trumpetjens

For any of you interested in a fantastic week in Tuscany...great music, great food, great hang, extraordinary cultural experience, I would strongly suggest the Italian Brassweek in Italy (August 18-24). What makes this an especially cool festival is that it is followed immediately by an International Trumpet competition (for inspired players who want a soloistic challenge) in Sienna a few days later. So, you certainly don't have to compete but you could come to the festival to either prepare for the contest or simply go as an observer.

Further, the festival is also geared toward enthusiasts of all levels so there is no need to feel intimidated by some of the young guns who will be roaming around...remember, old bull, young bull...

This is the third time I have gone over to Italy and I believe this festival is set up beautifully in that it places a premium on both trumpet playing and, more importantly, hang time in a picturesquely beautiful Tuscan town (Santa Fiore...try to find it on a map) where everyone is together all the time. There is only one town square and that is where ALL the action happens with everyone. The Italian credo holds true here...work all day, stay up late in the evening drinking wine and eating the most incredible food you can imagine...PS the number '21' does not exist in Italy!

Also, competition in Sienna is right afterward...25th-27th (info located at the Italian Brass Week website). Best part...no tape required!

I will be coaching there part of the week and Allen Vizzutti will be there the entire week (he's pretty good last time I checked!). We will also be joined by Andrew Ballio the spectacular principal trumpet of the Baltimore Symphony.

Other great teachers there will be the phenomenal Italian lead player Andre Tofanelli (only man to ever play a live triple high C on command at an ITG conference as a feature...then he went ahead and did it again the next day on another concert as well as on the Bill Chase tribute show...I hate him!!!). Andrea was 'given' his embouchure by the late, great (and former teacher of mine as well) Armando Ghitalla. Although you may not aspire to do Andrea's kind of thing in your own career, a thorough understanding of the embouchure is required to even consider such madness...and understanding the embouchure is what we all want!

Davide Simonici and Giancarlo Parodi are also two of the best player/teachers in Italy and believe me, they turn out some fantastic talent!

Email me off site (or via PM here) if you are interested in more info.

Jens Lindemann
Jens Lindemann's Web Quarters
email: trumpetjens@aol.com
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MJ

Thanks for the info!

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