pm Post subject:

Rich,

I am not in disagreement with either one of you guys entirely. I just want as much help as I can get in looking for a job. I certainly meant no disrespect to Mr. Gekker at all and understand him to be all you have said he is and more. In fact, he is a teacher and Maryland is a school I will look at.

Congrats on your DMA. Are you going to teach with it?

David

No BS · Veteran Member Joined: 07 Feb 2003 Posts: 141

No teacher will "get you a job" You have to work your butt off and get yourself a job. All the teachers mentioned thus far are great...if you are looking for an undergrad teacher, take a lesson and make sure they know how to properly teach tone production....for a masters or DMA make sure they have a great set of ears and know what the standard is for getting that job we all want. Avoid any guy that says "sounds great..what else ya' got". John Rommel and Jim Pandolfi are two people who would be great to study with (masters or undergrad!).

dbacon · Heavyweight Member Joined: 11 Nov 2001 Posts: 8592

You do need to understand the politics involved in your job search. To get your file on the right pile, the institution you attended and the teacher you studied with all come into play. Paper tigers get looked at, often chosen over guys from other, less prestigious schools.

Dave Bacon

PH · Posted: Sat Mar 22, 2003 4:36 pm Post subject:

You must also differentiate between teachers who place their students in academic positions, teachers who place their students in playing gigs, and teachers who have successful students in both arenas.

Some well-known teachers who place many students in academic positions do not turn out a large number of students who are great players. They produce adequate players who know how to interview well and do the other "trumpet world" things that get one an academic position (publishing, completion of advanced degrees, networking in academia & ITG, etc.)

Other teachers produce students who sound GREAT and don't ever get around to publishing much or finishing their doctoral degrees. They are too busy going to their playing gigs.

There is no such thing as a BEST teacher. Everyone need to seek the best teacher for their goals, personality, and gifts.

DWheeler · Posted: Sat Mar 22, 2003 5:17 pm Post subject:

Good points--both Dave and PH.

PH, my goals are to teach at a college level and be busy playing gigs (hopefully a decent orchestra).
Now, what say you PH?

David

308WIN · Posted: Sat Mar 22, 2003 5:39 pm Post subject:

David,
I didn't mean to sound oversensitive about Chris etc. I know no disrespect was meant. Yes, I do want to teach as well as play. Chris really got me started in my undergrad and prepared me for Gould in my masters'. Hindsight being 20/20, I wish I would've listened even more intently as Chris doesn't mince words, and everything he says seems to carry a lot of meaning. I've been teaching some classes as well as students at a local community college lately. I figure, heck, it's a start and having classroom teaching experience teaching music apprec. (which no one wants to do...now I know why) will only help the resume.

NoBS,
Is Jim now teaching in a full time position somewhere? I know we used to joke that he probably wouldn't fit in so well with college politics etc. so well...lol. As I'm sure you know (especially with a screen name like yours...lol) he's not one for BS either. He's an absolutely amazing teacher and an even scarier player. One time in a lesson, I was working on the Hummel. At one point he looks at me and says..."Here!! Give me that f*#@ing horn. I'LL show you how to play it!!!..." (now realize...it's not in that scary kind of butthole tone of voice, it's more in the "OMG, if I knew that what I was about to hear wasn't going to be AMAZING, I'd still probably crap my pants because he's so funny") He then proceeds to play "La Virgin de la Macarena" on my E-flat and plays a double E at the end. I thought the bell was going to split. He then hands the horn back and says "That motherf*%#er, si how you play the E-flat.....nice horn". He and Gould would always goof off in the Met rehearsals with their "Zarathustra" bit. Mark would look at him and say "'Dolf, you ready". Jim would be chompin' at the bit and be like "yeah, I'm ready...." Mark then proceeds to play the opening 3 C's and then Jim just KILLS the double C on C trumpet (with a huge fat orchestral sound). What a trip. I hope he's doing well.

Later,
Rich

PH · Posted: Sat Mar 22, 2003 5:45 pm Post subject:

Hickman is the king of placing students in college gigs. Geyer and Butler are also very successful, but that is based more on their tenure at Eastman. I don't know if that will change at Northwestern.

Texas was always a good place for doctoral work under Crisara. I expect things to continue in that way with Sasaki.

Indiana, UNT, & Eastman are also fine places. You can't do better than Rommel, Cord, Keith Johnson, or Jim Thompson.

I've just spent the last 3 months browsing through resumes for a position here. This is at least the 4th trumpet search committee I've been on over the last 20 years. These teachers and programs that seem to rise to the surface again and again.

adamcz · Posted: Sat Mar 22, 2003 6:18 pm Post subject:

I'm looking for a very different DMA program then the ones you guys have discussed, but figured I'd look for advice in this thread anyway. I would like to eventually teach jazz studies at the college level, and I understand that I need a DMA to be competitive in the job market, but I'm not very interested in writing a dissertation. Are there any schools besides Manhattan School of Music that offer a DMA in jazz studies without a real dissertation requirement? MSM considers a major piece for studio orchestra a "dissertation" which really appeals to me, but since they're a small conservatory, they don't offer college-level teaching experience like a university would. It seems like most job descriptions I have read claim say would prefer demonstrated sucess teaching at the college level, which I assume a teaching assistantship could fulfill. For what it's worth, I got my BM at Berklee, and am getting my MM at Manhattan.

PH · Posted: Sat Mar 22, 2003 7:02 pm Post subject:

I do not know about the dissertation requirements, but a little over a year ago I did some research and found only 6 or 7 DMA programs in jazz in the world. I do not believe Manhattan was one of them.

As I recall the list included:

NYU
Texas (NOT North Texas)
Miami
USC
New England

I can't recall the others. There aren't many. Most of the time we jazzers have to do our doctorates in a field other than our primary area (theory, music ed, trumpet, etc.) because the positions require a doctorate and there are virtually no people with completed earned doctorates in jazz.

At the time of my research only NYU had actually granted the degree to anyone. The others were brand new programs that had accepted students, but didn't even have anyone at the ABD stage.

DWheeler · Posted: Sun Mar 23, 2003 4:55 am Post subject:

Add Texas Tech Univ. to the list of non-dissertation doctorates. I am not sure they have a Jazz studies label, but their degree is very very flexible and only a 45 hour DMA.

David