Acknowledgments

It has been my good fortune to work for many years in both New York City and Washington D.C., with
some inspiring trumpeters as both colleagues and friends. I am grateful to the following artists who have
read this text and offered their wise advice: from New York, Ray Mase, Mark Gould, and Carl Albach; and
from Washington, Steve Hendrickson, Fred Irby, Jolm Abbracciamento, Bob Birch, and Phil Snedecor.

I benefited very much from insights and suggestions given by Bob Hazen, an elegant baroque soloist
and valued orchestral colleague who is also a world renowned research scientist and author. He generously
offered to contribute a foreword, relating an experience that every trumpeter will find interesting.

Paul Deafenbaugh skillfully printed the music for this book, and also proofread the text, contributing
his intelligent and constructive advice.

As has been the case so often in the past, I am the lucky recipient of Liz and Allan Colin's support and
friendship.

And finally, special thanks to Vince DiMartino, who as my "older brother" at the Eastman School of
Music so many years ago started me on the piccolo trumpet, and who I have always thought of as one of
my teachers.

Chris Gekker

1
 Foreword

Bosto� 1968- a col'-L wet spring afternoon. A little-known French trumpet player is making a multi­
city demo tour to promote a new line of Selmer instruments. About a hundred local trumpeters,
professionals and students alike, pack the small auditorium near the New England Conservatory, for word
has spread that something special is going to happen. All the big names are there: Annando Ghitalla, Andre
Come, Natallo Paello, and of course Roger Vois� who serves as interpreter.

Without ceremony, a stocky young man with wavy dark hair and an engaging smile picks up a strange­
looking, diminutive 4-valve trumpet and begins to play. Our collective jaws drop as Maurice Andre soars
through the stirring final phrases of the Christmas Oratorio. We marvel at the precision of the tricky
intervals, we are seduced by the richness of his sound throughout the 2-octave range, and we gasp at the
brilliance of his ringing, effortless concluding high D. W e rise in unison to applause and cheer the soon-to­
be superstar.

"Tres facile!" he says with a shrug. Very easy.

On that day we all knew that we had witnessed history. The modem era of the piccolo trumpet had
begun.
For me, the 4-valve Selmer piccolo trumpet was a godsend. As a college sophomore, I'd been asked to
perform the Brandenburg the following fall and didn,t have a clue what trumpet to use. I rushed over to
Rayburn's and bought one of the two instruments that Andre had personally tested and delivered (Ghitalla
got the other one). What a great ho� serial #45386! It lacks a few of the refinements that Selmer soon
introduced - notably a spit valve, and separate Bb and A shanks - and all the lacquer just fell off the hom
the first time I gave it a bath. But it is such a sweet hom!

But how I wish I had had this volume of advice and exercises by Chris Gekker back then! I rushed into
piccolo playing,· performing more than a dozen Brandenburgs over the next two years. But I wasn't really
ready. Now young players can benefit from the immense experience and thoughtful pedagogy of one of the
greatest piccolo trumpet players of our time. Thanks to Chris, a new generation of trumpeters will be able
to approach the art and craft of pla}'ing piccolo - to ascend the most glorious heights of the trumpet ·

repertoire.

Robert M. Hazen
Glen Echo, Maryland
December 2005

member, National Philharmonic,

National Gallery Orchestra,
Smithsonian Chamber Orchestra
(Mr. Hazen is a scientist at the Carnegie
Institute of Washington, where he conducts
astrobiological research at the Geophysical
Laboratory. He is the author of more than
240 articles and 16 books, including The
BreakthrougiL Why Aren't Black Holes
Black?, and Genesis. TScientific Ouest
For Life's Origin.)

2
 Piccolo trumpet means "small trumpet." High-pitched valved trumpets began to appear in the late
1800's, with the reawakening of interest in baroque music in Europe and America. More than one hundred
years earlier, baroque composers wrote for natural trutnpets that had become obsolete, and trumpeters, out
of necessity, began making instruments that made the demanding high register parts more accessible. In the
early years of the 20th century, composers such as Igor Stravinsky began asking for "petite" trumpets,
usually pitched in high D. Starting in the 1960's the popularity of solo recordings by Maurice Andre and
others raised awareness of the piccolo trumpet pitched in high Bb and A, and to this day this is the
instrument most commonly referred to as the "piccolo trumpet" High trumpets pitched in G and C have
also been developed.
The ''petite" trumpet in D that Stravinsky, Varese, and others requested was smaller in bore size than
the D/Eb that modem orchestral trumpeters sometimes use. William Vacchiano, the long-time principal of
the New York Philharmonic, was very influential in transforming D and Eb trumpets into more largely
designed orchestral instruments. He experimented with cutting down Bb/C's into D/Eb's, keeping the larger
bores and bells, maintaining the broad and noble sonorities of the bigger trumpets. This basic design can be
still seen in the long bell D/Eb that the Bach company makes. The popular ShilkeNamaha tunable bell
model is really more of a saxhorn/comet desi� with its short leadpipe, long bell, and more conical bore
taper.

Getting Started

When should a trumpeter begin studying the piccolo trumpet? My recommendation is to wait until a
trumpeter is physically mature (old enough to be in college) and comfortable playing up to hi gh concert C
on the regular Bb and C instruments. Starting earlier might be tempting: talented young players can be
drawn to the attention that the piccolo trumpet attracts, and to the repertoire that it makes accessible. In
some cases this may be all right, but in my experience this situation is usually a kind of "fool's gold" -
possibly exciting in the short � but ultimately harmful to a young trumpeter's future development.
Compared with our regular trumpets, the piccolo requires both a higher degree of muscular tension in our
embouchure and a smaller amount of air to produce sound - not a beneficial combination for a still­
developing trumpeter, who should be learning to breathe deeply for basic support and whose stabilizing
muscles are simply not ready yet for those demands. I have heard talented young players sound impressive,
but in every case unfortunate consequences eventually appeared, specifically overly tight embouchures and
underdeveloped, shallow air support.

When ready, why should a trumpeter study the piccolo trumpet? First, the repertoire - some of the most
glorious music ever written for the trumpet, such as the great oratorios by Bach and Handel, has come to
be associated with the piccolo. A rich solo literature becomes accessible. Employment opportunities for
wedding ceremonies and other formal occasions can be accepted with more confidence. The piccolo is often
required in commercial settings such as Broadway musicals and in pop music, starting back in the 1960's
with the solo in the Beatles' "Penny Lane." For a trumpeter walking into any sort of unpredictable situation
where sight reading is expect� having a piccolo on hand can be a lifesaver. Lastly, intelligent practice on
the piccolo can benefit all areas of trumpeting. Demands on the structure and stabilizing muscles of the
embouchure are intense and exacting: a judicious approach can potentially enhance our conditioning and
response on our regular instruments. Abusive practice, however, can harm us, and it is my hope that some
ideas presented here may be constructive and useful.

