Kevin Hilman

My name is Kevin Hilman and I was born in California in 1973 and have lived in Utah since 1979. An interesting fact about my birth is that I was a conjoined twin. My brother and I were surgically seperated at birth lest you think I'm a two headed man or something like that :) My family isn't a very musical bunch so I didn't pick up my desire to play from them. Instead the fire for me was lit when I saw Star Wars "The Empire Strikes Back". I was blown away by the fanfare trumpeting at the beginning of the main theme. I knew at that moment I needed to learn to play the trumpet.

Once I started lessons in the 6th grade my Mom and Dad really supported me with all they had and provided me many opportunities to hear great players. One special hi-lite was when they took me to see a live taping of "The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson" in Burbank CA in the mid 80's. Hearing Doc Severinsen from mere feet away was an awesome experience that I will never forget. To me, his sound is the ultimate in what a jazz sound should be...thick, rich, warm. Anytime I play a jazz solo I try to play with that kind of sound.

Through my high school and early college years I spent my summers playing in the band at the local amusement park. I have many fond memories from those days, hanging with friends, playing TOP and Chicago tunes, developing chops o' steel.

At the University of Utah I majored in Music Ed and studied with Nick Norton, Peter Margulies, and Ed Gornik of the Utah Symphony. I'm currently a trumpeter with the Orchestra at Temple Square and have had many great performing opportunities with them. One great moment with the orchestra was getting to play under the baton of John Williams whose very music first inspired me to play the trumpet.

My current project is marketing myself as a wedding trumpeter. I will be purchasing a Schilke P5-4 shortly and have been enjoying learning music for the picc.

Kevin Hilman

camelbrass

Hi,

My name is Trevor Skinner. I was born in 1956 in Sydney, Australia, the great-greatgrandson of a convict sentenced to transportation in 1835. My mum played piano and dad played saxophone/clarinet in weekend dance bands but was an industrial chemist by trade.

I got interested in playing at about 9 years old and my school (1000 boy Catholic boys school) had a brass band so I put my name down. I started with a euphonium but within a month or 2 ended up with a Bb tuba. Dad reckoned that the band master saw that he had a station wagon and so distributed instruments accordingly. I played tuba all through school and into my early 20s mainly with brass bands but also got to do some orchestral tuba work with the Sydney Youth Orchestra. At about 12 I discovered the sound of a full orchestra and was a keen attendee at the SSOs youth concert series. I can still hear the brass section..John Robertson was principle trumpet, Peter Walmsley associate and Cliff Goodchild was the tuba player, can't remember who played 'bone. Like most teenagers during the 70s electric guitar was a 'must' so I played electric bass and mucked around on guitar...in fact I still do!!

At the same time I was listening to Dad's records...Miller, Dorsey, Shaw, Kenton, Goodman and I can remember taking them to school and listening to them with another tuba player..Tony Hobbs. Anyway Tony ended up playing sax and is now one of Australias top jazz saxophonists and teachers..so go figure.

I left school and I didn't know what to do...so I applied for university and got into business studies at the University of New South Wales. Got a B.Com..and went into banking. I've now worked in about a 7or 8 countries over 25 years and have recently done my MBA. I've been very lucky.

I bought a trumpet for my youngest son about 6 years ago thinking that brass playing might run in the family...it doesn't. So rather than wasting it I picked it up and decided to rekindle a passion and it did and it has. I never thought I'd be able to play trumpet when I played tuba but, you know, there's lots of things that translate across. I play in a big band, a community band, some solo work and I've just started to teach some young'uns.

I've been married to an English girl (Doreen) for 21 years and have 2 boys..Jack 16 and Nicholas 12 who are both keen musicians..but of the guitarist kind.

