Patric_Bernard

See... its kids like Ruben who are extremely lucky to have teachers at that age, and possibly even a parent or sibbling that was also advanced on trumpet... Man... What I wouldn't give to have a better start....

rowuk

It is the synergy of an incredible gift of musicianship, patience, ambition, opportunity and teacher that make things like this possible. Not one of those factors can be left out. Life is too short and the body/mind sometimes too limited to let all of us achieve this level of playing. Definitely not a reason to stop working hard though.

I am sure there are a lot of players a big cut UNDER Ruben holding down major positions because the BALANCE of what they can do is very good. The very gifted often fail because of missing people skills.

Let's just appreciate this for what it is: an extraordinary demonstration of ability. Let's use it to inspire our own playing: especially for the thread owner that wants to play this showcase of cornet literature in February!
The arrangement played in Richards YouTube Link was the Arban arranged by Donald Hunsberger. The wind band version is played by Wynton Marsalis and the Eastman Wind Ensemble. Wynton plays it on cornet, a tone that I prefer for this type of music!

I only have one recommendation: start VERY slowly and with a metronome.

Every note is important, the 6/8 pulse is important, absolute rhythm is important. Perfection (whatever that means) is achieved by consequential practicing and not underestimating the musical value of each note. Try to push the envelope daily, but when things get ragged, back off and perfect!

Good Luck!

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Whenever I feel blue, I start breathing again.

Richard Oliver

Robin, our band director, Doug Bull, says the same thing. Over and over and over. It's worth hearing again. I never grow tired of it.

eisprl

When you practice a piece like that soooo much, memorizing it becomes pretty easy. I remember working up La Virgen De la Macarena. The hours spent on just one or two measures ingrains it into your head.

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Eric Sproul
Practice is like filling a leaky bucket

Bb: Yamaha Xeno 8335
C: Bach Stadivarious 239L and 25A leadpipe (Owned by Eric Sholtz)
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Bear

The kid is pretty darn good at nine years of age. Anyone have any bio information, teachers, etc? BTW, I agree wholeheartedly with rowuk. Unfortunately, in today's world a lot of the young "protege's/phenoms" are turned off of music by the time they could really make a huge difference in our world. I have seen several kids with amazing potential only to say that it was too easy and then they quit to take up engineering or something of a different discipline. But, let's appreciate it while we have it.

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Of what value would it be to make a prosperous living unless you know how to live?! - anon.

mahaberio

Ruben studied with Maurice André and his son Nicolas from a very early age. He has been on the radar in Europe for many years now and last year (at age 16, I believe) he won the Maurice André competition. He's not just some kid who came out of the woodwork. I expect to hear much more from him in the coming years.

-Matthew

Patric_Bernard

Haha... I guesed it exactly lol... Man... I wish I could have had that kind of Instruction. Maurice is a great player, and probably a better teacher. I wish I could have even one teacher in my life that has instructed me on trumpet. But its been me, my arbans book, clarke studies book, and Random Concerto's.

But I digress haha... yeah man, just play it slow, and one thing that I'd suggest you start working on, especially if you want to play the 4th Var. (last one, not sure if its 4th or 5th var. and too lazy to go grab my arbans right now) But work on Octave jumps and beyond Ex. 9ths-13ths or so. Cause that var. does it, and it does it fast. and that, to me, is the most impressive var. of the piece... I think Wynton does it best, but thats just my opinion

Bear

Maurice Andre eh? Very nice, thxs for the info. Someone is doing something right!

Tim

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Of what value would it be to make a prosperous living unless you know how to live?! - anon.

rdt1959

Stop That! RIGHT NOW! If you think that way, you will never be ready!

And don't try to compare yourself to anybody you see or hear either. That is not a statement about the value of listening to recording of music though. It is great that we now have the technology to listen to these kinds of things. It does actually help. It's just that you need play the piece to the best of YOUR ability.

If will all waited to play something until we could do it like Maurice Andre or Wynton, we would...well...all sound alike.

Set your standards high...I absolutely agree with that. But don't get yourself in such a mental state that if you don't sound like the "greats" you get dissappointed. No matter what, You need to sound like YOU.

I agree with the others. Start slow, use a mentrenome, and don't let ANYTHING slip by as being "close enough". Practice and practice and practice until YOU are satisfied with the way YOU play it.

End of rant. You may all return to reality now.

<Myself, I am going back to work and have a meeting with my boss. And trust me...he has absolutely NO CONCEPT of reality!

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Dick Taylor
Georgia
Comeback Player
Benge 65B

note360

Whatever i didnt have in talent I made up for in practice. Whatever I couldn't achieve became my style along with the things i could do. is it mroe important to sound like another or to sound like ones self. This is the question we must all ask ourselves. *Zen state of mind ends*

WTF did i jsut say

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"I'll play it and tell you what it is later." - Miles Davis
"Do not fear mistakes. There are none." - Miles Davis

Trumpets:
TR300 Bach [marching horn]
Big Apple Bach Strad (ML)

Cornets:
1952 Olds Ambassador L.A

Mouthpiece: Curry 5c, Olds 3 (for the cornet atm)