3
 The following exercises are intended to be practiced on the piccolo trumpet pitched in A and Bb. They
cover a range from the written low E below the treble staff to the G above the staff. At first, I recommend
concentrating on the first two studies until they can be played consistently - do not strain to play higher
than what is reasonable at any time. Do not try to play too ''big"- keep everything compact and efficient.
Rest between each exercise, at least as long as you play, staying as fresh as possible throughout. Use a very
smooth legato tongue, striving for a colorful and vocal tone quality. As you progress, mix in some crisper
articulation and some combinations of slurring and tonguing, expanding your dynamics gradually, both
softer and louder. Secure, stable air support is needed, of course, but most trumpeters find that the piccolo
requires less air than our regular Bb and C trumpets, that the small hom will quickly back up if we use too
much. "Stacking air'' is one way to describe taking in more than is used, when we need to immediately
exhale after playing something. It's impossible to avoid excess tension when this occurs- one of the biggest
challenges in our piccolo practice is learning to make this adjustment in our breathing.
These drills are to be read "as is" but in real life very little music is notated specifically for the piccolo.
If your instrument has a fourth valve, you will need to use it for low E and F, adjusting the tuning slide
correctly. -I also use it for low C#-Db, using a 2-4 fingering, and alone for the D below the staff. Most
trumpeters use their left hand index finger for the fourth valve, while some use the little finger of·the right
hand. The fourth valve can be utilized for certain trills, and even to produce a free blowing high F, but each
player will need to do their own experimenting, as its tuning slide will likely need different adjustments.
These drills challenge us to play in tune in all keys, so some experimenting with alternate fingerings may
be necessary. At first, practice with the piccolo pitched in A- when this feels secure up to the high G, move
to the Bb for your practice. I do almost all my practicing on the Bb piccolo: when I switch to the A for
rehearsals and perfonnances everything feels a bit easier.
With proper rest intervals the first two studies take between 5 and 10 minutes to complete. Two or three
times a week is a good basic schedule, preferably when the embouchure is fresh. When I am preparing for a
heavy performance schedule on the piccolo I will begin doing this almost daily. Usually I'll do one or both
of the first two studies, up to three of the others, and sections of the upcoming repertoire. If the music is
new, obviously more time will be needed to learn it. Total time for piccolo practice shouldn't exceed 30
minutes, in my opinion, and this includes the rest intervals. To increase the intensity of the practice
sessions, simply do the exercises and literature with a metronome, 80-86 beats per minute. Almost
everyone rushes slightly when playing piccolo, due to the instrument's inherent strenuousness. The
metronome enforces a strict tempo throughout any drill or piece of music, making most things somewhat
harder, at first. I recommend this only periodically, when feeling fresh and strong. You cannot force the
piccolo - it will "shut down" more quickly than our regular trumpets. Certainly we need to work hard, but
do your best to avoid deep fatigue- the best advice I ever received was "never play your last note." For
most trumpeters, acquiring endurance on the piccolo cannot be rushed, it evolves over a long period of
time, over many weeks, months, and years of consistent practicing that increases in intensity very
gradually. And this gradual increase proceeds in cycles, not in a linear, constant manner, really more of a
long, winding journey of pushing and backing off.
All of these exercises are fairly simple variations of scales and chords. I would encourage anyone trying
them to create their own variations. There is no special formula to these or any other exercises, what makes
practice effective is how we work, not so much what we play. Any drill or etude can either benefit us or
tear us down, depending how we practice. For me, piccolo practice has always been best when I've kept
my drills relatively light, working on scales and chords through all keys, and adding some work on
repertoire when needed. As mentioned above, using the metronome, set to a very moderate tempo, is an
effective way to increase intensity. Over the years I have tried practicing etudes on piccolo, both published
ones and some I've tried to compose. Invariably I get too stiff, so I've come to accept that this doesn't work
for me. I do highly recommend Rob Roy MacGregor's piccolo drills in his Orchestral Literature Studies
vol. 1, 3, and 4, the ones related to Bach's Magnificat, Mass, and Christmas Oratorio. They are

4
challenging but very intelligently planned, structured with rest intervals that make them quite effective.
Now and th� when it feels ok to "hammer" myself a bit, I'll also use Mel Broiles' "Baroque Styles" drills
from his Studies and Duets vol. 3. I'll usually play these inC and D trumpet, lower than the Eb and F
transpositions that he often requests. It is real serious work, and I won't do these if any important
performance is coming up soon.
A word about transposition: you will need to master several in order to work as a professional
trumpeter on the piccolo. There is no "learning curve" in the professional world- we are expected to play
our music correctly right away. The process of studying our repertoire, reading from the actual parts, as

well as the above MacGregor and Broiles exercises, will develop our transposing fluency. The most
common transposition is for the A piccolo to play music for D trumpet, where we read down a � as we
do with a Bb piccolo playing high Eb trumpet parts. The A piccolo playing music notated for C trumpet
can think in bass clef, adding three flats, placing the notes in the correct octave. Bb piccolo simply
transposes to C or D trumpet, then down an octave. Some contemporary and pop music will be written with
the piccolo notes high up where they sound, either in concert pitch or in Bb trumpet, and will need to be
transposed down an octave. Some trumpeters will choose to play these parts on the A, G, or C piccolo,
transposing appropriately.

When the general skill of transposition is well learned, it becomes an almost reflexive ability. What
begins as a frustrating burden on our practicing becomes, over time, a liberating experience that gives us
the calm confidence that comes with hard-won freedom. We begin to see it as a means of expression and a
tool to help make our jobs easier. All of these transpositions need to be drilled until they become as

automatic as possible. One final tip: if you are walking into an unpredictable situation, it can sometimes
help to write out a more usable part for yourself. Bring some blank music paper, and show up early!

5
 In General ...

The qualities that define good trwnpet playing are the same when a player picks up the piccolo trumpet:
a wann, colorful tone quality, expressive musicianship, mastery of a wide variety of articulations , and
general ease of execution.
The reason to play a piece on piccolo is to be able to perform more easily in the high register with
clarity and nuance. The piccolo trumpet does not guarantee great high notes: no trumpeter has ever played
higher on piccolo than players like Cat Anderson and Maynard Ferguson on the regular Bb. Producing the
extreme altissimo register on the Bb involves using a very f� forceful airstream, in a sense
'4overblov.ing" the instrument into that high register where the partials are so close that many notes can be
played �ith the same fingering. The critical point of compression in doing this exists right at the entrance of
the airstream into the insttument, where the aperture and mouthpiece are closest. This high level of
compression needs to be supported by a structure of strength and stability, the core muscles of the
abdominal region and the muscles of the embouchure Which frame the aperture. Following this critical
point a certain amount of looseness is required, which is why high note trumpeters use the Bb, not the C, D,
or Eb instruments, and in fact sometimes choose larger Bb' s than their orchestral colleagues. Done well,
this is truly a rare skill, and the visceral thrill experienced by an audience hearing this high-note trumpeting
comes from their subconscious recognition of the player's skill and daring (yes, there are risks when
playing in this register that do not exist with other instruments, not just disruptive "clams" but actual
physical injury).
On the piccolo, this compression stays more compact throughout the whole process of tone production,
using a smaller amount of air through the smaller, more resistant instrument that must be supported by a
higher degree of muscuJar tension. There is very littJe chance for physically hurting yourself on the piccolo
compared to playing in the extreme high register on the Bb - before potentially ''herniating" yourself: you
will lose consciousness (good news!!). The overtone series that all brass instruments share is transposed.
lower, resulting in firmer "slots" for our higher notes, with a narrower focus but less potential for power. It
does not pennit us to "overbl ow," which is why the piccolo is not used to play lead in big band situations.
There is also less of a "second wind" &ctor when playing piccolo: fatigue sets in 13ster and our high
register will tend to stop functioning with more finality. Developing a sort of"early warning system" is
very important, learning to recognize initial signs of potential fatigue and making changes to avoid this
condition, long before anyone around will notice. The trick, at the same time, is not to lose any intensity of
musical energy - easy to say, hard to do, something that cannot be taught, it must be figured out by each
player when they are under pressure. That is why it is often a good idea that one's first exposure to pieces
like the Bach B Minor Mass and Magnificat be as a section player, not as first trumpet. Anyone who has
played this sort of literature a number of times will agree that it is crucial to be able to play through the
piece in rehearsal in such a way that we arrive at the performance relatively fresh, with plenty of energy. If
a trumpeter can play the part but it requires a near maximum effort, the player is not yet ready. You must
be able to almost "coast" at times even playing this difficult repertoire, to survive the rehearsals, to be able
,

