Posted by glennled on April 12, 2012
One of my private trumpet students just got promoted by the band director at Skyline Jr. High in Bothell to 2nd-year (6th grade) elementary band. She’s a 6th grader who just started band this year, so she’s been playing among 5th-graders in the 1st-year band. She’s advanced far enough on the fast track that she now belongs among her own age group. I recommended the promotion to the band director, and he accepted it.
Another 1st-year band trumpeter has been struggling with her tone (airy) and articulation (splatters). This week, I told her that because of her embouchure, I thought she might produce a better tone with sharper slotting on an instrument with a bigger mouthpiece. I asked her to try playing a trombone for me, and she was willing. So in a small practice room, she blew on a school-owned trombone—and out came some big, fat solid tones over a wide range. I called in the band director, and we were all so excited. Given a choice of baritone or trombone, she chose trombone.
And again, I experienced the teacher’s thrill—I helped two students get a taste of success.
Posted in Student Competitions, Honors & Awards | Tagged: articulation, band, baritone, director, embouchure, Skyline Jr. High, slotting, teacher, tone, trombone, trumpet, trumpeter | 2 Comments »
Posted by glennled on May 12, 2010
Last night I went to hear one of my trumpet students play in the spring music concert at his elementary school. In his introduction, the principal alluded to the 1st place finish by Garfield High School’s jazz band in the Essentially Ellington jazz competition in New York City on Monday. It was their second victory in two years and their fourth (a record) in the 15-year history of this nationwide competition. He endorsed music education and wished his elementary students success in their music endeavors.
Six groups performed: Beginning Strings, Advanced Orchestra, Beginning Brass, Beginning Winds, Beginning Clarinets, and Advanced Band. He’s in Beginning Brass, along with four other trumpeters and one trombonist. The band director commented that they were going to play some Christmas music. It was a typically cool night on an overcast day in Seattle, but Christmas in May?! Yes, we heard the brass ensemble play “Good King Wenceslas” and “Jolly Old St. Nicholas,” as well as “Crusaders March” and “Frere Jacques,” in the school cafeteria with the stage. My student and another played lead trumpet, and I could clearly distinguish his strong, confident tone and clean articulation. Way to go!
Posted in School Concerts | Tagged: articulation, band, brass, Christmas, concert, director, education, elementary, ensemble, Essentially Ellington, Garfield, high, jazz, music, New York City, school, Seattle, spring, tone, trombonist, trumpet, trumpeters | Leave a Comment »
Posted by glennled on February 19, 2010
Last night, I attended an excellent band concert at Kamiakin Junior High School in Kirkland, where one of my 6th grade students plays trumpet in the Intermediate Band. What fun! First came the Beginning Band (80 students), then the Intermediate Band (~50), then the Symphonic Band, and finally the 8th Grade Band–four bands! They were all well-rehearsed and well-behaved. And they played well! All totaled, there must have been about 35-40 young trumpeters on stage. The stands were filled with about 300-400 parents, siblings, grandparents and other relatives, friends, and other interested parties like me. Soloists, duets, and trios also played and were given medals for doing so. It’s one of the strongest band programs I have seen and is a great credit to the enthusiastic, energetic, pleasant, and obviously competent Band Director. Congratulations!
Posted in School Concerts | Tagged: band, concert, director, Eastside, Jr. High, trumpet, trumpeters | 4 Comments »
Posted by glennled on November 18, 2009
This afternoon during our first private trumpet lesson, I heard my newest student, the 4th of this school year, play the sweetest tones on his trumpet! Trouble is, he cannot yet read music fluently. He’s sort of stuck at that stage where he still has to think about the name of each note and then recall the fingering. But when he finally blows, his attack is clean and his tone is big, solid, full, round and fat! It’s so natural to him.
He’s been thrown into a 6th grade band class, handed a band book, and told to go learn to play Exercise __ or Song __ on pages __ with little or no guidance or instruction about the horn and technique. It’s forced “do it yourself” learning. Well, with this teaching approach, what results does the band director at this north Seattle elementary school expect?! Struggles, frustration, and a probable band drop-out someday.
It is my pleasure to help this gentle boy overcome these obstacles. Let’s give the kid some successes! and who knows? maybe we’ll be listening to him play in the jazz, concert and marching bands soon…maybe in the symphony or opera orchestras someday…maybe on some CDs or in the movies when he’s that good. Let him dream! Help him dream! Help him achieve his potential. Or maybe he’ll simply enjoy playing in the school band with his friends for a few years and never take it any further…that’s fine, too. You find good people in bands. Good memories accumulate with the many events, and lifetime friendships often form–even marriages!
Thanks to his Mom for giving me the opportunity to help him come to love music and the trumpet. Let’s motivate him to practice more. Let’s have fun while we work hard. Let’s see what he can do, if he really wants to.
Posted in New Students - Intro Posts | Tagged: 4th, 6th, attack, band, CDs, concert, director, dream, fingering, grade, grader, jazz, lesson, marching, movies, opera, orchestra, sweet, sweetest, symphony, technique, tone, trumpet | 2 Comments »
One of my private trumpet students just got promoted by the band director at Skyline Jr. High in Bothell to 2nd-year (6th grade) elementary band. She’s a 6th grader who just started band this year, so she’s been playing among 5th-graders in the 1st-year band. She’s advanced far enough on the fast track that she now belongs among her own age group. I recommended the promotion to the band director, and he accepted it.
Glenn's Trumpet Notes 
