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Friday, June 18 - 8:00 am. Clinic: Byron Stripling Erin Beave, Reporter
To begin the session, Stripling recalled a conversation between Albert Einstein and one of his graduate students. The discussion centered on Einstein’s use of the same final exam in consecutive semesters. When the student questioned his professor as to why he would give the same test to the same students twice, Einstein replied, “Because the answers have changed.” Stripling used this parable to illustrate the fact that working as a professional trumpeter has changed dramatically over the past several years. He pointed out that opportunities for work in an orchestra or as a professor are much more limited than in the past, and to counter that trend, we as trumpet players must rely much more on personal responsibility and our own vision to shape the direction of a career as a trumpet player.
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Byron Stripling, Artistic Director and Conductor of the Columbus Big Band, gave one of the most energizing sessions of the conference Friday morning. With his vivacious wit and contagious energy, Stripling discussed the skills necessary to be a top-level musician in the 21st century.
Mr. Stripling discussed what he called “skill sets” that contained basic principles of success. Key points raised were personal excellence, solid time management, and development of superior musicianship. The point he emphasized most was the value of anticipation and vision within the profession. Stripling stated that having a vision of the future was critical to personal success and when coupled with strategic planning would “make it happen.” As the session drew to a somewhat poetic close, Stripling encouraged those in attendance to let the imagination be the catalyst for the future and left the audience with a sense of empowerment and a renewed enthusiasm for the limitless possibilities of the trumpet profession.