to perform well with energy. To play demanding music well while keeping plenty of energy in reserve
requires that we develop a high degree of endurance and strength. This kind of stamina involves intelligent,
systematic work over a long period of time. It is also necessary to show good judgement under pressure -
only experience can teach us this. As my father would say to me, "don�t ever get into a situation where you
are relying on hope."

25
 The subject of compression can be confusing at times, as trumpeters are often advised to ')ust relax and
blow," or )'ou need to play without using so much pressure." Both statements can be true, in a certain
sense, but can also be misleading. Studying physics teaches us that sound cannot exist without tension
(pressure) and that pitch cannot rise without increasing this tension. Any sounding note is defined by the
tens ion/pressure used, we do· not have the option of playing a certain pitch at a specific dynamic with a
variety of different degrees of pressure. We can, however, train ourselves so that we oerceive less pressure,
which is one of the most important goals of our practicing. When wind accelerates and meets a stationary
object, the resulting friction will make pitch rise, and this process is dramatically enhanced if air is
compressed into any sort of small opening (aperture). This necessary increase in tension must be supported
by a strong, stable structure. For trumpeters, this means the whole body, from feet through embouchure,
extending to the mouthpiece and instrument, which need to be matched and balanced with the amount of
energy expended. When a trumpeter achieves a highly efficient balance, the impression is of very little
effort being expended, which confuses some observers. Actually a tremendous amount of energy is being
used, but since all the systems are working together in hannony, none is being wasted.
Keep in mind that, when we are playing, air inside any brass instrument stays almost stationary, while
sound waves are passing through. Arnold Jacobs would demonstrate this at master classes, using a
cigarette smoking tuba player: playing fortissimo after a full inhalation (f) it would take well over a minute
to see any smoke slowly drift out oftbe tuba's bell. A rock tossed into a pond will cause ripples to spread
out from the splash, but the water is not moving, only conducting the released energy (as small waves)
while remaining stationary. Students are sometimes advised that to ease tension they need to ''blow through
their instrument" this may be a helpful image but it can also be confusing, avoiding the real issues of
-

playing with more efficiency.

Assuming that we don't have embouchure/dental problems which prevent our apertures from vibrating
freely inside the mouthpiece, we are left with the reality that our ability to play in a relaxed fashion is
directly related to how strong we are and how efficiently we express that strength. Skilled trumpeters who
use a very small percentage of their strength reserves will play easily and freely. Players with a weak,
unbalanced embouchure will use a large amount of their strength reserves for tone production and will
sound stiff and strained. (If a highly accomplished trumpeter gets out of shape, he or she will geoerally
sound good for a short time but will quickly deteriorate. It is also possible for an unskilled player to
develop a high level of conditioning through hard practice, but this strength will not be used efficiently,
resulting in an undesirable perfonnance level.)
"Strength" is a tenn that is often as misunderstood as "relaxation." The qualities are related, not just in
trumpet playing but in everyday life. Dynamic, active relaxation does not exist except as an extension of
efficient strength: the stronger and more efficient we are, the more relaxed we can be. We have to literally
earn our ability to relax, through focused bard work, which will create large reserves of strength. When
relatively small percentage of those reserves is being used, we enter a state of meaningful relaxation, the
kind a performer wants. The goal of long term work and practice is to develop large enough reserves so that
the small percentage we need is still considerable. (Strength can be expressed for its own sake, without
focus and purpose, but this strength is of questionable value in any context.)
In music, the very act of an audience enjoying a trumpeter's performance rests on their subconscious
knowledge and trust that the musician has large reserves not being needed in showing their skill and
expressiveness. (Think how rarely any listening trumpeter can relax when a colleague is up on stage
playing the ending chorale of the Hindemith Sonate). In rare cases, there may be an exciting perfonnance
that requires a trumpeter to use all their reserves, but no one could produce this consistently for any
extended period, nor would any audience want to experience this on a reguJar basis.
There is a commonly held misconception that great performers play closer to their peak ability than
others who are not on the same level Actually, on a day-to-day basis, almost everyone perfonns to about
the same percentage of their full ability, and what defines truly exceptional performers is that when they are
at "80%'� they are still very, very good because their "I 00%" is so outstanding. Bottom line: to be

26
successful you must develop the highest level of skill and ability you � and never stop trying to improve.
Everyone should always put forth their very best effort, and "peak perfonnances" will gratefully occur
from time to time, but a musician's career will largely be defined b y how good they are on a day-to--day
basis, how good they are at "80%". And as every working professional knows, learning to get through a
really bad day without being noticed is a crucial skill, only figured out through experience, under pressure.
Related to any discussion of performing is the issue of nervousness under pressure. Having a p roblem
with perfonnance anxiety can prevent anyone from reaching their potential. It's a personal subject that can
be approached in a number of ways. Many perfonners practice a kind of visualization to help themselves,
in effect creating an inner image of success. If this self imaging internalizes and enters our subconscious, a
big difference in confidence is often experienced. It might be useful to know that many famous performers
have had to deal with nerves, some to a very high degree, such as Henryk Szeryng, Leotyne Price and
Vladimir Horowitz. (And in another field of performing, the great Bill Russell of the Boston Celtics) . I try
to remind my students that the first priority U·alwafs to keep improVing. Any perfonner woo achieves a .
high level of skill and ability, who persists in their ambition to keep performing, will eventually succeed,
even if they never stop getting nervous. "Getting real good" solves a lot of problems, and leads to knowing
the difference between "feelingn confident and "being" confident.
The best performers are their own most demanding critics, critical and exacting during private practice,
but they also can relax and enjoy themselves making music. Some find that the harder they work in private,
the easier it is to relax on stage. This balance is necessary for a long, successful career.

Know what you can do, and strive to put yourself in those situations.

Know what you cannot do, and try to avoid those situations.

Know what you would like to be able to do, and work hard to develop those skills_and abilities.

