The Church Ministry Trumpet Player

[santiagomusic]

I thought I would start a thread on trumpet players that dedicate most of there playing to the Church Music ministries. You don't have to be exclusively a church music ministry trumpet player . Having played professionally for 45 years now, mostly lead playing, I've been involved in my church's music ministry for 25 years now. Its one of the most satisfying playing experiences in my life. I also continue to perform and play with National acts and many corporate and private events including national touring shows as well as community theatre. Please chime in with your thoughts and experiences. MIKE

[INTJ]

I WISH I was able to devote most of my trumpet playing to a church music ministry. I might even give up my lead position in my community jazz band to do so. But the current fad in Evangelical Churches doesn't allow for a robust music ministry.

When I came back to trumpet 17 years ago after a 20+ year layoff, I was pretty bad. I didn't play well in tune, had mediocre range, poor endurance, mediocre tone, and didn't even know my style was bad. However, I was able to play in a church praise band as well as play for Christmas and Easter Concerts. I learned then that Contemporary Christian trumpet parts could be very challenging. They were way above my head.

A few years ago I solved all of those issues. While I still have a ways to go to sort out lead style for bebop and up tempo jazz, I have solid range to A above High C, I play in tune, have decent endurance, and a good sound. Contemporary Christian is mostly a pop style which is easy to play. However, I haven't been able to be part of a church praise band or play in Christmas or Easter concerts for several years now.

What happened was as my skills improved, Evangelical Churches decided to throw wind musicians under the bus. Realize I have been an Evangelical Christian for over 50 years. It used to be standard fare for a church to have a Christmas Concert and an Easter Concert where 100-200 people would be involved. Some of these productions became quite good. They were well attended and well received.

Larger churches would have several instrumentalists for their Sunday morning praise bands and they started to sound good as well.

Well, someone somewhere in Evangelical circles decided that having these large productions where where 100-200 people would have a chance to participate in ministry was bad. They also decided that a nice sounding praise band was bad, because church wasn't supposed to focus on such thing as doing your best and achieving excellence. (That is in essence what one music minister told me was well as several elders of another church). That fad spread throughout Evangelical Churches and music ministries were dramatically cut back.

The last church I attended was a large contemporary church in a small town. The praise team was bad. So bad that it distracted from the worship experience. The church continually asked for people to "help out in ministry". I am very able to teach in depth Sunday School classes, lead small groups, organize major events, etc. However, when I realized that they were never going to make any effort to have a Christmas/Easter concert, I quit going. I searched to find a place where I could use the gift God was developing in me, but most Evangelical churches it seemed had fallen in with this anti-good music fad.

I now live 70 miles up the freeway in a much larger area population wise. I have stayed in the small town community jazz band because there is no way I'll ever be able to play lead in any group around here. I haven't even looked for a church.

When I came back to trumpet 18 years ago, I never thought my playing would exclude whatever Evangelical Church I was part of...................
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[oxleyk]

[Comeback]

Our church has a robust music ministry with a 20-30 person orchestra, which includes 3-4 trumpets. The trumpets normally stand in the rear center of the orchestra; a location from which they seem to project appropriately.

I just recently began participating in a regional community band. My first concert in 45+ years is tomorrow night. I am buried intentionally and appropriately among the 3rd trumpets. I will have to acquire confidence and boldness before expressing interest in playing at church.

Becoming mainly dedicated to church playing is an attractive notion, but serious commitment will be required. Our church has three (and sometimes four) services each weekend...

Jim

[falado]

Hi, some years ago I got involved with church orchestra. We did a lot of contemporary stuff that had some good horn section parts. While at this church I attended a weekend long church musician clinic that included new music of David Clydesdale reading session with Mr. Clydesdale conducting. To top it off the featured band for the weekend was Denver and the Mile High Orchestra. Wow, what a great group, swing Christian music, and what a great weekend. Got to go to clinics given by different players of the group. Their lead player was great. In fact he used to contribute to TH on occasion.

