CT Trumpet Lessons, Performing Artist, Badollet Ensemble

I have added a video bar to this blog for all my students to hear examples of what variety of things the trumpet can do! Please listen, enjoy, immitate, and learn. The video bar changes every 4 or 5 minutes to a different artist. Almost all clips are of trumpet players performing different types and styles of music. There is also a set of clips on Gerald Schwartz who is now a conductor, but used to be one of the finest trumpet players alive back in the 60's and 70's. There are so many opportunities to make music and have fun. Take a big leap and enjoy the ride!!

After much consideration I have resigned my position as adjunct faculty at St. George's School in Newport, RI. I am delighted to announce my new position as trumpet instructor at the All Newton Music School in Newton, MA. This position will allow me the opportunity to start building a trumpet ensemble in addition to private lessons. The school facilities are really terrific with many grand pianos and a staff accompanist who is available to perform and rehearse with students for recitals. I'm looking forward to building a trumpet studio at the All Newton Music School. If you live in Newton, surrounding areas, or are willing to travel to Newton, which is centrally located in the greater Boston area, off of exit 16 on the Mass Pike, please join me for intense, fun, trumpet enjoyment!

It's rare to find musicians making headline news except for the top 40 headliners. Many parents may be taken by surprise by the fact that brass instruments, if not cleaned properly, can cause your child to get colds and in extreme cases, worse issues. (Click on the heading of this post to go directly to the article). While this case, in the article linked to below, is rare, it is important to maintain proper cleanliness of ones brass instrument. Many of my students hear me repeat over and over again how they should clean their horns about once a month. How many actually do, quite frankly, is low. I can see it in their lessons when I glance at their slides growing with green goo. There is a fear of the unknown and quite frankly it's a boring job. So, what I am offering to any of my students and their parents is a service for cleaning (and I mean cleaning well) their childs instrument. This is a time consuming event and will cost a mere $60 per horn. This is not a ch...

Accepting students of all ages in the greater Boston area. I teach the concepts of process orientation, keeping the mind off of product focus which is reactionary. Keeping the mind focused on the process of sound production with specific steps allows the mind to stay in the present tense and out of the judgement process. My studio is avaiable for all levels, but also welcomes students who are preparing for competitions and auditions (college entrance, district and state level competitions, etc...) for short term lessons and coaching. I am also available for brass quintet/ensemble coaching and conducting. I look forward to assisting you with your musical advancement.

This is a fantastic top ten lists for all students of music! "Suggestions on being an effective student of music" by David Zerkel. Here are my notes from a chat to the brass students at UGA on Day 1. A top ten list of sorts... I hope they listened! 1. Take your classes seriously. Theory, Ear-training and Music History provide you with the tools to understand the language of music and your mastery of these subjects WILL help you play your instrument better. If you have had a math course beyond algebra, music theory should present no problems, as it is structured in a very systematic way. Ear-training will help you learn what you need to hear, whether you are playing your instrument or standing in front of a band. Music History will equip you with the tools to approach your interpretations from informed perspective and will give you the insight needed to play with style. 2. Listen to as much music as you can! Naxos online music library is a great resource, as is our inc...

School will be started within the next two to three weeks!! Slots are starting to fill in the early parts of the day in Billerica on Mondays; Shrewsbury will be done by assignment thru the school; Acton is done through the center (contact Marian for times); St. George's students can contact me as soon as they can to set up times. If you want to start lessons in my home studio, contact me soon as times are very flexible right now. I set up lessons mostly on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. Lots of possiblities for times working around your schedule. The travel to Revere can be very easy now since the big dig. I have students come from as far away, locally, as Methuen and Chelmsford. Band Programs are cutting back or just completely disappearing! Lessons can not only aid in getting your playing soaring, but help over worked time constrainted band directors in making their jobs a bit easier and keep the programs strong and vital. I have several students who are...

Just had a chance to try the new line of Bach Artisan C trumpets as well as the "Philly" and "Chicago" C trumpets. For me, the "Philly" C was great. I loved the response, flexibility, intonation, and sound of all the C's I tried. The "Chicago" model was quite good as well, but was a bit more zippy for me. Both instruments were close in feel and response. I preferred the "Philly" model. Very nice horn! I was quite surprised to find I didn't like the Artisan Model. It was a good horn with nice color, but I felt the flexibility was a bit stiff, and the sound was good, but different enough for me to prefer the "Philly" sound. I felt there were some standard intonation issues that didn't work so well for me. Unfortunately, I didn't get to try a silver plated one as someone bought it before the day began. Jury is still out for me on this. But, I can't imagine the flexibility issues (for me) will change on the s...