rowuk

Hi Ed,
what natural trumpet(s) do you play? As I am a trumpet player, the obvous next question is: what mouthpiece do you use with it?

ecarroll

rowuk,

I don't actually perform on the nat, although I have a terrific Monke 3 hole (short model) similar to the Egger trumpets of the same style. The "traditional" mouthpieces (no throat, hole bored directly into the bottom of the cup) seem to work best. Various makers have them.

Robert Farley taught the nat at the Royal Academy of Music when I was in London and all trumpet majors were required to study it and play a recital. The results were terrific. By the way, one of the students there, John Hutchins, co-authored with Bob "The Natural Trumpet Study Book", which is very, very good.

I suppose all of this is a 'roundabout way of saying that I don't play Baroque music anymore aside for the wedding of a friend or two. It doesn't hold much interest for me these days.

Best,
EC

kjt

Ed,

Yeah, I really can't say enough positive things about my Thein piccolo. It seems to just play itself and I get to come along for the ride. I haven't played any of their other instruments. My corno da caccia is by Matthias Beck (Dettingen/Erms) and it too is a very nice instrument for a little less cash than the Thein.

That just begs the question: What are you playing these days? I love your Baroque recordings. It interests me that you're not there any more. Have you recorded or are you recording some new music now?

Thanks -keith

ecarroll

Keith,

I'm focused on new musical experiences, feeling strongly that repetition kills creativity over time, and I'm enjoying my career today as much as I enjoyed being a student myself.

Teaching is my salvation and new music is my pleasure. I learned many years ago that each student brings his/her own set of circumstances to the table and thus unlocking even a simple Clarke study or Bordogni vocalise is
a new and musically vital experience for me. Even moreso if it's a Mahler Symphony or Sequenza X. I'm lucky to be in contact with fabulous and interesting students at CalArts, McGill, and Chosen Vale. My Dartmouth (I teach there because I happen to live there) kids are brilliant in their own way. Most scored 800 on the verbal parts of their SATs.

Realizing new scores, particularly in collaboration with composers, is a vital experience. Improvisation is as well. I had a tremendous experience creating a 80 minute improv with prepared piano and mallet percussion in a concert 2 weeks ago in California. Great fun.

Playing Baroque music is a distant memory for me. Teaching and encouraging new voices in it remains very, very new.

Does this make sense to anyone but me?

Best,
EC