Remembering good teachers and inspirational musicians

[Lionel]

Was at a rehearsal last night. A local group I try not to miss if only because Ive found that I'm not likely to maintain my edge unless I'm playing at least two nights/week. So I arrive early, start warming up and the director walks in. We're both among the first three or so musicians to arrive and we start telling stories and jokes. The usual fare. He's a trumpet player himself although Ive never seen him without a baton in his hand.

All at once I get an image in my mind of my long deceased college applied trumpet professor. Its like he's looking down from heaven or in a world just beyond us. It wasnt an hallucination nor a particularly vivid image either. Possibly just my imagination. I kinda felt a bit intimidated. As my single tongue is still kinda slow. I get lazy, dont practice tonguing much. I dont really need to. Am mostly in favor of maintaining my range. That and tone, intonation etc... Because that's the kind of trumpet player I am.

However my college prof was an absolute beast when it came to single and double tonguing. Something about those cats who graduated out of Michigan. All the brass teachers can tongue like a snake. We had a trombone prof, also from Michigan who could single tongue 16ths at 156 beats/minute. In fact he almost never resorted to double tongue. Didnt need to. Not until the metronome hit 170/min. A fantastic technique.

Anyway here I was sitting, listening to the new band director. Nice guy! Yet I'm feeling haunted. Wondering if in the final analysis and after all these years if I've really lived up to the old man's legacy.

Back in school he liked me. I was told that in my freshman Fall semester I was the first student in his tenure of almost a decade to receive and "A" from the boss. Granted it was only an A minus but still. Inspiring. And yet after only a couple years in college while majoring in music ed it finally dawned on me,

"Lionel old boy you're not going to enjoy teaching in a school system".

Problem was that I just never liked school that much. Truth be told I've never liked being cooped up in a classroom. Although I really dug going out on the road there was just no way that I was going to tolerate all the paperwork and administrative drama associated with the curriculum of a primary or secondary musical educational system. I just have too much distrust of authority. In reality? I'm far better off being a plumber. Or someone who works on bicycles. Especially if ai get to choose my own hours. So I left college. Thats right, I dropped out and became a road travelling trumpet for a considerable spell. Probably the best thing that ever happened to my trumpet technique. As after about six months to a year of constant nightly blowing it really tweaked or dialed in my feeling of security. I became a much louder, more dominant voice. There's just something about getting out there in front of an audience five nights a week that hardens and matures a weak player. You dont keep your job unless you dominate. Again, was the best thing ever for me.

Btw, I'm not trying to discourage anyone from seeking a college degree. I highly respect all of those who've earned their sheepskin. Am only writing of my ecperience because I was just one of those cats who couldnt fit the system. So I lived outside of it. The work which I perform that pays the bills is what I call.,

"The job I work to support my music habitmyselfBut I was fortunate both to find regular work and also to at least support myself.

But before I settled down after leaving the road life and raised a family I just could never sit in a classroom long enough to pass certain courses. The class had to be something which stimulated my interest. So while I could very easily pass "Physics Of Music"?

I could never concentrate studying a standard biology course...

And yet I never forgot my fine trumpet professor. The guy was among the nicest of human beings too. And while my style of playing is truly much different than his I'd still like to think he would be proud. If only I guess because I'm still doing it. Here at age 62 and I still dont feel like I'm very far from the beginning of my trumpet career. Granted life is short. I became a grandpaw this past summer. What a hoot! And my last remaining child turned 28 and finally graduated from college. I feel like I graduated with him.

As with my 32 cousins on my father's side, a deceased older brother and living big sister? All of them have college degrees. All have advanced degrees in fact. Or like my son are working on them. Both my late mom and dad had advanced degrees and both my son and daughter have degrees. My girl is a distinguished RN. So she has an advanced degree too. And my son is working busily on his masters in college now too. So of these nearly forty blood relatives and all their offspring only two of us never finished college. And the other one was killed by a drunk driver years ago. Thus I am the only remaining child of a huge Irish/American family who did not finish school. Lol. Some guys just have to he different.

But as I think of my college professor? I still greatly admire his memory. And I just may go out and work on my single tongue speed.
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"Check me if I'm wrong Sandy but if I kill all the golfers they're gonna lock me up & throw away the key"!

Carl Spackler (aka Bill Murray, 1980).

[WxJeff]

Great stuff - thanks for taking the time to write it down.

I love epiphany experiences and the places they take if you allow it to happen. Enjoyed hearing about your background as well.
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Kanstul F Besson International 800 Bb
Jupiter SCR-520

[blbaumgarn]

Within the last two weeks I have had the opportunity to think about my first trumpet teacher, Ettore Chiudioni, who finished his career in Mansfield, Ohio. I had him for band and lessons through the 8th grade and I love music because of him and others as well. I googled his name and found where he had passed away in 2014 and there was an article saying the community mourned him. Class act and wonderful teacher. I also thought about my college professor Edwin Betts at Bowling Green St. in Ohio. Masterful player and teacher. Improved my skills in one school year more than two fold. He was like Mr. Chiudioni a great musician and a better person. I haven't been able to find information on my h.s. trumpet teacher Mel Wygant, who I dearly love and respect. Took a lot of lessons from him and he was busy working on his Masters during my last two year of h.s.
I dropped out of college after one year and went back 4 years later and changed focus to athletics and english. Played football and still played some in college and especially community band. One coach and my music teachers are still the most inspirational and consistent people I ever met. The reason I dropped out of college in the first place was alcohol and I didn't stop until I was just shy of 35. Now their example helps me keep a little more humble than I would be in my other personality. I am listening to inspirational music on YouTube as I type this. Those people's memory still a fire in my heart.