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Boston Symphony Orchestra Trumpet Section



 
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Derek Reaban
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PostPosted: Sun Apr 11, 2004 11:07 pm    Post subject: Boston Symphony Orchestra Trumpet Section Reply with quote

Boston Symphony Orchestra
Principal Trumpet Players


Start-End______Name

2006-Current_______Thomas Rolfs
1981-2006_________Charles Schlueter
1979-1981_________Rolf Smedvig
1966-1979_________Armando Ghitalla
1950-1966_________Roger Voisin
1919-1950_________Georges Mager
1914-1919_________Gustav Heim
1898-1914_________Louis Kloepfel
1888-1898_________Pierre Mueller
1887-1888_________Edward Lafricain
1886-1887_________Richard Schuebruk
1881-1886_________Ezra Bagley


Web Site: Boston Symphony Orchestra Trumpet Players

Current roster for the 2011-2012 Season:
Thomas Rolfs – Principal Trumpet
Benjamin Wright
Thomas Siders - Assistant Principal
Michael Martin - 4th Trumpet


Thomas Rolfs................Benjamin Wright...........Thomas Siders...............Michael Martin
...

Reference for this information is the December 1990 ITG Journal article entitled "Trumpet Players of the Boston Symphony 1881-1990: A Pictorial History", by Douglas Yeo.


Return to the Table of Contents
for the Project:
Historical Trumpet Sections of
Major Symphony Orchestras



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Derek Reaban
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PostPosted: Sun Apr 11, 2004 11:07 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Online Articles about the Boston Symphony Orchestra Trumpet Players:

Armando Ghitalla – Master Trumpeter, Master Teacher, Master Musician
by Michael Tunnell (May 1997 ITG Journal)

In Memoriam: An Interview with Armando Ghitalla
by James West (March 2002 ITG Journal)

An Interview with Roger Voisin
by James West (June 2002 ITG Journal)

Principal Trumpet. An interview with a trumpet great: Charles Schleuter
by Jonathan Kravetz

Having Your Own Identity – Charles Schlueter’s Distinctive Approach to Music
by Eric M. Berlin

Two Great Photos of the Boston Symphony Brass Section from 1921 and 1926
from the Douglas Yeo Web Site

Georges Mager is the Principal Trumpet in these photos.


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Derek Reaban
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PostPosted: Sun Apr 11, 2004 11:09 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Personal Stories:

I have submitted this post before on the TPIN list, refered to it here on the Trumpet Herald, and it is available at Ole’s web site. I thought it would be appropriate to show it in this folder in its entirety.

My Lesson with Charlie Schlueter

When the Boston Symphony traveled to Arizona in the early 90's for a concert at Grady Gammage Auditorium, I was very fortunate to have a lesson with Charlie Schlueter.

At the time, my instructor (Jim - Phoenix Symphony) had mentioned that the Boston Symphony would be in town in a month or so, and wanted to know if I would be interested in meeting Charlie. I was very excited about that prospect, and said (half-joking) it would be even better if I could have a lesson with him. Little did I know what I had said.

At my next lesson, Jim mentioned that everything was set up for next month. I asked him what he was talking about, and he said "your lesson with Charlie." I couldn't believe it! I had only been studying the orchestral literature for a little over 2 years at that point (maybe 6 months with Jim), and I hadn't thought that this "request" would actually occur.

Jim was volunteering his time with the Phoenix College Orchestra at the time, and I was out of school in my current job, and playing in the orchestra with him in the evening. Every week at rehearsals was a lesson in itself! At the time we were working up Tchaikovsky Symphony #5. I decided that this would be great material for my lesson with Charlie.

The day of the lesson I couldn't wait until I was finished with work. I jumped in my car and picked up Jim and then we headed to the Ritz Carlton to pick up Charlie. It's quite a drive from 24th St. and Camelback in Phoenix to my house in Tempe, so we enjoyed many stories with Charlie in the car.