To develop strength on the trumpet, we first need to define it. Strength expressed by lifting a heavy
weight is not bard to describe, whereas on the trumpet it's a bit more difficult to observe. The most
important functions that cornbine to create sound on the trumpet are hidden from view: the action of our
lungs, our tongue level that must channel our air for every change in pitch, our aperture. This is one reason
why, I've heard it said, the state of trumpet pedagogy lags so far behind our string colleagues, who benefit
from the filet that all their performing functions are in plain sight. Basically, playing the trumpet well
consists of our body an d embouchure maintaining a relatively static position, securely supporting the
tension/compression that results in the freel y vibrating production of sound. This static strength in our
bodies and embouchures is not a solid block, but rather a sequence of varying degrees of tens ion : when we
are strong in the right areas (abdominal wall, embouchure) we can be relatively relaxed elsewhere
(shoulders, neck). And when these parts work together to fonn an integrated unit, we arrive at true
·

efficiency.
This "static strength" can be developed in a number of ways, but care should be always taken to ensure
that this strength rests on a basic foundation of responsive tone production that is capable of color and
nuance. If ou r general sense of ease and relaxation is in place, we can build our strength through such time­
tested practice as long tones, lip slurs, challenging etudes, and scales, chords, and vocalise studies done
'\\ith a slow metronome. One prominent approach is the Caruso method, which when done correctly has an
intense, intelligent focu s that bas helped many trumpeters. Following this section, rve included a cou pl e
of summer practice guides, written for the trumpet studio at the University of Maryland. Practicing the
piccolo is not addressed, but some of the ideas might be useful. Without a wen established foundation of
fundamental competence on our regular trumpets, we cannot hope to excel on our smaller instruments.

27
 Learning to practice well, over time, \\'ill reward us with responsive, efficient trumpet playing with
strong reserves of strength. How we practice, what does and what does not work, evolves throughout our
caree rs, and never ends, until we actually stop. Try to learn how different musicians practice, not just

trumpet players. We are all reaching for something that is greater than any one of us as individuals: true
inner musical excellence, which will allow us to express ourselves outwardly. Stay open, responsive, and
absorb what is useful.

Maybe the biggest problem I have with students is their unawareness of what it feels like to play \\'ith a
balanced setup.

Some very good players never really get this.

The tip off is usually the vast difference in sound quality between loud and soft.

The challenge is how to get a player's body to recognize when things are in balance (air speed, embouchure
tension, diaphragm engagement, buoyancy of the sound, relaxation of neck and shoulders, etc.).

Mark Gould

The best strategy is always to be very strong, first generally and then at the decisive point.

Karl von Clausewitz

28
 During the spring semester of 2002, several students at the University of Maryland asked me to write
out some specific practice plans to use over the sununer. The ideas presented here can be applied to other
approaches, hopefully they will be of some use and interest. I am including them here as a suggestion for
helping develop the fundamental foundation that we all need. There is no mention of piccolo trumpet here,
but without this foundation on our regular trumpets we cannot achieve an advanced level on our piccolos.

Suouner Practice 2002

Summer is a good time to connect with our most basic practice. Here is one approach that works well.
You will need five books: the Herbert L. Clarke Technical Studies, Schlossberg's Daily Drills. the Arban
Grand Method, Sachse's I00 Etudes.. and Advanced Lip Flexibilities by Charles Colin.
Start with Clarke. These can be done effectively many different ways, but here let s do them close to
'

how Clarke intended: start each study in the lowest possible key, as indicated, and follow his dynamics,
which means playing very, very softly. The idea is to become adept at a relaxed, economical way of
playing. We must have a very secure, efficient sense of air support, with a pliant, flexible aperture
supported by a strong, stable embouchure. Though we will �ascend to some of our highest notes,
in general our playing should be very ''conversational" - a good image to keep is of a very well tuned car
engine, that can idle so quietly that the driver is not awaretbe engine is running. For the most part you will
be playing softer than you would normally do in perfonnance, so do not be too concerned with your tone
quality - you are ''tuning your engine,'' connecting with your instrument on the most relaxed level possible.
Do one study a day. This makes an effective eight-day cycle, where we hit our fundamentals every day
within the framework of varying demands.

#I. At least eight times in one breath. Whisper soft to start, you can play out a bit as the exercises ascend,
but try to keep quiet and compact. Once you are in the middle register, legato tongue a few of them (four
times through in one breath when tonguing).
#2. Each one twice, at first, slur the first time, legato tongue the second. Stop where Clarke stops, don't
continue into the high register, this is meant to be an "easy day." After you are comfortable with the pattern
in all keys, do each one four times in one breath: slur, single tongue, K tongue, double tongue, all at the
same tempo.
#3. No repeat for now. Always use regular fingerings. Alternate slurring and tonguing these studies. Mostly
legato tongue, mix in some crisper articulation now.and then .
#4. Same as #3. No repeats, alternate slurring and tonguing, no false fingerings.
#5. Open up dynamically as you ascend. For now, skip the scale exercises 99-116.
#6. End each exercise with a bit of a retard and really project your sound . Done correctly, #6 tests our
flexibility as well as any exercise ever written.
#1. Alternate slurring the chromatic triplets/tonguing the arpeggios with the reverse: tongue the chromatic
triplets and slur the arpeggios. No false fingerings, no repeats.
#8. Do the same, alternate slurring the chromatic triplets/tongue the chromatic scale with the reverse. Slow
up the ending arpeggio and support dynamically.

· On your first few cycles, omit the etudes at the end of each study. After the studies are well learned,
start to work the etudes. I usually tongue the etude after completing the precerling study. I don't do the
etudes in one breath as Clarke often asks, but like to breathe often, in a relaxed fashion, trying to never
"stack" air (take in more than I need, so it has to be expelled unused). It is impossible to avoid wasteful
tension in our bodies when air is trapped inside, without being used, when we have to breath out before we
can take in more air.

29
 After Clarke, take a rest. Next come the Schlossberg Daily Drills. We,U set up a shorter cycle for these,
a three day routine. With Schlossber& we'D use our metronomes and will try to keep in mind James
Stamp's advice, to 'lhink down when going up, and up when going d<Mn." In other words, do not
anticipate the direction of any interval you are perfonnin& slot and finnly support each note while learning
to connect them through good phrasing (sounds easy, right?). Believe it or not, you can make music with
these exercises. Really listen to your sound on these, but remember what Arnold Jacobs taught: do not be
obsessed with how you sound, but with how you want to sound Play to an ideal tonal concept that
.

hopefully you are contim•al1y cultivation internally.

. On all Schlossberg, I recommend only regular fingerings at all times . ·

Day #1. #9 J =40. Rest at the end of each line. Mezzo forte throughout.
#17 J =60 Full sound, well projected. Marcato, full value notes.
.

#25 J =120. Fast and light, very soft, single tongue throughout.
#32 J =120. Dolce, full sound . Tongue the downbeat of each measure.
#72 J =80. Mp to Ill( well articulated, nice and crisp.
#116 and 117, done as one crisp and clear, J =96.
,

Day #2. #10. J =40. Follow Schlossberg's dynamics. Rest at the double bars.
#18 J =80. Legato tongue every note� vety soft.
#30. J =60 Full, well projected, as colorful as possible.
.

#63. J' =120. Mt: alternate between slurred and legato tongue.
#76. J =60 Very Strong, marcato.
.

#93. J =80. Rest between each one Full and strong. .

#118. J =96. Crisp articulation.

Day #3. #13. l =40. Think "up" as you go "down"- no telegraphing.
#20. j =60 . Legato tongue, singing sound .

#64. J =60 Mf, alternate between slurring and l egato tonguing.

.

#78. .t1 =:6. Strong, marcato .

#82. -80. Rest between each one, full and strong.
•

#99 . lJ =:_so.
Each line on one breath. Colorful and crisp.
#I 00. -80. Same as 99.
#119. J =96. Keep dynamic the same throughout each one, but vary it
at different sessions. Each exercise in one breath.

