TrentAustin

Phew!

What a day... and what a wonderful experience these past few months have been in my life as a professional musician. I often hear that it's hard to re-invent yourself, especially as a musician. I know that in my own life this has been the case. It's always a little bit of this, a little bit of that. Sometimes you find yourself as an "artist" in a period of stagnation. Nothing ever seems productive.

The experience I've had in this past week has really given me more focus than you could imagine. At my school and probably throughout the trumpet communities I'm definitely known as a "jazz" guy. I love picking up my instrument and playing what's in my head. I love the trumpet and always will. When the conductor for these Brandenburg's called me I knew it was an opportunity I had to take. I mean how many times does the "jazz" guy get to play one of the finest pieces of music the trumpet gets to play?

So I gladly accepted, knowing full well that a huge challenge was in store for me... In my body I've always felt a little intimidated by classical music and the belief that I had to be TECHNICALLY perfect... so I often shyed away from that genre. I want to spread my mind musically, let things flow and really enjoy the whole process (not just the thrill of a technically sound gig)

Months later, and tons of score study/listening/recording/and shedding led me to the concert today. Even though it was not perfect (by any stretch) given my current ability I honestly think I could not have played it any better than today. The chops felt great (even after a rough 5 hour rock gig the day before...don't ask!) and I felt at ease with all of my surroundings.

It's opened my mind to the fact is that I'm a TRUMPET player... who loves playing in any genre. Having my lesson with Ed last week (THANK YOU!) really opened my mind to what's possible if I actually get in the trenches and practice. Stay tuned to see what's around the bend... needless to say life is so exciting right now.

So here are the clips from the performance today (youtube sometimes takes a few hours for processing). Please listen to them (and the others) and comment. I'd love to hear if you all have had similar experiences musically.

http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=jazzmanta


Trumpetblazingly yours,

Trent

ecarroll

Trent,

You sound terrific and I love the excitement that we read between your lines. Congratulations. This is why we are musicians.

I've often argued that the next generation of super trumpeters would cross effortlessly between languages. You're there, amigo, and I look forward to the next steps that we talked about.

Thanks for the thrill,
EC

A.N.A. Mendez

That is a pic. right?

A.N.A. Mendez

By the way, major large ones to get up there and do that.......

timcates

Trent - niiiiiiiice playing! I know the weekend was the culmination of lots of musical, mental, and physical work - glad it went so well - Bravo!

BTW, DUDE you are borderline insane! - really, doing a 5-hour rock gig with "Brandenburg bookends" - that's a SERIOUS workload for anybody - and you were making MUSIC, not just in "survival mode". Congrats again!

Tim

W Scott

Congratulations Trent! I'm glad to 'hear' (literally) that the conert went so well for you. I do know something of what you went through to 're-invent' yourself as I had a (for me) tough gig this last Thursday night.

I'm a comebacker, eight years into it. I've been playing all this time in community bands, small dance bands or praise and worship teams. I like classical music though, and I finally found my first trumpet teacher. He's a principal trumpet for the local symphony. Anyway, I've been studying with him for about nine months now and the skill levels are much improved. I was looking to stretch and grow musically so I was looking for a group other than a community band to join.

I was in a local music store and saw a poster for auditions for the local Pops Orchestra. I called and found out a bit more about the group. About sixty in the orchestra, and they only had one trumpet. The group is a mix of professionals and amateurs, both older folks and grad. students from the local music school. Some of the pros also play in the local symphony. Anyway, auditions are this coming week but I was invited to 'sit in' if I wanted too.

Sure, why not? After all there would be the regular trumpet master I could hide behind right? Wrong!

I get there and the regular isn't there. One of the top grad. students (he and I both have the same teacher) showed up to sight read the 1st part, I grabbed the second part. The orchestra has a concert Oct. 27 with the theme 'Monsters and Magic'. We're sight reading--The Lord of the Rings; Night on Bald Mountain; Danse Machabre; Selections from Tim Burtons' Nightmare Before Christmas; The Water Goblin......and there just is no place to hide. The musical notations are very different with some really odd meter timing making for some real tough rhythmns. Yeah, made a few mistakes, but didn't do too bad and they didn't scare me off. I'm going back this week and see if I can make this my new musical home. Re-invention underway...

Bill

rowuk

Hey Trent!
Great job! Especially considering the rock job the day before, I was most impressed with the dynamics. Playing softly after having beat myself up is always tough!
Congrats!!!!!
Robin

TrentAustin

Thanks again for all the kind words and the tips in PM's. Like anything else new there's something always to be learned in this art of the trumpet.

I'll look forward to refining the process in the future.

Now how 'bout similar experiences in your musical lives?

-T

40cal

Outstanding work!!!!!

trpt2345

Trent, that's great. (I don't have to ask about 5 hour rock gigs, been there). The bottom line is we're trumpet players. Though my specialty is jazz I get annoyed when people introduce me as a jazz trumpet player, I do way more than that and I don't like being pigeonholed. BTW, no classical player ever was perfect except maybe Maurice Andre.

Michael McLaughlin

Time is nature's way of keeping everything from happening at once.
Woody Allen