I moved and joined a very large church where again I was part of an orchestra with a horn section. Got to play some challenging stuff and had fun. Then the pastor got the idea, in order to attract a younger crowd, to change the music to complete more contemporary rock oriented praise music, not horns. I haven't played in church except for special events since. It's loud. little to no dynamics and I moved to another church.

Here's Denver, enjoy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWNjIxtLj9E
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[cbtj51]

Great thread!!!

Tired of the politics of playing in a working Classic Rock Band and really just tired of the nonsense, I made a decision to pack it in while I was getting off of a Millennium Cruise Ship gig in the wee hours of January 1, 2000. Within 6 months my horns were packed away for good with no looking back. I concentrated on getting a retirement fund built instead, stepping back into retail management and lots of hours of leadership direction. A wonderful Sales Manager gig in an Auto Dealership got me to retirement status in a really fast 14 years.

I got a call from a new Music Intern at my Church just 2 weeks into retirement from my retail gig in early 2014 that changed my plans completely! Never having played in a traditional Brass Ensemble, much less a traditional Worship Brass Ensemble, this was a completely new direction for me. This being a volunteer group, the instrumentation changed regularly involving local Symphony Musicians from time to time, but the Music Intern that organized the group also had serious arranging skills and played Trumpet, French Horn, Euphonium and Tuba at various points of the journey. We performed during the Evening Services exclusively about every other Sunday for several years with an occasional 2 Morning Service performance in the mix. His leadership took us through many challenges as a group, and for me personally, a rediscovery of the thrill of playing trumpet again. 3 years into our growth as an Ensemble, he took a Ministry Leadership position in a state all the way across the country. We were all concerned that our call was coming to an end, but the Music Minister at our Church had a different plan for us. With a core group of 5 musicians, we have become a very mature Quintet, sometimes Septet performing during the Morning Services at our Church several very rewarding times per month.

I now play regularly in a statewide Worship oriented Symphony Orchestra performing 5 times per year across the state at various Churches. I volunteer every semester at a local college to play in their Symphony Orchestra and have become a regular member of the local Chamber Orchestra, performing a half dozen times a year. I have been called to play in several other Churches from various denominations for special occasion performances as well.

With Doxology as the focus of my playing, I am enjoying practicing, playing and performing at a level completely foreign to my previous experience. I hope to continue playing as long as I am able.

Mike
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[OldKing]

Some great experiences listed above and y'all have inspired me to keep my eye out for some. I'm just an amateur/comeback player that occasionally plays an offertory solo and the usual brass section playing at Christmas and Easter at our church. I do get very kind compliments and I'm asked when I'm playing again (and no, it's not so they know when to sleep in).
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For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle? - 1 Cor 14:8

[razeontherock]

You guys make me jealous! My experience is exactly like Blaine's / INTJ. Churches gave up on music.

I'd love to find something that has an organized orchestra with sheet music and everything. I always played by ear, coming off of 15 years of almost never playing walking right into nailing high F's and G's, two services every Sunday. That was 20 years ago already ...

[1957Tim]

Interesting thread Mike! I was just a small 5-year old boy (1962) sitting on the front row of our church with my two older brothers when I became inspired to play the trumpet. The church musicians sat in an open area at the front of the sanctuary, so we had excellent seats for watching them. They had a trumpet, trombone, and baritone player, an upright bass, drums, banjo, steel guitar, and an assortment of accordion players. I could often feel the presence of the Lord in the sound of the trumpet, so a desire began forming in my heart to worship the Lord with the sound of the trumpet.

I told my father that I wanted to play the trumpet like Brother Norman, so when I was 10 years old he purchased a nice used Olds Ambassador Cornet (I still have it) for me to start band with. By the time I was 12 years old I had figured out how to play by ear and had began sitting in with the other church musicians. I have played cornet or trumpet in church from that time until now. It is my voice for praising God; I have never done anything more satisfying. I currently play cornet in a Salvation Army Brass Band each Sunday plus on a variety of other occasions.

I must add that my two brothers also learned to play instruments. One played guitar and the other played piano and saxophone. My younger sister took piano lessons for a time and played the accordion at church, so music was a big part of our lives growing up.