After another rest, tum to the "14 Characteristic Etudes" in Arban's Grand Method. Aim for one a day
- it will take two weeks to get through them. For the first two cycles I reconunend using a routine adapted
from Claude Gordon. It will take 20-30 minutes to go through each etude, but they will mostly be learned
in one day. Don't use the metronome on these, maybe occasionally after they've been learned, for short
stretches only. The language of the music requires a kind of speech-like flexibility where we must be free to
vary our tempos .
Here is the version of Claude Gordon's method. Start Y�ith #1. Play the last four measures four times.
Go to the prerroing four measures, repeat four times then play the eight measures to the end. Go back
,

another four, repeat four times, then play the last twelve measures to the end. And so forth. Take enough
rest throughout this routine to stay as fresh as possible. As the runs to the end of the etude get longer and
longer, insert some extra short rests if you feel yourself getting tight. This routine will toughen your mind
as well as your chops, and once you get the hang of it you will never again need a week to learn an etude.
Note that the Clarke Studies cycle every eight days, the Schlossberg every three, and the Arban
fourteen, So whi le we are relearning and reaffinning our fundamentals evezy day, each day is also different.

30
 If you are involved with a heavy performing schedule, do not try to practice hard. We can Qnly improve
our playing when we have time to recover properly. I believe that the Clarke Studies are very beneficial
even when doing a lot of work, but you may want to save the Schlossberg and Arban for lighter days. Only
experience will teach us, and we are all different in some ways from each other. But this principle is true
for all of us: improving and getting stronger requires that we all work very hard, and rest adequately. One
without the other does not work.

Assuming that you can practice fairly consistendy, after one month you will have gone through the
Clarke drills 3 or 4 times, Schlossberg 9 or 10, and Arban twice or so. At this point I like to make a few
changes. But keep your Clarke routine the same. It may be hard to imagine, but many prominent trumpeters
have made a point of doing the Clarke exercises for years. Keep in mind the old adage "form follows
function" it: on a daily basis, you establish a very efficient, relaxed approach to playing the trumpet, you
-

will eventually become a trumpeter that can, on a daily basis, play the trumpet in a relaxed, smooth, and
expressive manner.
We'll now change our routine a bit. After Clarke, alternate days of Arban and the Sachse 100 Etudes.
On your Arban day, keep working on the I4 Characteristic Etudes, one a day. Try this: do tbe last third a
couple times, the middle twice, and the same with the first third. Rest at least five minutes, and try to play
all the way through. With Sachse, start with #I, and do it in every transposition listed, and add ones if you
can (up a minor third is usually not asked). Stay on #I for three practice sessions, about a week as you are
hitting it every other day. I recommend setting a goal of eventually doing all lOO, in every key possible,
which will take about two years if you work steadily. As a student, I needed much more time, because it
was so discouraging, and my teacher at Eas1man, Sidney Mear, had to really stay on me about it. But after
I got through the first 35-40, I started seeing real results, they didn't take very long to learn, and I saw the
other benefits to trumpet playing that came from Sachse. Once you get through 35-40, you will most likely
have the knowledge you need to transpose competently in most situations, but if you continue you will
advance to a level where your transposition skills are beyQDd what you need on the job at this point
-

transposition becomes a technique that will enhance your practicing, you can tum any etude, vocalise, or
other study into literally a pile of music that will challenge you in many ways. To get to this point,
transposition needs to become as automatic as possible, and the trumpeter who relies on formulas will be
easily rattled under pressure. These fonnulas are necessary through the beginning and intermediate stages,
but if you are serious you will want to advance to the point where you do not have to rely on them, where
transposition becomes more reflexive memory than conscious technique. The only way to get to this level is
through studying a large volume of material over a fairly long period of time, which the Sachse book is
made for. As you go through these mix up your approach one day, start at the lowest key and work up by
, -

half and whole steps. Another day, do the reverse. You can also start in the middle and radiate outwards,
aitemating a higher transposition with a lower.
After your etude work, rest awhile. At this point we'D alternate days doing the Schlossberg drills and
the Charles Colin Lip Flexibilities . You should by now have an improving command of the Schlossberg
exercises, and caD start to perfonn them with more intensity (�ider dynamic contrasts, more variety in
styles of articulation). When these are played really well, they can souDd like very dramatic orchestral
excerpts. On your Charles Colin days, do this routine: #3, #9, #21, and pages 35 and 36. If your high D
speaks with ease, move on to the next level, but stick to about five exercises. Remember that these are
primarily tongue level exercises, and must be performed with an intense, powerful air stream to realize the
·

benefits. Rest at least as long as you play.

The reason we have switched the order is to make our practice routine a bit more in line with what
physiology and sports medicine research has taught us about how to improve and get stronger: begin by
connecting \\ith your body and mind on a relaxed, easy level, move on to skill practice, and end by working
on power and strength.

31
 Here are a few other ideas for summer practice :

1. Pick two of our most challenging orchestral excerpts, and really work toward mastering them: the
••Ballerina �s Dance�� from Petroushka and the first movement of Ravel's Piano Concerto. Pick either one,
and perfonn 20 repetitions, like this: (the following metronome marks indicate quarter notes for the
Stravinsky, half notes for Ravel) - 5 times at 96, 5 times at 108-112, 5 times at 126 or higher (if not
possible, hang in there and do your best), and 5 times at 116, which is a common perfonnance tempo, and
will feel relatively easy after what you've just gone through. If you devote a month or so to these excerpts
this way, you may develop the skill and reflexive memory that will allow you to quickly reclaim these solos
whenever you will have to play them in the future.

2. Find a recording of an improvised solo that you really like, and memorize it- not just temporarily, but
so you can really play it for anyone, anytime. Try learning something a bit different stylistically than what
you usuaUy do, perhaps Louis Annstrong ("West End Blues or "Weather Bird'') or something more
"

modem, like Don Cherry or Lester Bowie. Do a solo from another instrument, some Coleman Hawkins or
Sonny Rollins. But find something you can really learn and play- many of the great innovators, such as
Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie, could play many solos by their favorite players, like Lester Young and
Roy Eldridge. Memorization is not a special virtue in itself, but being able to play music by memory,
�ilether a transcription of a solo or a favorite etude, allows us to practice very productively. We hear
ourselves differently and can often connect on a more subconscious level with our playing. The method
described earlier of learning the Arban etudes, back to front, is a very effective way to memorize music,
and \vhen you get in the habit of doing some of your practice this way, you will find yourself temporarily
memorizing whatever music you are working on.

3. If you planning a recital in the coming year, begin working on the repertoire and get some real time
are
in on playing through it, making a special effort to isolate and master the most difficult parts.

Finally, if you are lucky enough to find yourself around some really fine musicians, ask if you can play
for them - make a point of seeking out non-trumpeters for this. (And ask politely, do not impose). Ask them
to criticize you as hard as they can . Write do\\'n what they say, so you can think about it clearly. What you
hear may or may not make sense at first, but you might find yourself eventually learning some things of
real use and value.

