Bourbon City

Oh to go back to High School and College Musical Productions and to play in the Orchestra again. I loved that period of my life. I think you will too. High School will likely do High School level productions so if you can play concert style as well as big band style music you should be fine in a High School Musical. There's alot of good advise given in this forum.

Be aware that there are amature people on stage and the soloist may suddenly jump to the chorus and that isn't where the Orchestra is. Oh, What Fun!

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Dale Schmidt, P.E.
Bridges to build and Rivers crossed...

stchasking

We should mention that you will be playing in 5 and 6 sharps and 5 flats a majority of the time.
If this happens, PM me and I'll tell you how I handled it. Besides a lot of practice.
Musicals have a lot of key signature modulations.

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"I was performing professionally at age 17 and have never had a real job." Allen Vizzutti

http://cdbaby.com/cd/mcking

Jason Parra

Hi Trumpet guy,
Heres my two cents worth---
Dylan was right about everything, I'll second Ray on that. To me commercial playing is the mainstay for most working pro's (steady paycheck). I can't stress enough how important your sight reading skills are. Other important factors are flexibility (styles, personality), your reputation (reliable and being straight on the gig gets you more calls than a flaky top pro), gear (this includes anything from horns to clothing-tux etc). Also get used to a click track-I read somewhere above that the trumpet is in control; sometimes, but other times no. Your pit gigs may be entirely on a click track, with a studio recording playing under/with the "animals" in the pit. Good headphones and/or in-ear buds are nice to have.
The work could be big band, shows (sub off/on Broadway, "semi truck" shows, circus, cold read entertainers, studio (important--nail it in the studio, more takes = less work). I could go on and on, but be prepared for anything, transposing, reading dismal marked up charts, egos, intonation etc.
You are a young guy, just play everything/anywhere you can and sight read everyday. Last....Be cool (many definitions of cool).
Best of luck, Jason

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Jason Ulysses Parra
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stchasking

Trumpet guy,

I found out the spring musical 2009 will be, "Into the Woods."
I have already been supplied with the original broadway sound track and have it loaded in my car stereo. The DVD is also on order.

This trumpet part has some incedental licks that play during or between dialog. The trumpet reenforces the scary parts of going into the woods.

I want to emphasize that this will not be a low level production. The singers will learn their songs and dialog just like the broadway actors. I will have to learn my part right out of the broadway book. The high school players will also learn their parts out of the same boadway books. The faculty may cut songs only if it runs longer than two hours.

I encourage you to play in your high school's production no matter what it is. You will be challenged and so near the experience of professional playing you may find ordinary music less interesting.

Finally, there are actresses in every musical. They have talent, personality, intellegence and may like trumpet players. Be sure to tell them you enjoy their craft and performance. It might help you get a date to prom.

__________________
"I was performing professionally at age 17 and have never had a real job." Allen Vizzutti

http://cdbaby.com/cd/mcking