emolina82

Even though I am the first person in my family to play a musical instrument, my family has good musical instincts, we can all carry a tune and I knew that I wanted to be in band since I was little. I wanted to play the saxophone. In sixth grade the band director gave me an alto to try out and I blew into it and nothing came out (thinking about it now, he probably stuck a number 5 reed on the mouthpiece, probably not wanting me to play the sax ) My next choice was trumpet, 15 years later I don't think it was a bad choice at all.

sonicgeo2

We took a field trip in 5th grade to see the Grand Rapids Symphony play Pictures at an Exhibition, and wanted to play violin (what was I thinking!). I quit after a year and chose trumpet in 6th grade and I thank God everyday that I did.

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I didn't want to get that ring around my lips from practicing the trumpet, because I thought the girls wouldn't like me. So I never practiced.
-Wynton Marsalis

Trum Peter

I have four people to thank for the lifelong curse/blessing of wanting to play trumpet. First my parents who persuaded me in the 6th grade to not be a drummer like I wanted, Mr. Ed Wolf my middle school band director for seeing a mustard seed worth of potential in me, and Mr. Boyde Hood for coming out at a break in a LA Phil rehearsal to talk to a bunch of snot nosed kids and instill in me the desire to spend the rest of my life pursuing the beauty I heard that day.

concordtrumpet

My father would always have jazz on the stereo when I was young. My earliest memory is of my mom's pasta and the Frank Sinatra's trumpets screaming in the background

That and my father gave me his trumpet to play while I was in elementary school. I thought that was pretty awesome!

-Matt

Trumpet guy

Parents made me do piano. I didn't love it. Although I can say I've gotten 7 valuable years of theory out of it, as I am considering going into composition.

I started watching movies around 7/8 years old, loved the sound of the brass is movies like Star Wars and Superman. So I picked up trumpet in 5th grade band (right after the required year of 4th grade recorder playing).

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Daniel Lan
"If you're not improving, you're falling behind." - My Trumpet Teacher, Steve

Horns
Bach Strad 37 - Megatone 3C/3B
Bach TR300 (marching)
Berkeley Cornet
Berkeley Picc. Trumpet - Vincent Bach Corp. Mt.Vernon N.Y 10 1/2 DW
Jupiter Soprano Trombone - Megatone 3C/3B
Olds Ambassador Fullerton Trombone - Olds 12C

jcstites

I can't remember one specific moment when i decided to get into music. It just seemed natural because of my parents. Having a father that is a band director, and mother that teaches clarinet probably influenced that. I have been around it my entire life, so it would just seem weird to not be in music.

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www.jonathanstites.com

lemons

I've loved music as long as I can remember. My parents had a large record collection and there was always music in the house. As far as the trumpet is concerned, it was "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood." Back in the primeval days before there was a computer in every room, my family had a single black and white TV, and my sister and I took turns deciding what to watch after school. This particular day she chose Mister Rogers. Although I protested vigorously, some gentle guidance from Mother (..God****it, it's your sister's turn!)quieted me. I don't remember who it was, but he had a trumpeter visit the neighborhood that day. He demonstrated mutes, trumpets in various keys and played some lyrical melodies. By the end of the show I was asking my parents if I could get one of those things for my next birthday. And with that, my doom was sealed.

-Kevin

kadleck

Thanks everyone! These are really fun for me to read and hopefully you are enjoying them too. It's amazing how we all come from such varied backgrounds and wind up pressing metal to our faces in hopes of making music.

Keep them coming.

This, I loved...thanks Kevin!

Tony

derekkress

Oh yes! In grade school (Sudbury Ontario) we were required to sing in the choir and like most kids that age learn the recorder too. Well I couldn't stand either just digging groups like KISS and SUPERTRAMP and the rest as well as playing soccer at a high level. Knowing that in grade 7 I had a choice of playing an instrument drums were high on my list as well as guitar. But one morning before heading to school I saw the Canadian Brass on Sesame Street.Ronald Romm was at his best that day entertaining and playing a mean trumpet and piccolo. Fortunately that was the ice breaker my instrument was chosen!

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Celebration Bflat by Flip Oakes
Early Yamaha Flugel prototype(Guido Basso)
GR and Stork mouthpieces

Dale Proctor

My parents bought a couple of Tijuana Brass albums when I was in 6th grade. About the same time, my best friend took up cornet, and so did I. We're both still playing, and I still like TjB....

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"Brass bands are all very well in their place - outdoors and several miles away." - Sir Thomas Beecham

Olde Towne Brass
www.otbrass.com

Brass Band of Huntsville
www.brassbandofhuntsville.org