I reasoned that I must practice for endurance, and not tire my l ips \\'ith too constant
playing.
Alternating short rest periods "ith those of playing kept my lips fresh and pliable, and enabled me to finish
a day's practice with more ease and comfort than every before.
Herbert L. Clarke

To develop endurance it is important to practice often during the day, and not long at a time. Play 30
minutes and rest 15. Then play 30 minutes and rest 30. Play 30 minutes and rest an hour. The lips are a
musc le and it is important to rest them frequently.
Maurice Andre

32
 Summer Practice 2003

This is meant to be a continuation of last summer's guide, so I'd suggest that you go through that one
first. Before I get started with the specifics, here's a suggestion. Think back over the past year, and make a
list of pieces that you felt gave you trouble, that you felt you could have played better. Next to each piece
l.isttxL write down in what w a y you would like to improve the next time you get to play it. Then, try to
indicate some specific, realistic w ays that you might pr acti ce in order to do better next time. Sometimes, the
impr ovement you want is addressed in ways that are not related to practi cing, such as realizing that you
didn't wann up appropriately, either too much or too little, or that you allowed some sort of distraction to
throw you off, etc. Make note of these fa ctors, so that you can keep an eye out for similar negative
situations in the future.
Learning to address our own playing issues doesn't come naturally to most of us. But as we get older,
we need to learn to work on our own problems. Keep searching, ask advice, and never stop trying to learn
and improve. Teachers are very, very important, but ultimately we must find our own answers.
Before I get to the following practice suggestions, r d suggest that you review last summer' s guide.
Spending several weeks doing the Clarke, Arban, and Schlossberg routines is a good w a y to start each
summer. Like I've mentioned in the past, I always like to get in a couple hard weeks o n the Arban
Characteristic Etudes sometime each summer, usually at the beginning.

For this summer, I'm going to outline a way that I like to organize my practicing. Basically, we're
looking to improve in three wa y s . First, our response, our ability to control our instrument from the inside
out, to feel comfortable playing with relaxed ease, perfonning any nuance that is desired within our control.
Attaining a flexible, responsive aperture is basic to our general health as trumpeters, and is crucial to being
able to sustain a career of meaningful length. Second, our basic skill, our "virtuosity, " our ability to play
difficult musi c and make it sound easy, including our fluency with transposition and rhythm. Third, our
stamina, where we can, with confidence, sustain long extended phrases, maintaining good sound quality
with musicianship, staying strong mentally even as we tire physically.
I'll refer to some of the books that we all have but will also be using a few that might be new: the
Marcel Bitsch 20 Etudes, Verne Reynolds ' 48 Etudes, and Porret's 24 Melodic and Technical Etudes.

We are going to conceive of organizing our practice into three sections. Obviously it is not often
possible to have three practice periods in a day - rn suggest some ideas as we go how we can adapt to
different demands on our energy and time .
First is response. rn begin by quoting something from last summer'sguide, because it is really not
com plicated, if we remember our basic law of "form follows function" we can alway s figure out what will
w ork . Not just in trumpet playing but in everyday life, "we become what we do."

"If, on a daily basis, we establi�h a relaxed, easy way of playing, we will eventually be able to, on a
daily basis, perform on our instrument in a easy, efficient, responsive manner."

The Clarke Technical Studies were designed for this type of practice, if they are performed the way
Clarke intended. If you are not sure what to do, just follow his dynamics closely. One reason he keeps
insisting on playing long stretches (or complete etudes) in one breath is to leave us no option but to play
·
very softly and efficiently (the ultimate "fonn follows function'} I tend to not be that insistent on the
breathing, sometimes players who cannot do what he asks end up getting tight, but what he asks does have
va lue and can be a worthy goal as we p ractice these drills throughout our careers.
One stu d y a day is just right for this part of our practice. I also recommend a kind of improvised
practice of scale and chord patterns, mostly legato tongue<L resting ofte� using our "brush tongue'' and a
very relaxed air flow to condition our aperture to respond to the most delicate touch. When your playing is

33
in a good spot, this type of response can be easily and quickly established every day, in a very short amount
of time. If you are playing a heavy schedule of rehearsals, concerts and/or shows, you will most like ly need
to spend extra time reclaiming this feel every day. Please don't do what many do- when easy response is
difficuh to achieve because of tired or banged up chops, we are all tempted to "kick start" our apertures by
playing overly loud and full. This always works, to a certain extent, because our apertures are spread out
and opened up by the heavy, loud playing from the day before. The aperture functions only with a very
strong air flow - nothing wrong about that, except when we are in a state where that is the only way we can
get out notes out. Enough of these kinds of days in a row, and we become trumpeters who, while being very
strong, are tight and stiff (again, form follows function). When I have found myself in a long hard period of
pounding my chops on a daily basis, I always spend some time at the end of each day playing whisper soft,
trying to get my aperture closer and more finely tuned before I put my hom away. This is not really
"warming down" (which is not something I've ever been able to understand) and personally, I don't like to
do pedal tones at this time, which might feel good but would just spread out my aperture more. It is simply
attempting to reclaim the physical state that allows for good musicianship on the trumpet. And the next day
has to begin with more of the same, trying to get my aperture to connect with a very soft and responsive
production of sound.
So, Clarke is good, as is any series of scale and/or chord patterns. My Articulation Studies and
Endurance Drills can work this way, or improvising anything similar. Pay special attention to getting a soft
legato tongue down to low F#, which requires our aperture to function at it's most relaxed state (pedal
tones, played correctly, require a more forceful air stream and a more active apertur e) .
Our "response work" can last a few minutes if we are in good condition, or up to 15-20 if we need
repair work. This includes us resting at least as much as we play.

With the "skill" part, we're going to look at several objectives. In order to develop fluency in
performing difficult repertoire, we need to build up a substantial body of challenging music that we are able
to perform in a confident, assertive manner. If we play difficult music correctly but make it sound hard,
people will not come back to hear us again. To acquire virtuosity, we need to learn music that presents us
with a progressive series of challenges that we overcome calmly and patiently over a long period of time.
Improvement can only grow from a state of competence, so it is good to progress in small steps, taking our
time to let our increasing skill "set" and "season" itself.
Let's start with the Bitsch 20 Etudes. Take #1, which is marked at J = 1 32 First of all, you'll notice
.

that all the metronome marks were put in by Sabarich, not Bitsch, so realize that the composer isn't
specifically asking for that tempo. The secret of learning to enjoy and play these etudes well is to learn
them slowly, at a tempo where we can almost sight read them . Practice # l at .!' 13 2, which is half
=

tempo, or perhaps J =72 80 Do a similar thing like we do with Arban, take the phrase, do it four
- .

times. Move back to the phrase before, do it four times, then do a run to the end of the etude. Go back
another phrase, four times, again a run to the end, and so forth. You'll learn the etude fairly quickly, it will
be a tempo that is more like the kind of music that we actually play in real life, and after a few sessions
you'll likely find that you can perform the whole thing at J =96 or faster, even if you never practice it
faster than J =80 (pushing the tempo in the early stages of learning it will actually delay or even prevent
your progress). We'll do these Bitsch etudes: I, 3, 5, and 9. Plan on three or four sessions on each one.
Like Charlier, it's good to come back to these in the future, so you should work hard but keep moving.
These really challenging studies really need to be addressed with a cyclical approach, checking in with them
periodically over your whole career.
Let's also use the Reynolds 48 Etudes. On #1, we'll start at f =132 or so. Use the same scheme as
Bitsch, building from the back of the etude, phrase by phrase. Here are the ones that will fit in with our
"skill� work: I, 11 (we' ll do this one in two halves, as two etudes), and 35. Don't sweat it if you don't hit
Mr. Reynolds' tempos.

