Question about ITG membership

[stuartissimo]

Maybe this is the wrong place to ask, so feel free to move the thread if so.

Would ITG membership be beneficial for a non-US amateur player like myself? The conferences sound like a blast, but they’re generally in the USA. Does the ITG have any events in Europe? And what other benefits are there to becoming a member?

[zaferis]

This best might be addressed with the ITG, a member of the board.. check out the web site, for thoughts about the future. https://www.trumpetguild.org

Being a long-time member, I know that there were a couple that were held outside of the U.S. but the ITG found conferences were expensive and challenging to set up in new locations - a move was made to rotate through known sites around the country, i.e. ||: Columbus, San Antonio, LA :||
_________________
Freelance Performer/Educator
Adjunct Professor
Bach Trumpet Endorsing Artist
Retired Air Force Bandsman

[kehaulani]

Former member. Doesn't ITG provide a Journal with membership? And, with that eligibility, comes the possibility to research past Journals. Depending on how much researching you want to so, this could be a very valuable asset.

If you're not inclined to use it, then just the most current issues may or may not be a good cost-offset.

Having lived in Germany for a couple of decades, I found more local workshops, etc., more convenient and valuable.
_________________
"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

[trpthrld]

As a former manufacturers representative (Kanstul) at many ITGs, IAJEs, and other assorted educational / industry conventions, the cost to a manufacturer to send one or two representatives plus a good variety of product for attendees to try, is exceptionally high.

Travel cost (airfare & car rental). Shipping costs for display products. Hotel. Food. Compensation pay for those reps. It adds up quickly.

And then there's the display fee charged by organizations like the ITG. Talk about outrageously high! The fees they charge are almost like they think displaying manufacturers sell out and go home with pockets bulging from sales receipts. In reality - it is anything but.

We (Kanstul) might sell 2 or 3 horns directly from the display. And we would often get a few "after the show" sales, following people returning to their homes. But all of those sales combined would usually only let us come close to breaking even for what it cost to display at a show.

ITG etc., IMO, really need to rethink exactly why people attend their conferences. Yes, the concerts, competitions, lectures are all terrific. Plus getting to meet and maybe spend a few minutes face-to-face with our trumpet heroes. But I'm fairly sure the prime reason many people attend is because of the amount of different trumpet products they will be able to try in one single location.

Our display table was always busy from the moment the room opened until it closed. There were times when conference security had to turn the lights out in the display rooms to get people to leave after it closed.

So if it weren't for manufacturer displays, I don't think near as many people would attend.

Yes, there's the cost of doing business. And the cost of advertising. And that maybe a few months down the line someone would buy a horn model they had tried at ITG.

Sometime in the last 15 years or so, ITG had their conference in Thailand. And I think there have been one or two others that were outside of the USA. Kanstul did not go to any of those simply because the cost of shipping our products would never have been recouped in sales.

As international as ITG would like to think they are, IMO the best conferences will happen within the USA. Following that, Europe. That's from both a player and a manufacturer standpoint.
_________________
Tim Wendt

www.trumpetherald.com/marketplace.php?task=detail&id=146827&s=The-Best-Trumpet-Lead-Pipe-Swab-EVER--

www.youtube.com/watch?v=zPWAJqghk24&feature=youtu.be

[Dayton]

[JayKosta]

I'm a long time member of the International Horn Society (French Horn) which is similar to ITG (I've never been member of ITG, but have read some of their journals in a college library years ago).

I remain a member of IHS basically to support the organization and enjoy looking through the 3-per-year magazine. Sometimes there is interesting info in the magazine, and it's nice to just sit in a chair and browse through it. Another player in my community band enjoys getting them from me.

For me it's more of a matter of being a way to somewhat keep in contact with what is going on in that 'social / mfg group'.

The quality of the articles and info is typically quite good, but I think the ability for in depth discussion about technical issues makes active online sites more useful. In many articles, much of the pedagogy and 'how to do it' info is not anything new, just the same basic 'good guidance' that has been around for years, but written about by someone who has just learned about it and is describing it in their own way.
_________________
Most Important Note ? - the next one !
KNOW (see) what the next note is BEFORE you have to play it.
PLAY the next note 'on time' and 'in rhythm'.
Oh ya, watch the conductor - they set what is 'on time'.

[stuartissimo]

Thanks all, that's helpful info.