Regards,


Trevor

davidjohnson

whippersnappers! i was born in 1949 (groan) in jonesboro, ar.
i grew up in walnut ridge, ar & currently live there again.

my sisters were good pianists, so my mother thought i would be, too. chuckle... my piano teacher was mrs. less, a '20s flapper from the univ. of illinois who dressed the part 'til she died. she did teach me to read some music. that's about it.

i missed school one 7th grade day. while sick in bed, i put the 78s from the 'bix & tram' album my dad had on the record player. voila! i was hooked on bix.

there was an old pan-american satin silver trpt at the house from back when the local school used to have a band, so i started teaching myself to play. i listened to recordings of bix, louis, ziggy, butterfield, harry....
my sis wrote out a fingering chart for me. i learned Bb as 123, and high C# the same way. i figured out 'way down yonder in new orleans' & 'summertime' on my own. hoped i was pretty hot but knew i wasn't.

in 8th grade i took a few lessons from an old band director who come to town on weekends to check on his record store. that's when i learned that a warmup was holding the trumpet over a heater to get it warm so it wold play better , bet you guys didn't know that!!!

in 9th grade the school started band again, dad swapped a .38 special for a used trumpet in a hand painted case & i was ready to go. my director (arlin jones) let me borrow the 'readers digest' 10 - 12 lp set of classic music, & i became a lifelong fan of the style.

i got a holton galalxy trumpet in 10th grade. the great john haynie judged me at contest once...don't recall if i tried 'ave maria' or the haydn. i'm sure he gagged either way

for college i went to ark tech and played in witherspoon's fine band. my trumpet teacher was robert bright from northwestern u. he helped my tone a lot. i got a bach C as a sophmore & stayed with it.

i've taught music in my home state since '72, got master's & specialist music degrees from asu, started & ran the 5th regiment cw band for 4 years, played in some local musicals, circus bands, churches....
got a dr of religious philosophy for personal, not professional reasons.
switched to a schilke C7 & a bach sp Bb 5 years ago...love them both!

dj

JackD

My name is Jack Digby Owen Davies (ask my dad about my second name!) and I was born on 6th Feb 1986.

I started cornet when I changed primary schools at age 7. I told my mum I wanted to change schools so I could learn the trumpet.

I learned with a trombone player called Frank Seago from then until the age of 17, when he retired from instrumental teaching and got a fulltime classroom job at my old primary school. I had never really practised much, had no technique to speak of (due to my being a lazy layabout) and was still playing an old student Besson cornet. There was also a period when I was about 13 - 15 when I had braces and couldn't play at all. I almost gave up then.

I lost my cornet at school one day (a cleaner put it in a cupboard somewhere noone ever looked) and for a few weeks I played a hire cornet from Phil Parkers. My parents then decided they wanted to get me a trumpet (which I resisted because we aren't the richest people in the world). So I ended up getting a Bach strad, and fell in love with the instrument - a far cry from the crappy old cornet I had been playing!

I then studied with a jazz player called Simon Da Silva for a few months (a really really good jazz teacher), but it was classical music that I really wanted to do, and he suggested that I might get into music college. That was a big turning point for me, because I had never thought I had any real ability before.

So I went for a consultation lesson with Paul Beniston from the Royal College, and he threw a lot of stuff at me I hadn't experienced before. He wasn't satisfied that I could play the notes, he wanted me to shape phrases and weird stuff like that. I remember hearing him playing the piece I had brought on my trumpet and mouthpiece and stunning me completely. He also told me I might want to look at my embouchure, and suggested I get some lessons from a guy called Paul Archibald.

I studied with Paul Archibald (one of the most amazing players I have heard!) for a year and did an embouchure change with him. I moved from a 7C to a 1 1/4C and did some pretty drastic stuff. A few months down the line and I was playing better than I had ever done before - better sound, endurance, range, the lot.

I auditioned for foundation years at music colleges a few months after changing my chops. The first few auditions were pretty horrendous to be honest, because I still hadn't developed my embouchure to play anywhere near the level I needed. Luckily Trinity College of Music were the only people who would let me move my audition to a date about 3 months later, and by then I could play my pieces nicely, with a good sound. So I got into Trinity.

I spent last year at Trinity having lessons with Bob Farley. Bob is one of the nicest guys I have met and is just an amazing teacher. He completely turned my playing around, and really gave me a lot of confidence. I had auditioned for the London Schools Symphony Orchestra just after I started at Trinity (gap year people are allowed in) and thankfully I got a seat.