34
 Here's a swnmary:

Bitsch # 1 start at !'=13 2, work eventually up to J =112

#3 same progression of tempo as #1
#5 start at J =80, work up to J =I 08 or faster
#9 start at J' =112, do the second section at J' =92, no need
to get any faster, just a bit if you want
Reynolds # 1 start at J' =132, work up to � =100
#11 do in two separate sections, start at S =96, work up
to J =80
#35 start at J =80, work up to d =108 or faster

Along with this, please keep in touch with your Sachse work, trying to do one or two etudes a week, in
every key possible, with the goal of eventually getting through all 100. This is also "skill work" and fits in
well with Bitsch and Reynolds. I'll outline some sample schedules later on.

Our third segment is for stamina. This is really crucial - a number of you have full recitals next year if
-

you've never done a full recitaL you will find out how much more demanding it is than a single solo piece
or even a half recital. If you have done one, I don't need to explain what's ahead. Others in the studio will
have increasing responsibilities in their ensembles, and functioning well in orchestra, wind ensemble, and
brass quintet is very much related to how durable we are. We've talked a lot about endurance training:
basically, you'll need to build up to a half hour of work on the following routines- it doesn't seem like
much time, but structuring the rest intervals will be a new experience might be a new experience if you
haven't done it before. And monitoring these periods is the key to metabolic conditioning, which is what
endurance training of any kind consists of
This segment of our practice works really well if it follows the response and skill sections, trying for
four or five times a week. When you get into the school year, and are getting ready for a recital, you 'II want
to have developed the backbone to do it five times a week or so, and you'll probably have more playing
responsibilities, so use the summer to start being able to handle this workload.

Here are some. routines. that have worked well for me and others. over the years.

1. The Porret etudes. Do these six: 6, 7, 8, 9, and 19.

On my copy,·I've put the timings at the top of each etude. Start one every five minutes, using the
metronome at the tempo marked. If an etude takes 3:20 to complete, you'll have a rest of 1:40 before the
next one starts. Total time is 30 minutes, and I've had a number of very good trumpeters look at this and
wonder what the big deal was. Very few are able to get past three or four etudes at first (15 or 20 minutes).
Once you can make it through six etudes, and can start playing with a bit more intensity, it really gets your
attention. When the 30 minutes can be done well, it comes very close to equaling the endurance demands of
a full recital.

2. Try a similar approach to my Endurance Drills. Do the first six studies, starting on every five minutes.
Use the metronome, which I don't normally do when practicing these, following approximately the
suggested tempos. In general, you '11 finish each set of drills in 3 to 4 minutes, so you'll get I or 2 minutes
of rest. You should rest several beats between each pattern as you go through them. This is good practice
especially if they have been memorized, and I have to admit that this is my "watching a ball game on TV"
endurance routine.

35
3. Take any vocalise-style set of etudes, like Bordogni Concone, or Phil Snedecor's Lyrical Etudes. Play
,

exp ressively without a metronome, but keep a watch handy and only allow yourself one minute of rest
,

between each study. Attempt to keep this up for thirty minutes. If you happen to not feel that tired at 30
minutes, stop anyway, and make a plan to increase your intensity for the next time: transpose some etudes
into a higher key, or simply play with more focused intent .

4. Take any one of the Sachse 100 Etudes that can be transposed into at least six or seven keys. Start at
the highest transposition possible, u sually up a
fifth . Use a metronome to keep your tempo really steady,
and also time your rest interval, perhaps again one minute. You can proceed downwards by half steps and
whole steps, whichever is useable, or you can follow the highest transposition with the lowest possible, then
go to the second highest, followed by the second lowest, gradually working yourself to the middle. Again,
no longer than 30 minutes total .

5. Here 's a shorter scheme, but very effective in conditioning ourselves to do well on pieces like the
Hindemith Sonate. Do Porret #5, which will take 5:30. Rest two minutes, and then do #1, which is 4:44.
When you can manage that well, decrease your rest interval to 90 seconds, then o ne minute. (And speaking
Hindemith, try some practice sessions where you play through the 'Whole Sonate, every note, but
of the
when you get to the final chorale play it up a step. Or up a minor third. It's p robably impossible to feel
really great at the end of this piece, but this practice will give you your best shot!).

Here are a few sam ple practice days :

1. This would be a day when you are doing no other playing, and you have ample time and flexibility to
plan your practice.

A. Several minutes of soft response work, mostly legato tongue. Rest a couple minutes. Do Endurance
Drills#1 and #2, resting more than you p lay Total time, about 15 minutes. Then rest 15-20 minutes.
.

B. Reclaim your response for up to a minute of soft legato tonguing. Then, Reynolds #11, the first half.
Work from the back in four bar segments, at
J' =96- I 08. As you finish each segment several times, make a run to the end of the first half After
you've done the first part this way, rest a few minutes, and do the second half in several larger sections
with less r epetition Total time,
. with the rest interval, about 30 minutes.
C. Later in the day, play through a set of Schlossberg exercises, perhaps one of the routines listed in last
summer's guide. Use the first several to reclaim your response, then build some intensity as you progress
through the rest. Rest about 10 minutes, then do the Porret routine. Total time, about 50-60 minutes with
the rest interval.

2. He re s a day where you need to do it all in o ne session. Start with your response work, taking about 5-7
'

minutes to gradually cover your different registers, mixing up your articulations, mostly soft but expand
your dynamics toward the end, and include some really crisp tonguing as you go through some scales and
chord patterns. Rest five minutes. Do Bitsch #9, at the tempos suggested above (about half speed)- just do
2 or 3 measures at a time, from the beginning, do each small segment four times. Don't do any runs from
beginning to end. This should take about 20 minutes, and then rest 5. Do Sachse #24, in 4/8, in as many
transpositions as you can manage. Take both repeats each time. Rest another five minutes. Do Porret #5,
rest two minutes, do Porret #I. This day's session would be about I hour 15 minutes total.

If you have a very heavy playing schedule, don't try to do all this work. I would recommend always
doing your response work, and deciding on a daily basis whether you have the energy to do the skill and

36
endurance routines. Several of you have summer playing jobs where you are performing five or more
shows a day, with one day off a week. Well, first of all, do the best job you can while you are there, that
comes first. Daily response work is vital, it might be better thought of as "damage control in your "

situations. I would try not playing at all on my day off, to allow the tissues to rest completely, and perhaps
mix in some hot compress treatments on this day, and also during the week. You might find an anti.­
inflammatory drug, like aspirin, to help, as well. If you find, after your first couple weeks, that you can do
your job in such a way that allows you to practice effectively, slowly work in some skill work. Make some
finite goals in terms of difficult repertoire that you want to master, and practice it in such a way that you
stay as fresh as possible, always. Don't worry about any endurance work for now, unless your particular
job is unexpectedly easy. Whatever your playing demands are, don'tjump to any conclusions after a few
days. Sometimes there's a residual kind of fatigue that can be very deceptive - always wait a couple weeks
to see how your chops are responding to your daily work load before adding to it.

Back to the practice suggestions outlined above. If you have the kind of schedule this summer that
allows it, I would recommend following this sort of program for about six weeks, after spending two or
three going over the Clarke, Schlossberg, Arban, and Sachse material from last summer's guide. By then
you are in August, and it will be time to focus on the audition material for the fall ensemble tryouts. If you
have a recital this year, hopefully you've been getting in some early preparation for that as well. Stay with
your fundamentals - scales, chords, Clarke, Schlossberg, Arban, Sachse, etc.

