ecarroll

TMers,

Listen to Rubén at the last Maurice Andre Competition. He was/is 14 years old and placed second.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bKZNq3FUNRo&NR=1

Best,
EC

mahaberio

What a great talent! It really excites me when I see young players playing that well. So many fine players have gotten notice at the André competition. I think we'll be seeing a lot more of him.

ecarroll

Matthew,

Rubén has been on the radar of the European trumpet community for quite some time now (check out the other videos on youtube, some made when he was 8 or 9). The Andre competition was notice that he had matured musically to an international level, however. Great to see.

I've occasionally been asked how a teacher goes about working with a talent like that (I worked with Giuliano Sommerhalder (www.giulianosommerhalder.com) when he was 14 or 15) and all I can say is that you get out of the way other than feeding them musical challanges and try to expand their musical horizons beyond the trumpet repertoire. I actually recommended to Max, Giuliano's father, that he major in composition if he were to come to North America to study (an idea that was floated and abandoned).

These kids would have been perfect for Nadia Boulanger's class in Paris during the 60s and 70s. It's interesting to me, by the way, that a teacher of that caliber hasn't emerged since her passing.

Best,
EC

ROGERIO

ED,

Amazing... I hope I'm around to hear him live with a major orchestra here in the states.

Not to discount any natural talent, but wouldn't you agree that getting focused at an early age (like learning a language) is of great benefit in this case? I guess the point I'm trying to make is that society, peers and even teachers set our limitations early on and it builds as we get older. Our minds become cluttered with negative thoughts and doubts about our abilities.

In junior high it was... "high C... hit a high C... can you hit a high C?".... the first barrier of sorts. A few years later I remember falling in love with the Leopold Mozart Concerto while still in High School (Andre recording). I had no idea it was that hard... played it on my Bb for months (down an octave)... then finally borrowed a picc and worked it, worked it until I could play it. I was able to get passed the difficulties because no one said, "are you crazy? This is not something you should be playing [at your level]."

Thanks for sharing these clips.

btw, HORNS FOR SALE... buy now, buy cheap... I'm motivated... (or is it unmotivated?)... LOL

Rogerio

rowuk

I am not sure that Rubén will ever end up in any orchestra. He will probably get a CD contract and they will push him into a solo career - the next Nakariakov if you will.

ROGERIO

Robin,

Most definitely.... that's exactly what I meant. Solo career. Hence the "with" and not "in".

ecarroll

Rogerio,

It must be brutal in Phoenix about now.

Yes, of course, to the above. Music can be learned at a very early age and it comes the same way our mother tongue comes: through imitation. Disclaimer: EC's wife is a licenced Suzuki piano teacher (through book #5) and he believes in sticking a horn on a kid's face as soon as (s)he has front teeth.

That said, Dale Clevenger didn't pick up his horn until he was in his 20s. There are many pathways we can follow. I'm busy trying to find the high road myself...

Best,
EC

ROGERIO

EC,

Thanks for your reply. Tomasi at 14... umm, I would like to start over and correctly. Is there a religious group based on the trumpet that I could be "born again", in? Haven't seen that offered on any ITG Conferences.... LOL

Rogerio

Peanut Gallery: I'm a person of faith, but also happen to have a sense of humor. So please forgive if I have offended anyone.

PS. "High Road" Ed? By my account you haven't had your feet on the ground in years! A bit "cooler" today in Phoenix... only 100. We hit 115 on Sat and Sun.