Your BEST Lesson???

Jarrett Ellis · Heavyweight Member Joined: 14 Jan 2003 Posts: 649

Best Lesson... easy... Mitch Martin.. in VA Beach... took me outside and said "Hey, blow down that water tower" I blew and he said "NO!, YOUR PLAYING LIKE MY GRANDMA, PUT SOME F@$%IN AIR THROUGH THE HORN" He taught me how much air it takes to take the stress off the chops... Awesome lesson... I hear his Grandma is a monster.
-J
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livelyjazz · Posted: Mon Jun 30, 2003 7:03 pm Post subject:

My best lessons were in grad school when I studied with Michael Mossman. He pretty much had to rebuild my chops after my undergraduate trumpet instructor ruined me with his inability to teach the horn. Anyone who knows me knows who I'm talking about. Mossman was a student of Bill Fielder and Vincent Cichowicz andwas hard on me and expected a lot, just as his teachers did of him. There was to much to go into here, but just know that Mike's students love and greatly respect him. He is a master composer, arranger, trumpeter, and teacher.

Logan

baroquetrumpeter · Posted: Tue Jul 08, 2003 7:43 am Post subject:

Sorry to get a little off topic, but Jarrett, I know the water tower at wonderful VA Beach well...spending quite a bit of time driving out there for a concert set with the Tidewater Winds this summer. Send me a private message -- I'm interested to know if you're familiar with a lot of the players around here I am (then again, this depends on how long ago you were here).

Now to contribute...I was working on the first movement of Haydn for an audition and had run through it all once. Then my teacher sat for a minute and said, "That was good, but this time, don't hold back...just play it down." Amazing what a simple idea can contribute to overall playing.
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Derek Reaban · Posted: Fri Jul 11, 2003 1:41 pm Post subject:

Many years ago, the Boston Symphony came to Phoenix for a performance at Gammage Auditorium. I had the good fortune of meeting Charlie Schlueter and had a very memorable afternoon of conversation and a lesson that I will never forget. If you are interested, it is at Ole's web site:

http://abel.hive.no/trumpet/tpin/Lesson_with_Charlie_Schlueter.html

Every time I read this message I'm reminded of what a profound impact he had on my playing! Good topic!
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stukvalve · Posted: Wed Dec 17, 2003 6:46 pm Post subject:

Logan- I understand. Understand .... all to well.

Everyone-

I just had a two-day long lesson with Leonard Candelaria. I came in not knowing much about him, expecting a two hour lesson. Next thing you know it's midnight and we are still going. Next thing you know it's 7am, we are in the basement playing natural trumpets .... I don't think I have ever learned so much and improved so fast. -Max-
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trumpetmike · Posted: Thu Dec 18, 2003 5:02 am Post subject:

Best lesson?
This is a very difficult one to answer.

For the single most enjoyable lesson I would probably have to go for my first with Crispian Steele-Perkins. Not only was I having a lesson with one of my trumpet idols, he was such a nice guy and I came away with a huge amount of both knowledge and inspiration.

The best teacher I have had is a title I would probably bestow upon Richard Martin, my teacher throughout university. He certainly has had the biggest influence upon my playing. Before I met him I really didn’t have much of a clue about trumpet playing – I knew how to pick it up, play very high and make very little music!

One of the most inspirational moments of my trumpet playing life was hearing a masterclass given by Philip Smith. Not only did his playing just blow me away (understandably!) but he was also just such a lovely guy, very encouraging to all the players and very happy to chat after it had finished.

Oh and I suppose I really should mention Roy Falshaw – possibly more influential than everyone else put together – he was the guy who started me off!!!

Storm007 · New Member Joined: 27 Dec 2003 Posts: 2 Location: Texas

I think that one of the best lessons I ever had was when my teacher asked me what was wrong... I had recently suffered a tremendous personal problem that I had to keep a secret. It made everything else seem unimportant, even my trumpet playing, therefore, I was spiraling downward. Anyway, the fact that he took time to say, "I feel that the past 3 weeks something else has been bothering you, would you like to talk about it?" allowed time for me to get things off of my chest. I guess my point is that he remembered I was a real person before a trumpet player. Sometimes i feel that some teachers forget during that time that there is sometimes more to life than the trumpet.

Other than that, this is the same teacher that yelled "AIR!!!" during almost every lesson so that I finally realized you need to take in some real air to play the trumpet, it seems to solve most problems...!

ChemistryComesAlive · Posted: Thu Jan 22, 2004 6:41 am Post subject:

I have two "best lessons".

First, when I was 20 some 44 years ago, I was privleged to walk into Arnold Jacobs studio on Michigan Ave for the first time, all young, proud and nervous, and have him open the Arban to the very first exercises, have him say "Imagine the sound of Herseth playing it, and just play". He later would explain that we learn by experiencing the moments when what we imagine is the same as what we actually sound like.

Second, is my lesson tomorrow with my current teacher. I am excited, nervous, full of things to talk about and questions to ask.

pjtpt · Posted: Sun Jan 25, 2004 7:17 am Post subject:

My best lesson is a continuous 20 years of applying what my teacher taught (is still teaching me). I can't say that I've had ONE good lesson but rather that my lessons over the years constitute a lesson I'm still striving to apply. I haven't had an actual session with my teacher in 5 (?) years but I carry his sound with me where ever I go and I try to imagine his sound as a play. I'd sometimes listen to him through the door giving lessons to other students and that would be enough of a "booster shot" for me. I hope to see him in the next 6 months and see how I'm doing.

JackD · Posted: Sun Jan 25, 2004 9:55 am Post subject:

trumpetmike · Posted: Sun Jan 25, 2004 10:00 am Post subject:

Jack - For more information on Richard, ask Paul - they were the trumpets in the English Brass Ensemble together for many years.

Last time I saw him he was playing with Northern Sinfonia, living in Newcastle. If he's moved I may just have to get in touch with him. Would be good to catch up.

[ This Message was edited by: trumpetmike on 2004-01-25 13:01 ]

thegambler · Regular Member Joined: 20 Dec 2003 Posts: 35

My best lesson was definately with Boyde Hood. All we did was the mouthpiece drill, but it did wonders for my consistancy. Not to mention, Boyde could be the nicest person on planet Earth.

Umyoguy · Posted: Wed Feb 04, 2004 6:48 am Post subject:

One of the most influential lessons I ever had was with Jay Rizzetto - You may know of him if you're on the west coast.

We were (or, more accurately, I was) pounding through Hummel poorly and he said "Ok. Now play it, and imagine you're on the stage of a concert hall, in front of three thousand people. How would you play it then?"

The performer in me was born that day, and I'll never forget it.

The most profound realizations are always the simplest...