We set up for the lesson in my living room. I was relaxed even though I had quite a bit of nervous energy (never having met a big name player from a major orchestra, much less playing for one). As I began to play, Charlie was very focused on my sound, and was trying to help me relax into a more resonant, ringing approach. His sound was much like Jim's, only with more presence. Jim's sound was what drew me to study with him, so I was in heaven hearing another player with such a wonderful concept. Charlie was playing on the Raja at that point, and it really filled up my house!

I remember very clearly after we discussed the relaxed concept of pitch center, I began to play the excerpt from Tchaik 5 that I had been working on for the past month. It was an ascending line that ended on 4th space E, and after I played I told him that I was very frustrated that the E was always flat. Without even hesitating, he said, "The E was fine. Everything before it was sharp!"

I didn't know what to say. I was just completely blown away with that concept. Then he played the line for me, and sure enough, his sound was centered and clear, and the E was right where it was supposed to be (both in-tune and resonant). I started working my slides and trying to bring the pitch down on all of the notes leading up to that E, and we worked for a good 10 minutes on that one line. Finally, everything clicked, and I played with the best clarity and resonance that I had ever heard come out of my instrument. I ended on the same E that had given me such problems for the past month, and it was perfectly in tune! His words and example had literally transformed that problematic line for me, into the best thing that I had ever played!

After our "official" lesson, Jim asked about some specific excerpts that he had always wondered how Charlie approached, and he played sections from Mahler 5. That was worth the price of the lesson in and of itself!

My life changed after that lesson (I really experienced a resonant sound out of my bell for the first time), and I think fondly of our hour together every time I go into my living room. I tell my boys about it too, and my older boy thinks it's pretty neat.

Charlie mentioned that the BSO has a very generous per diem for meals, and offered to take us out to dinner after the lesson. We had some Mexican food, and continued our conversation from the car ride earlier in the afternoon. Then we headed to Gammage for the concert. Jim had a PSO concert, so didn't to hear the BSO that evening, but I will remember this day for the rest of my life.
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Derek Reaban
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PostPosted: Thu Sep 29, 2005 9:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Boston Symphony Orchestra Trumpet Sections

Season........Principal...............2nd Trpt...............3rd Trpt...............4th Trpt
2011-2012....Thomas Rolfs..........Benjamin Wright......Thomas Siders.......Michael Martin
2010-2011....Thomas Rolfs..........Benjamin Wright......Thomas Siders.......Michael Martin
2009-2010....Thomas Rolfs..........Benjamin Wright......Thomas Siders.......Vacant
2008-2009....Thomas Rolfs..........Vacant....................Vacant..................Benjamin Wright
2007-2008....Thomas Rolfs..........Peter Chapman.......Vacant...................Benjamin Wright
2006-2007....Thomas Rolfs..........Peter Chapman.......Vacant...................Benjamin Wright
2005-2006....Charles Schleuter....Peter Chapman.......Thomas Rolfs.........Benjamin Wright
2004-2005....Charles Schleuter....Peter Chapman.......Thomas Rolfs.........Benjamin Wright
2003-2004....Charles Schleuter....Peter Chapman.......Thomas Rolfs.........Benjamin Wright
2002-2003....Charles Schleuter....Peter Chapman.......Thomas Rolfs.........Benjamin Wright
2001-2002....Charles Schleuter....Peter Chapman.......Thomas Rolfs.........Vacant (TBD)
2000-2001....Charles Schleuter....Peter Chapman.......Thomas Rolfs.........Vacant (TBD)
1999-2000....Charles Schleuter....Peter Chapman.......Thomas Rolfs.........Vacant (TBD)
1998-1999....Charles Schleuter....Peter Chapman.......Thomas Rolfs.........Vacant (TBD)
1997-1998....Charles Schleuter....Peter Chapman.......Timothy Morrison....Thomas Rolfs
1996-1997....Charles Schleuter....Peter Chapman.......Timothy Morrison....Thomas Rolfs
1995-1996....Charles Schleuter....Peter Chapman.......Timothy Morrison....Thomas Rolfs
1994-1995....Charles Schleuter....Peter Chapman.......Timothy Morrison....Thomas Rolfs
1993-1994....Charles Schleuter....Peter Chapman.......Timothy Morrison....Thomas Rolfs
1992-1993....Charles Schleuter....Peter Chapman.......Timothy Morrison....Thomas Rolfs
1991-1992....Charles Schleuter....Peter Chapman.......Timothy Morrison....Thomas Rolfs
1990-1991....Charles Schleuter....Peter Chapman.......Timothy Morrison....Steve Emery
1989-1990....Charles Schleuter....Peter Chapman.......Timothy Morrison....Steve Emery
1988-1989....Charles Schleuter....Peter Chapman.......Timothy Morrison....Steve Emery
1987-1988....Charles Schleuter....Peter Chapman.......Timothy Morrison....Vacant (TBD)
1986-1987....Charles Schleuter....Andre Come...........Charles Daval.........Peter Chapman
1985-1986....Charles Schleuter....Andre Come...........Charles Daval.........Peter Chapman
1984-1985....Charles Schleuter....Andre Come...........Charles Daval.........Peter Chapman
1983-1984....Charles Schleuter....Andre Come...........Charles Daval.........Vacant (TBD)
1982-1983....Charles Schleuter....Timothy Morrison....Andre Come............Vacant (TBD)
1981-1982....Charles Schleuter....Timothy Morrison....Andre Come............Vacant (TBD)
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JohnCage
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PostPosted: Sun Oct 02, 2005 8:54 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I had a chance to see the video of Bernstein's Tchaikovsky Symphony No.5 with BSO.