A few other things: try to play with other people, any sort of ensemble including duets. Duets don't have
to only be with other trumpeters, see if you can sit next to a violist, bassoonist, or other musici� and make
it work. Play for other musicians, and ask for their comments on your playing. If you feel kind of fragile
about getting critiqued, work on getting over it. If you've made it this far, you have shown that you have
the potential to be a professional trumpeter, and some of you are already working. So you don't need to
justify what you are doing, and you should welcome the opportunity to make progress, which can be, at
times, a painful proeess. If the criticism is negative and not helpful, look on it as a necessary experience,
part of developing the toughness and thick skin that every working professional musician needs . At the
same time, stay open to the possibility of learning something really useful about your musicianship.
Get some listening done this summer, use your local library and your friends, however you can check
out some recordings in addition to any live performances you can attend. Start getting familiar with the two
pieces on our ensemble audition list, Prokofieff's Lt. Kije and Sibelius' Second Symphony. Try to get the
classic Chicago/Reiner Kije (with Herseth) and the Philadelphia/Orrnandy Sibelius (with Gil Johnson on I st
trumpet). rm sure there are some other really good ones. Listen to other works by the same composers,
Prokofieff's Romeo and Juliet, his 1st, 5th, and� Symphonies, his two violin concertos. With Sibelius, his
1st and 5th Symphonies, Finlandia, and his Violin Concerto. Also, try something new, here are some other
suggestions: any Bach by the pianist Dinu Lipati, Bach Goldberg Variations with Glenn Gould, Bach
Partitas and Sonatas for violin with NathanMilstein, Brahms 2nd and 4th Symphonies with Furtwangler
conducting, Bartok Contrasts with Benny Goodman, Josef Szigeti, and Bartok, Gerard Schwarz
The Age of Solendour, John Coltrane Crescent and Live at Birdland, Miles Davis Filles des Kilimaniaro,
Schubert Die Winterreisse with Peter Pears and Benjamin Britt� Bob Dylan Blood on the Tracks, Duke
Ellington with Mahalia Jackson, Black, Brown, and Beige (and anything else by Duke Ellington), and
Dennis Brain playing the Mozart Hom Concertos. Explore on your own, and remember that it's also ok to
have these and any other things on in the background, part of you is always hearing it. Good luck, and I'll
see you soon.

37
 Appendix

Duke Ellington once wrote that he did not like the term ') azz improvisation," as it implied a process that
might be seen as haphazard and accidental. He described this kind of music making as ''instantaneous
compositi on, or "composition at the interval of a split second.'1 We can see this if we analyze great solos:
"

truly, three minutes of Sonny Rollins or Thelonious Monk can contain the same level of structural depth
and integrity as three minutes of Bach or Mozart. (And the Bach and Mozart passages will reveal a
mirroring spontaneity, as we know how important improvisation was to them.) Perhaps all great music
blends structure and play, and listeners will tend to avoid music when these features are badly balanced, or
missing altogether.

Spoken words can resonate the same way. A quick statement might contain layers of deep insight.

One of the main reasons I wanted to play the trumpet as a young boy was hearing Bobby Hackett on
television, watching the "Jackie Gleason Show" with my parents. Bobby idolized Louis Armstrong his
whole life. Some may not choose to state that Armstrong was the most influential brass player of the 20th
century, but if we do not say it about him, we cannot say it about anyone. Here is Hackett:

"Pops taught me so much. Once, on one of those Timex television shows, I was supposed to play a solo
between his vocal and Jack Teagarden's. It was a slow, slow number, and the first time I tried it I just
stumbled. He leaned over to me and said, 'Play whole notes, Bobby, play whole notes.' And, of course he
was right."

Did Louis Armstrong mean to play notes that last four beats, or was he saying something deeper?
Bobby Hackett would have never simply played literal whole notes, so he must have sensed the inner truth
of Armstrong's advice. If we go back and really listen tO Louis on ''West End Blues" or "Weather Bird"
we'll hear notes - some long, some very short, but all very "whole" - focused, singing, a rich mixture of
dark and bright color, complete in every way: "whole" notes.

38
 Chris Gekker is Professor of Trumpet at the University of Maryland School of Music. He has been
featured as sol oist at Carnegie HalL Lincoln Center, and throughout the United States, Eur ope, and Asia.
After performances of Bach's Brandenburg Concerto no. 2 and the Christmas Oratorio at Carnegie Hall ,
the New York Times praised his "bright virtuosity" and described his playing as clear toned and pitch
"

perfect." Chris appears as soloist on more than twenty recordings and on more than one hundred chamber
music, orchestra, and jazz recordings. CD Review called his recording of Copland's Quiet City "a model of
quiet perfection" and in an overview of several solo recordings Grarnmophone Magazine described his
perfo rmances as "astonishingly poised." Of his recording of Eric Ewazen 's Sonata for Trumpet and Piano,
American Record Guide states ''Ewazen writes that he had Gekker' s sound in his mind when he wrote the
Sonata, and I can understand why. It is round, soft edged, and gor geous at soft dynamic levels, and always
full and well controlled at fortissimo." Chris is one of the featured artists on Deutsche Grammophon's 2005
compilation "Masters of the '7rumpet."
Chris' most recent solo recordings include the Bach 2nd Brandenburg Concerto and 'Winter," a cd of
music for trumpet and piano by Eric Ewazen and David Snow. Of the Bach, Classics Today writes "Chris
Gekker plays with brilliance and panache," and BBC Magazine states ''the trumpeter gives a secure and
glittering account." On ''Winter" American Record Guide writes "I cannot think of another trumpet player
I'd rather listen to than Gekker, and he is at his sweet, velvet-toned best in these pieces."

Chris has been in demand for his skills on the piccolo trumpet throughout his career. He has performed
the Brandenburg Concerto no. 2 over seventy times around the world and has done over 40 performances
as first trumpet in the B minor Mass. The composer John Adams consulted with Chris before writing the
picc o lo solo in his Wound Dresser which Chris both premiered and recorded He was fe atured in the 1998
.

Rainforest Benefit in Carnegie Hall, perfoiming the solo on P enny Lane" �th Sting and Elton John, and
"

has recorded commercial music on piccol o with Billy Joel and others.

Chris was a member of the American Brass Quintet for eighteen years, and on the faculties of the
Juilliard School, the Manhattan School of Music, and Columbia University. He was principal trumpet with
the Orchestra of St. Luke's, frequently performed and recorded as principal with the Orpheus Chamber
Orchestra, and often a guest with the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center. He has been a guest
principal with the New York Philharmonic, the San Francisco Symphony and the Santa Fe Opera. Chris
,

has performed and recorded with many jazz and commercial artists, and often for television and movies.
Many of his former students occupy orchestral positions in major symphonies throughout the world,
as well as being prominent in jazz, chamber, and commercial music. His Articulation Studies, 44 Duos,
and Endurance Drills are available from Colin Publications and are sold worldwide. Chris was born in
Washington D.C., grew up in Alexandria, Virginia, and is a graduate of the Eastman School of Music and
the University of Maryland. His teachers include Emerson Head, Sidney Mear, Adel Sanchez, and Gerard
Schwarz.

39