trumpetjens

Mark Gould's performance with his band 'Pink Baby Monster' at UCLA last night was amazing! Hearing the former principal trumpet of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra and current professor of trumpet at the esteemed Juilliard School in a program that features jazz, rock, rap, opera, libretto, poetry, singing and yes, even country music sounds like it might be the punch line to a joke but I can assure you that this is one of the most vital 'trumpet' programs I have ever heard. IMHO, this concert is a MUST for students at conservatories and universities around the country and I would strongly encourage you to take up the cause of lobbying to bring Mark and PBM to your school for a performance and masterclass.

This is not merely an endorsement for Mark and his work, this concert is a direct challenge to the idea of what being a complete musician and trumpet player is all about. It is about blurring the lines of stereotype without compromising musical integrity in performance. The performance was intentionally controversial at times and it is intended to make people think. It is also very funny!!!

My personal motivation has always been founded on the idea of trying to do things differently and, in the best sense of the phrase, not care about what other trumpeters think. We all like to hear compliments from our knowledgeable colleagues, but as a professional it is far more important to have others be interested in what we as trumpet players are all trying to accomplish. The reason that we have forums and chat groups is to talk about the kinds of things that most non-trumpet players would never be interested in anyway. However, we also have an opportunity here to encourage one another in a creative sense. Mark Gould and 'Pink Baby Monster' should help convince you that the 'conservatory' educated trumpeter of tomorrow will be happier and more successful if open-minded and not simply playing A-C-F-C-A-F-A-C-E-C-A-F (if you know what that means, then you have been in the hallways of hundreds of university music schools). Considering Mark's own professional pedigree, I think it would go unchallenged that he has earned the right to challenge a system that cranks out so-called 'trumpet meatheads' who do not want to explore the many musical voices our instrument is capable of.

Just as amazing are the musicians Mark has chosen to work with, Brian McWhorter (trumpet, computer, vocals), Micah Killian (trumpet, computer, vocals, percussion), Kyle Sanna (guitar, vocals). Their contribution is essential to the ensemble's success...as is true of any chamber music concert.

(From the group's website) "The musical ingredients of the ensemble are drawn from opera, electronica, beat-based minimalism, jazz and rock with a generous seasoning of hip-hop and Tibetan throat singing. The inspiration for the poetry and musical monologues is not drawn from the usual sources. MG/PBM's muse is politics, religion, science and mathematics, contemporary aesthetics, and various cultural ironies and peculiarities".

Jens Lindemann
www.trumpetsolo.com

ecarroll

Well said, Jens, and I can't agree with you more. It was fun hearing Mark/Pink Baby and seeing you up at CalArts Friday night.

Nice that you've discovered TM too. Welcome!

Cheers,
EC

Schwab

I saw Pink Baby Monster in New York, I thought it was great. It isn't something I'd listen to all the time, but when I saw it, it was refreshing.

Hi Jens.