The LSSO was really good for me because I was playing in a section with 2 students of James Watson, who are streets ahead of me really. That's another story, but we get on really well, and one guy in particular is an awesome player who I've learnt from just by sitting next to.

Bob also prepared me for music college auditions - only about a month or so after I started learning with him. I played pretty well, and got a place at the Royal Northern College of Music - the one I wanted to go to most, since it's fantastic for brass and out of London!!

That brings me to now, and I've just started here at the RNCM. I had my first lesson with my new teacher John Miller last week (Bob told me he's the best teacher in the country, so I thought I'd ask for him!) and already I can tell he is going to be fantastic. I'm already practising more than I ever have before, and it's amazing being surrounded by so many musicians. There are loads of stunning players here, and hopefully within 4 years I won't be too embarassed to play infront of them!

That was pretty long considering I'm just starting the trumpet essentially.

Dave Payn

Hello from the beautiful Isle of Arran!

Full name: David Richard Payn; born in Lewisham, SE London, in 1963.

In 1970, my mum bought one of my sisters an old Melody Maker trumpet. Suddenly, early 1974-ish, I took an interest in this trumpet and asked my sister to teach me a few notes here and there. I got to the stage of playing a C major scale (badly) and then for whatever reason, didn't continue. I guess I was looking for a musical instrument to play after my attempts at learning the violin floundered!

Anyway, later in 1974, my interest in the trumpet was rekindled after a discussion with my then music teacher in my first year in secondary school. Call it a retentive memory, ot call it sad, but I remember the day, date and year of my very first trumpet lesson: Thursday, December 19, 1974. My teacher then and indeed up until I left secondary school in 1982, was Clifford Haines; ex member of Ted Heath Band amongst others but a fine 'classical player too. He was certainly a big influence on me, trying to get me not to 'shout' with the trumpet, even in the louder areas of playing, but always to have a warm lyrical sound that could carry when need be. Indeed, he spent a whole lesson once on adopting a more musical approach to playing 'The Last Post' for those Remembrance Day services that I was eventually to play it for.

Trouble was, a number of people (not Mr Haines) had been telling a young impressionable lad how much 'natural talent' I had. I somewhat let this get to me and decided I didn't need to practice too hard as I thought it would just happen. What a rude awakening I got! Belatedly, I realised the value of constructive practice and eventually made it to the Royal College of Music in London where I was taught by Richard ('Bob') Walton, a member of the trumpet section at the very first London Philharmonic Orchestra concert in 1932. His style of playing and teaching was very much akin to Clifford Haines and I enjoyed the trumpet lessons with both of them. Alas, being a 'late developer' in the 'savvy' stakes, I didn't enjoy some other areas of life at the RCM and started skipping lessons and was asked to leave after my first year.

Since then, of course, I wish I could have my time back but what's done is done and there's no point moping about 'what might have been'. I practice harder now than probably at any time since starting on trumpet and absorb all sorts of musical influences. Over the years since college, I played in and eventually started conducting brass bands and wind bands, as well as brass ensembles, trying to pass on and indeed remember the knowledge I gained from my aborted student days! It is very much though, an 'amateur' experience but one I enjoy.

I now conduct the local brass band here on Arran. Very much an 'intermediate' group, I'm glad to have the opportunity to pass on what I've learned and share musical experiences.

Influences? The teachers I have mentioned of course. But being a player who has always tried to make a warm, round sound, I tend to go for those players who are successful trumpeters but learned their trade in the brass band world, such as Maurice Murphy and Rod Franks of the LSO; though I could (and do) listen to a multitude of brass soloists, orchestras, bands etc. to see how I can adopt my own playing and indeed, conducting/direction to improve.

I've been arranging for a number of years, largely for brass ensembles, and soon (once I can afford more bandwidth and Arran gets broadband!), my website will be fully running with Scorch files to listen and hopefully influence people to buy! ;)

Kind regards

Dave

p.s. Belatedly, a big apology to those who spent a lot of time and effort teaching me in my student days, only for me to let you down!

__________________
Amateur trumpeter
Cornet, Arran Brass
Brass band tutor for the Workers' Music Association Summer School

'When I'm down in the dumps, I just go and get myself a new hat.'
'I wondered where you got them from.'

