| Re: Trumpet Pedagogy
Matthew et al,
Hello from Los Angeles. Sorry to be slow in entering -- I was travelling yesterday.
Many of the students that I'm seeing have developed their fundamental technique to a level that far exceeds the norm of my student days. That said, the 10% who went on to high profile jobs then obviously had virtuoso abilities as well. The interesting and oft discussed question becomes has the percentage of students moving on risen beyond this hypothetical 10%? I would argue no, but that's a wonderful topic for another thread.
Personally, I believe that the two great additions to the canon of great pedagogical materials (in my opinion Clarke, Cichowicz, Caruso, Stamp, Irons -- please note that I'm only focusing on exercises for this discussion, not etudes) have been the Thompson and Thibaud books that you describe. Jim's glissando buzzing, particularly in regard to the "breaks" at the bottom and top of the staff, and Thibaud's views on pedal/double pedal notes, positive/negative, etc. are VERY important contributions. I use both very successfully with selected students. It must be noted, however, that both are simply re-working or, perhaps better said, expanding the work of Clarke, Caruso, Cichowicz, Irons, and Stamp. The principle of solid fundamental trumpet playing was well established by those five gentlemen and Jim & Pierre offer additional perspective.
I was excited about the Kase book when it first came out, if only as an example of different modal treatments of Clarke. Advanced players should, however, be able to figure these treatments out for themselves (!). Tony Plog has also recently finished a pretty comprehensive set of exercises that I'm slowing sorting out and introducing to some.
This is a HUGE topic, my friends. Let's all add our thoughts?
Best,
EC |