Trumpet Schools in the Southeast

OtherJMitch · Posted: Mon May 01, 2023 4:03 pm Post subject: Trumpet Schools in the Southeast

Hey y’all. I’m a rising junior, and it’s getting time to start looking at colleges… I want to major in music performance, mostly leaning on the classical side. I’ve been trying hard to find colleges in the southeast, really in and around Georgia. Any advice on what schools are currently great for trumpet players?
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ProAm · Heavyweight Member Joined: 05 Feb 2008 Posts: 949

Isn’t Phil Smith still at UGA?? If you have the talent, he sure has the experience to impart.

BudBix · Posted: Mon May 01, 2023 4:50 pm Post subject:

nltrumpet · Posted: Mon May 01, 2023 7:33 pm Post subject:

Aaron Jensen just accepted a position at Columbus State University for next year. Fantastic player, trumpet teacher, and person. Get a lesson with him once he gets settled over there!

mafields627 · Posted: Tue May 02, 2023 6:40 am Post subject:

Jon Kaplan · Posted: Tue May 02, 2023 7:27 am Post subject:

spitvalve · Posted: Tue May 02, 2023 7:31 am Post subject:

University of Southern Mississippi.
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Bryan Fields
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1991 Bach LR180 ML 37S
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1977 Getzen Eterna 895S Flugelhorn
1969 Getzen Capri cornet
1995 UMI Benge 4PSP piccolo trumpet
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Billy B

Michael Arndt · Posted: Wed May 03, 2023 8:19 am Post subject:

We would be happy to talk to you at Middle Tennessee. It might not be the first place people think of, but we have a killer program and graduates doing big things. Our location next to Nashville makes for a lot of opportunities to listen and play. We have some very unique opportunities for undergrads. We also have a trumpet player as the director of Jazz Studies, Jamey Simmons. And I do my best not to screw anyone up too much. Best wishes in your search for the right fit.
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Michael Arndt
Middle Tennessee State University
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kehaulani · Posted: Wed May 03, 2023 9:04 am Post subject:

A word about Nashville. It calls up images of The Grand Ole Opry and Country music in general. Don't be deceived.

I was on Nashville Now and listened to other groups which, while in C&W, played very well. But here's the thing. During a break in the show, some of the musicians were jamming and it was Jazz. And they smoked. I later met other Nashville musicians who played in the Country scene but who were very good Jazz players.

This doesn't address the legit scene but for those considering Jazz and Commercial music, Nashville should definitely not be ignored.

An aside, unless you're independently wealthy, consider the opportunities for scholarships and other sources financial assistance and that some schools are not as expensive to begin with. When I attended UNT, out-of-state tuition was the same as in-state tuition at the Univ. of Hawai`i (where I transferred from).
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Trptbenge · Posted: Wed May 03, 2023 11:46 am Post subject:

There are a lot of fine schools. All that have been mentioned are really good.
I attended a clinic done by Doug Lindsey at Kenesaw State and he is excellent.
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BudBix · Posted: Thu May 04, 2023 3:26 am Post subject:

I just heard Doug Linsey is moving to University of Oklahoma and Mike Tisicione bio on ASO's site says he is an adjunct at Kennesaw.

Richard III

HD8353 · New Member Joined: 02 May 2023 Posts: 4

I just finished that whole process you're just now starting on, and decided on going to East Carolina University starting this fall. The trumpet professor is Gabriel DiMartino and he's an amazing classical player and teacher. I highly recommend looking him up or emailing him if you're interested. It might be a little too far, but it's worth reaching out.

Forte

kehaulani · Posted: Thu May 04, 2023 11:41 am Post subject:

I'm not quite sure I understand the purpose of that post but, generally, financing an education these days has a myriad of options and such advice may be helpful for a prospective student.

Sometime when we're young and inexperienced, there may be factors we are not aware of and it can be helpful for those "who have gone before" to share their experience.

If the OP doesn't need any help or advice along those lines, no harm done.
_________________
"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

Steve A · Posted: Thu May 04, 2023 2:30 pm Post subject:

I think that ambitious high schoolers too often prioritize getting into the "best" (as in, most highly regarded) school above all else, which can often be a recipe for heartache when all is said and done. A couple of considerations - many schools with big name teachers don't actually give those studio spots to undergrads, in which case the value of the big name teacher to any given undergrad may be meaningfully reduced.

Also, the best choice of school really depends on what the student needs to reach their potential. In my experience, many star players that everyone knows and want to emulate were already basically stars when they reached college, and are best at teaching other people who already have things figured out to an uncommonly high degree, but aren't necessarily as adept at helping people who need help figuring some aspects of their playing out. Similarly, there are a meaningful number of teachers who aren't necessarily household names, but have real skill at making sure all their students leave their degrees with rock solid fundamentals. Honestly, I think most people would be much better served by finding one of the second category of teachers, rather than the first, but unfortunately, this is the kind of lesson people tend to learn the hard way.

Finally, 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. Taking on significant debt to fund a music degree is a very high risk proposition. The best school might be the one that offers you a big enough scholarship that you're not drowning in debt at the end.

Bottom line - some serious soul searching about what you really need, what you've got going for you, and what you want to get out of school are all critically important to coming out of this experience happy with your choices.

kehaulani · Posted: Thu May 04, 2023 3:50 pm Post subject:

That's true to an extent but I don't think it should be a distraction or exaggerated. I've always followed the adage, "Do what you love and the money will follow". I've changed musical directions like a chameleon but I've kept it all within the music profession, full time for a lifetime. Go for it,
_________________
"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

Richard III

Richard III · Posted: Fri May 05, 2023 7:02 am Post subject:

I should add that when I was in high school, I envisioned a romantic life playing jazz in smokey little clubs all my life. Well, reality hit me in college when I realized that was a lousy way to make a living. Then I thought maybe I should be teaching. Well, those jobs were going away. So also a bad choice. 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.
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Richard

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