Dave Payn

Hello Jack, from a former member of the London Schools Symphony Orchestra! (1981-82), as indeed was my girlfriend (from 1976-78 I believe). If you ever bump into John Edney again (or indeed anyone connected with the LSSO, tutor wise, that might remember me) say hi from me! Good luck with your college days!

__________________
Amateur trumpeter
Cornet, Arran Brass
Brass band tutor for the Workers' Music Association Summer School

'When I'm down in the dumps, I just go and get myself a new hat.'
'I wondered where you got them from.'

Bryan_sop_trumpet

Hello!

I'm Bryan John Herman, I was born and bred around Farnborough in Hampshire (UK) in 1980. My surname is an adopted name, which I took officially in 1993 when my 'Dad' officially adopted me (my mum re-married in 1985)

I first started playing when I was 8. My doctor said that taking up a wind instrument would really help my asthma. A few days later, there were vacancies at my school for Cornet lessons. Of the 10 or so that started, I am the only one that is still playing.

I don't remember what the instrument I started on was but my first instrument was a B&H 400 Trumpet. Within a year I had taken (and passed) my Grade 4 on trumpet. I've always been interested in the higher range of the trumpet. I could play a good confident top C within by the time I was 9. It just came naturally to me. Because of the fact I enjoyed the higher reaches of playing so much, I started playing Soprano cornet when I was about 12.

The first ensemble I ever played with was called NEWTS (North East Wind TrainerS) but shortly afterwards, I got a taste for brass bands. I've played for several bands and have been registered with Horsham borough silver band, City of Cambridge Brass Band and Soham Comrades band (all on Soprano Cornet)

I have a BA(Hons) degree in Music, which I got from Anglia polytechnic university in Cambridge. I decided to stay in Cambridge after I finished my degree because there was more musically for me to do. I got a job working in a bank's cash center, which closed a year later, and ever since, I've been stuck in a crappy security guarding job. I decided a few months ago to get my finger out and start looking for 'proper' (ie music) work. I joined a brass quintet in London (which has now sadly split and we've set up 2 seperate quintets from it) and joined an orchestra in london too. I have also recently started teaching brass at a saturday school. The only good thing about my security job is that I can practice as much as I like if I'm working nights or weekends. Other than that, I hate the early mornings, long hours, lack of intelligence needed and general demorilisation of having a crappy job, knowing I have so much more to give.

At the moment, I am playing with the city of cambridge brass band, London Charity Orchestra and the Quintet in London (yet to be named!) and I play occasionally with the Cambridge Orchestra. I'm looking for as much Orchestral experience as possible at the moment, having not done much (I really need to brush up on my transposing!!) I also play in a Function band that plays mostly 70s music called 'Disco Inferno' and I play as a guest with a country/blues band called 'Mystery train'. I've just got my first ever piccolo (F Besson) and I play on a Courtois 'Elite' Bb/C Trumpet.

I had the same teacher from when I started until I was 18, Dennis Leese, who was a Peri for the Hampshire music Service, at University, I was taught by George Reynolds. I am a great admirer of Wynton Marsalis and Miles Davis and I enjoy listening to almost any music.

__________________
Bryan Herman
Trumpet - Strong Brass Quintet
Trumpet - Disco Inferno
Trumpet - Harmony in Harlem
Soprano Cornet - City of Cambridge Brass Band

JackD

Hi Dave, that's very cool. The only tutors I've had at the LSSO are Geoff Harniess, Paul Beniston (just for a few sectionals), our various conductors and Peter Ash - artistic director (I think he's relatively new though!) I don't know John Edney, but I have heard the name before.

Cheers,

Jack

Eclipsehornplayer

Wow Manny what a topic!

Well, I'm John Sheets born December 23, 1968 in Lincoln Park, Michigan. Mom and Dad never did anything musically so I don't honestly know where I picked up my inclination for music from. I first picked up a Coronet in 5th grade about the time I was 10 or so. My band teacher was a fella by the name of William Olin at Memorial Elementary school in Riverview, Michigan.