My children grew up the same way. All three learned how to praise the Lord with the sound of an instrument. One of my sons, a music major in college worked for 10 years as a full time music minister. He then went to seminary and is now serving a congregation as a senior pastor.

Music is a powerful medium for praising the Lord, so what better way to use it than to bring glory and honor to the one who gave us the ability?

I have never lived in an urban area, so maybe that is why my church music experience has never gone south. Anyway, thanks for posting guys, I’ve enjoyed reading your experiences.

-1957Tim

[HaveTrumpetWillTravel]

I'm a come back player of about five months and played twice in church this spring (before Easter and Easter). I am enjoying it. I'm hoping eventually I'll find other music.

I'm in the mainline tradition, so we still have organs, handbells and the like. Living abroad I'm in an area with less brass, so I think I'll have opportunities.

This group was really helpful as I was getting started in getting down basic skills: transpositions, playing descants in hymns, etc.

Questions I'd have for the group:
-Easy church solos (either classical or contemporary)
-Must have resources
-Tips on writing descants, etc.
-Organizations or groups that do church music
-Creative opportunities for playing (fundraisers? play along with Christmas carols?)

[cbtj51]

[1957Tim]

HaveTrumpetWillTravel,

A great organization that I would recommend is The Salvation Army. They have Corps all over the world, so check to see if there is one in your area. Brass Bands have been an Army tradition almost as long as there has been an Army. They also publish more written music each year than any other religious organization.

The Corp I attend has a small (10-12 piece) brass band that offers some great playing opportunities. We play traditional hymns, some contemporary, and from Thanksgiving until Christmas Eve we play Christmas music to help with fundraising. Their Christmas book has over 100 songs in it, and they are great sounding arrangements. Here in the mid-west where I live it can get pretty cold playing outside that time of year, but that’s part of the Christmas season here.

I wish you well, my friend, and don’t give up searching until you find some playing opportunities, for as the old adage goes, where there’s a will, there’s a way.

-1957Tim

[RussellDDixon]

My experience has been that brass is no longer included in Contemporary Christian Music. My churches Praise & Worship Team is very talented but show no interest in using horns. All guitars, keyboards and drums. I miss Hosanna Integrity Music. For a great horn heavy Christian album check out “Salvador” by Salvador ... their first album featuring Nashville Studio Musicians. Great album.
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[Dale Proctor]

I play in a large church orchestra (50+ piece). Usually, the trumpet section has around 8 members. Our church has two services on Sunday morning - an 8:15 contemporary service and a 10:30 traditional service. The orchestra plays in the 10:30 service, mostly music with a classical/wind band bent as well as accompanying the choir and congregational singing. The sanctuary also has a massive pipe organ and handbell choir, so some of the music we play can be quite satisfying to play and to listen to. We also have smaller groups drawn from the orchestra, such as a brass quintet, a brass choir, a woodwind choir, saxophone choir, and a big band.

I've also played some with the local Salvation Army brass band and played in small groups for the Christmas kettles, which is a rewarding thing to do.
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[tptptp]

[Bstradivarius]

I have several churches I could play at whenever I want to. Both are trumpet solo opportunities. It's basically tell you what to play and you sort of improvise with the cords. It's kind of cool! That being said, two services and a dress rehearsal in the morning is a lot! I have been very remiss. My motivation has fizzled.
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Principal trumpet - Symphony Orchestra
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[deleted_user_680e93b]

[kehaulani]

INTJ, is there really a "they", where these decisions are made, or is it an accumulation of local decisions and tastes? Does your denomination have a central decision-making directorate or does this just reflect popular "taste"?
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[INTJ]

[deleted_user_02066fd]

My church has had a lot of financial issues and as a result we have no fulltime paid organist/music director.
We now have a nice, versatile mix of people who volunteer on a rotating basis. I don't play too much trumpet these days. We have a young man who plays once a month and he's an excellent trumpeter.
I am a fairly good djembefola and also play decent finger style ukulele. I've used both these talents in church with a nice variety of professional and amateur musicians. We do a choir once a month as well. It's been fun and interesting. None of this would have happened if we had not run out of $$$$$. The Lord works in mysterious ways!!