Why did you “come back”?

Mark Leccese · Posted: Fri Dec 20, 2024 11:39 am Post subject:

Like many folks here I played in high school and college and then went work and had no time to practice or play. By my mid-30s I realized that I missed playing the trumpet. A friend gave me a trumpet he had in his attic and I found a place in Boston that gave lessons to adult beginners and I was off and ... not running, that's for sure, but limping. The place where I took lessons had an adult student jazz combo, and they invited me to join.

I was a daily newspaper reporter covering politics and my whole waking life was reading, interviewing people. and writing and writing and writing some more. Music was none of those things. It was such a welcome change. It was so engaging.

I changed careers at 50 and became a journalism professor. I got more serious about the horn, found a teacher from Berklee, kept playing in amateur jazz combos.

And I learned to play the electric bass. I have a very good teacher.

A year and a half ago I retired and enrolled as an adult education student at the New England Conservatory (excellent program). I study trumpet with a teacher at NEC, play trumpet in a jazz quarter, play bass in another jazz quartet, and take courses in classical and jazz theory. I am as happy as a clam at high tide, as we say in New England.
_________________
-- Mark L. from Boston
Schilke B1
Manchester Brass Custom RL-GB
Yamaha YFH-8310Z Flugelhorn

rwalkerph1 · Posted: Fri Jan 10, 2025 1:21 pm Post subject:

Bb Brass · Veteran Member Joined: 28 Jul 2024 Posts: 492

Retirement hobby.

Play an instrument.

NoodlinAroundIndy · Posted: Tue Feb 04, 2025 11:46 am Post subject:

Gave my nephew my old Mercedes II. Then it hit me that I wanted to play after 30 years. Now I have a growing collection.
_________________
Michelle Rakers' worst student. It's a short story.
49 Conn New York Symphony, 50 Olds Ambassador cornet, post-war Gebr. Alexander Bb rotary, early Kanstul F. Besson Intl, Besson USA 609 (Kanstul), 63 Olds Special w/Ambassador bell

deleted_user_de7e32f · New Member Joined: 03 Apr 1996 Posts: 0

I guess because playing greatly reduces your chances of dementia

spitvalve · Posted: Wed Feb 05, 2025 1:43 pm Post subject:

NoodlinAroundIndy · Posted: Wed Feb 05, 2025 2:43 pm Post subject:

Toot-A-Loo · Posted: Sat Mar 01, 2025 2:40 pm Post subject:

I keep an eye out for used instruments, and I saw a trumpet in a pawn shop on my 40th birthday and it just hit the nostalgia button. It's a Bach tr300, little bit of rot going on the main tuning slide and a few dings and a couple of dents. My wife had asked about sales so I got it for 80 dollars.
I haven't played anything brass in 22 years, but it all came flooding back like it was yesterday. It's been a month and I'm back above the staff but I really need a 5c or 3c mouthpiece, I think.
I have really nice thousand-dollar guitars and I can't stop playing the pawn shop trumpet, lol.
I like getting little tunes figured out on the piano and transposing to b flat. I missed it and I'm happy with what I'm doing. I have a nephew in beginning band that is using a school horn and will probably end up with this one if it's any better than what he's currently playing. Can't wait to show him a few things I've remembered.

Marcus Millfield · Regular Member Joined: 15 Feb 2024 Posts: 36

I stopped playing in 2016 after I noticed the pressure I put myself under trying to stay on top of my game playing in 2 big bands. It was just too much and I just didn’t enjoy playing anymore. Never thought I would ever stop but did after 28 years.

Then in 2022 I got bit by the bug again after hearing a local band play. I slowly started playing again and had a lot of fun. Now I have 12 gigs with 5 bands planned the next 2 months 👍🏻
_________________
2022 Bach 19043B
1996 King Silver Flair 2055T
1997 King Legend 2020 flugelhorn
Stork 7D/XS10/7FL