I liked playing the horn, and it grew on me. I continued with music into Jr. High when I attended Seitz Jr. High in Riverview, Michgian. My Dad bought me my first Trumpet in 7th grade and I really started to excel. I was working through Arban's and playing my guts out. I always sat 1st chair 1st trumpet section. My Jr. High Band teacher Mr. Richard Sinner talked highly of me and did his best to encourage me stating that I was quite talented and he thought I'd go places. I also was a member of a local drum and bugle corps. New Horizons Drum and Bugle corps. God rest it's sole, what a fun thing it was to play a 2 valve Key of "G" soprano bugle for a summer while marching. I really enjoyed this. As I can recall the bugle was a bit akward, one piston valve mounted horizontally towards the bell of the bugle played with your thumb, the other a rotary valve mounted at the rear of the bugle played with a finger.

I unfortunately lacked the drive and common sense that I now have at my tender age of 36. I got into a lot of trouble and was expelled from school in 9th grade when I was 16 for striking faculty (It's a long story and I regret it more then you'll know). For what it's worth the teacher was totally in the wrong and I was justified in protecting myself, however rules are rules and I was expelled as per the Riverview School district's rules. No I did not strike my band teacher! He was my math teacher!

Being kicked ot of school I never graduated high school. I went right to work and have been working ever since.

Through a series of amazing breaks I managed to get into mainframe computer support and landed a job that normally requires a bachelors degree to be in.

Sadly I was let go from that job after 10 years of service and due to Michigan's poor economy I was unable to find another one in the state of Michigan after 8 months of trying.

This brings me to April 2005. I was lucky enough to score an interview with my current company, AFLAC, yup the Duck!

I now have re-located from the Metro Detroit area to the Columbus, Georgia area and am working hard at making a living. Aren't we all?

I started about 1 year ago to pick my horn back up again, and have been making strides at recapturing my former greatness. I play in the Trumpet section of the Bob Barr Community Band here in Columbus, Georgia and am hoping one day to become good enough to audition for the local symphony, but I'm a ways off from that! For now it's just good to be employed and playing my horn!

As for my influences: Chuck Mangione, Louie Armstrong, Maynard Fergusen, Miles Davis, Herb Alpert and the TJ Brass, and Dizzy! Never could get on board with the upturned bell though!

__________________
Eclipse MHY Bb Trumpet with interchangable leadpipes
Bach 229 25A C Trumpet
Getzen Capri Bb Cornet
GR & Monette mouthpieces

Schwab

Hi, I'm Dylan Schwab, born 1977 in Pottstown, PA. My folks got me an old Cavalier cornet at an auction in town and so I started tooting around on it. Soon after I started lessons at school with Kevin Rosenberry, who basically taught me how to play the trumpet. Before college I also studied with Ken Brader and Tim Hudson, both of which helped to teach me much about music.

I went to Indiana University as a business major, it was the #3 ranked business school in the country at the time, I don't know if it still is. After getting into the business school at the end of my freshman year and spending my whole Sophomore year there I decided I hated the business school and the attitude of most of the people there, which was basically, "I don't care what it takes or who I have to screw over, I'm going to get rich." So auditioned for the school of music and the rest is history.

At IU I studied with John Rommel and Bill Adam, and also took lessons with all the other teachers there, Dominic Spera, Ed Cord, Stephen Burns, Pat Harbison. All of them great teachers and great guys too.

Right before I graduated college a friend of mine on the Miller Band called me up and said he was leaving, if I wanted the spot I should make a tape and send it out, so I did and ended up with a gig right out of school, which was super lucky. Graduated Dec. of '99 started with the band New Year's eve. After spending 10 months on the bus I couldn't take it anymore and one of the drummers got me a gig on his ship on Carnival. I worked for them on and off for two years until another guy from the Miller band called me up and said they needed a trumpet player at the last second for the Music Man tour, which he was on. So I jumped ship(!) and did that tour for two years. After Music Man closed I auditioned for the 42nd St. tour and I'm still doing that now.

Believe it or not I recently became a homeowner, even though I spend most of my time in hotels. It is nice knowing I have a place to hang my hat though.

So thats me.

__________________
Dylan Schwab
Stage 1 New York