In it, I could identify Ghitalla(he plays unusual trumpet which appeared at his interview article of ITG) & Smedvig but other two persons.

May I ask the players' information of the video?
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Derek Reaban
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PostPosted: Sun Oct 02, 2005 11:09 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

John Cage,

I haven't seen that video, but in that time frame Andre Come (2nd trumpet) and Gerard Goguen (4th trumpet) would have filled out the section.

Hope this helps.
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JohnCage
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PostPosted: Sat Oct 22, 2005 8:21 am    Post subject: Reply with quote



FYI
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Derek Reaban
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PostPosted: Sat Oct 22, 2005 12:59 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

JohnCage,

What a fantastic picture! Thanks for posting that.
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tubbs831
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PostPosted: Sat Dec 08, 2012 10:32 am    Post subject: Boston Pops Principal trumpets Reply with quote

In the chart above it lists Andre Come as playing associate principal trumpet from 1981-1983. I'm curious if this means he was playing principal in the Boston Pops for the first few years of John Williams tenure? Or was Tim Morrison? They released a handful of recordings before Charles Daval took over, and I know Tim was playing after he came back (1988). Does anyone know who played principal on these early 80s recordings?

Thank you!
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Derek Reaban
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PostPosted: Thu Jan 08, 2015 9:26 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I received a message yesterday from Adam Gallant (a TH member) with questions about some of the pictures that I have collected of Principal Trumpet players with different orchestras, and he provided this excellent link to the Boston Symphony Orchestra Archives. Lot's of great historical pictures of many players. It definitely needs to be linked to this post.

Enjoy!
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oxleyk
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PostPosted: Thu Jan 08, 2015 9:30 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Derek Reaban wrote:
I received a message yesterday from Adam Gallant (a TH member) with questions about some of the pictures that I have collected of Principal Trumpet players with different orchestras, and he provided this excellent link to the Boston Symphony Orchestra Archives. Lot's of great historical pictures of many players. It definitely needs to be linked to this post.

Enjoy!


Anyone know the story on the teeny weeny trumpet, possibly cornet, that Voisin is shown with?

Kent
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Andy Del
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PostPosted: Thu Jan 08, 2015 10:13 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The size of the bell and length of the first valve slide suggest it is a piccolo instrument... but, that's just a guess.
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poochie
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PostPosted: Thu Jan 08, 2015 11:00 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Mahillon piccolo trumpet in Bb.
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