Trumpet Schools in the Southeast

[kehaulani]

Timing and breaks are important. Preparation is, however, critical. Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity. You gotta be ready when it comes.

It's not what you know, it's how you use what you know. And how flexible and adaptable you can be to changing circumstances.

It's interesting how we can interpret the same signals, differently. How we can rationalize what we really wanted to do, anyway. I have always cynically rephrased an old saying to . . "When one door closes another . . slams shut".

Truth is, though, I have experienced real disasters through my life and have always found a way to find that other door.

caveat. These are general comments to consider and not to deny anyone of their own experiences.
_________________
"If you don't live it, it won't come out of your horn." Bird

Yamaha 8310Z Bobby Shew trumpet
Benge 3X Trumpet
Benge 3X Cornet
Adams F-1 Flghn

[kehaulani]

[noamiller]

There are a ton of good schools in the SE and each offer their own unique scholarships so I wouldn't hesitate on looking at out of state schools (ie.USC offers in state tuition if you get any scholarship/fellowship). Like others have mentioned, really depends on your career goals.

These are the first that came up in my mind- I am sure I missed some key schools- I think it's a good list to start from. Not sure if North Carolina/Alabama/Tennessee were also in mind, plenty of great options there as well.


GA:
University of Georgia
Kennesaw State
Georgia Southern
Columbus State University

SC:
University of South Carolina
Furman University
East Carolina University

FL
University of North Florida
Florida State University
Lynn Conservatory
University of Miami

[OtherJMitch]

[tptptp]

Richartd III said "...Time to get real and following my passion is simply not workable. Time to prepare for a real job with a future. Plus I just wasn't a good enough player to make it in the business. I saw much better players also failing."

Steve A said "...probably well over 95% of music grads struggle to make enough money in their field simply to survive in the first 3-5 years after graduating, to say nothing of paying back sizeable student loans. Even many of the very best, from the very best schools are frequently pushed out of this profession simply because they can't make enough money to survive and to pay their loans back playing their instruments."

I know I'm going off-topic, but every time I think about what Richard and Steve said, my heart breaks again.
Mastering the trumpet (or any instrument) is very hard, time-consuming, and the outcome is valuable and pleasing to many people.
But, those same people are more willing to pay someone to cut their grass (for example) than to pay for good music.
_________________
Craig Mitchell

[Mike Sailors]

Now, more than ever, I feel that trumpet students should be looking for teachers that are not only great players and teachers, but have spent some time in the real world making a living as a trumpet player.

Once you set those parameters, the list of people to study with is much smaller.

OP, you didn't ask for this advice, but I'll give it anyway.

Before I started teaching at UT in 2019, I made my living for 20 years as a trumpet player/arranger/contractor. It's a given that one must be able to play their tail off. What people don't tell you is that you need to put in a lot of time before you start seeing the fruits of your labor. Everyone is different of course, but I didn't really start making an actual living playing (being able to own things outside of my horns and the clothes on my back) until I was 30. Before that, I was living month to month in a sort of "feast or famine" cycle. I had a lot of fun during that time, but, there's no way I could have paid a mortgage, support a family, etc.

You can still make a good living as a Trumpet player/musician - I'm very passionate about that. But, you need to have a lot of skin in the game before that happens, and you need to be in a place where it's possible. That list of cities where it's possible is very, very short, so it makes the choice of where to live very easy if you want to really do it.
_________________
www.mikesailors.com

[kehaulani]

Very good post, Mike. To that I would only add: networking.

Now, this is a little contradictory because I never consciously networked. My "reputation preceded me", LOL. But I guess I formed a lot of friends as I went along who formed a network

BTAIM, developing a network of respected colleagues can help guide you through a lot of water throughout your entire career. For many, that begins at the school you have chosen. This is something to include in your other requirements for a good school for you.
_________________
"If you don't live it, it won't come out of your horn." Bird

Yamaha 8310Z Bobby Shew trumpet
Benge 3X Trumpet
Benge 3X Cornet
Adams F-1 Flghn

[benlewis]

I'd like to throw in the Rudi Scheidt School of Music at the University of Memphis. Dr. David Spencer has a lot of students who have gone on to become great educators and performers.

[spitvalve]

[kehaulani]

Yes, and I haven't seen UNT in this have I? It's SW not SE but, jeez, it was recognized as the best School of Music in America recently. And FWIW, there's (to me) a lot more strength in some schools than just who the trumpet teacher is.
_________________
"If you don't live it, it won't come out of your horn." Bird

Yamaha 8310Z Bobby Shew trumpet
Benge 3X Trumpet
Benge 3X Cornet
Adams F-1 Flghn

[Bachatit]

I would suggest contacting trumpet teachers at universities on your short list and asking for a lesson over the summer. If you get no response, cross that school off the list. You will get a much better feel for the teacher and school after a lesson or two.

One final piece of (free and probably worthless) advice. Have another major/minor in mind as a back up. Trumpet performance majors rarely get full time jobs as performers.