Put Your Hands Together For Chad Boydston
How did you got started and when? “My dad was a trumpet player and was good enough to stay state side with the 2nd army continental band during the Vietnam war. He had to play taps a lot for those not so lucky. I would eventually inherit this phenomenon,…
Coincidence- Environment-Or Something Else?
Events in our lives can be attributed to many influences. Some are accidental, some are planned and some just happen for no reason at all. In this post, I would like to describe a very unusual situation that even I can not understand. After giving you a short description of…
23 Years and Still Going Strong!
Twenty-three years may not seem like a long time to remain in the same job or be married to the same person but when speaking of the longevity of a band, this is incredible. The History and Future of Grand Marquis The Grand Marquis band started in 1998 with a…
Things to Consider After You Get the Job
Don’t complain about your leader/conductor- at least where he/she can hear you. Don’t give advice unless you are asked. Never hire a sub better than yourself. If play a second part in an ensemble, never criticize the first chair player. When warming up, never try to see how high you…
What Does it Take to Become a Professional Musician?
What Constitutes a Professional Musician? A professional musician is one who plays an instrument or several instruments proficiently; performing is their primary source of income. What Constitutes an Amateur Musician? An amateur musician is one who loves playing music or one who cultivates something as a pastime. If you happen to be described by the…
The Best Easter, Ever!
This Easter I had the pleasure of performing with two of my Grand Kids; Jake Kunkle (percussion) and Zach Kunkle (trumpet). What a thrill to have now three generations of very skilled musicians in the family.
Gap or Not To Gap, That is a Question- Part II
As if the previous post was not more information than needed on mouthpiece gap, here is another element to consider.
Gap or Not To Gap, That is a Question
This video is very well done and if you have always wondered what a gap was and how it affects you horn, I think you will find this very interesting. I totally agree with this demonstration.
Comeback Player Questions
I received this message this past week and because of the house full of family I am a little behind on my posts. I would like to thank this gentleman for his questions and due to the fact that many have indicated that they were also “comeback” players, I thought…
You Raise Me Up – Trumpet Ensemble
From time to time we have readers send in recordings of our music and this young man was kind enough to take the time to prepare our arrangement of “You Raised Me Up”. We would like to thank Javed for his recording and it looks as if we have…