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Wednesday, June 16 - 1:00 pm
Erin Beave, Reporter For more than 55 years, Raymond Crisara has served the musical community as a performer and teacher. The interview with professor Crisara was a chance for his colleagues and former students to reminisce, and for a new generation of trumpet players to meet one of the most influential musical figures over the past half-century. Crisara discussed his career at length, pausing every so often to interject an amusing story or to give some advice about the trumpet. He recalled his days studying with Ernest Williams, or “Chief” as the students called him, all the way up to his teaching career at The University of Texas – Austin. When remembering back to his days at the Ernest Williams School of Music in Brooklyn, he mentioned that graduating for many was a relief because the students knew that “every job we got would be easier than an Ernest Williams rehearsal.” Crisara went on to say it was that preparatory environment that ultimately led to his success in New York City. While in his third year at the Ernest Williams School, it was arranged for him to play for William D. Revelli, who was in nearby Albany looking for talented players to attend the University of Michigan. Revelli invited Crisara to attend on the spot, and even made him a teaching assistant – a rare honor for an undergraduate student.
After the University of Michigan, Crisara held a position as soloist with the Goldman Band in New York, which eventually led him to the principal trumpet position with the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra. He was inducted into the United States Army and when his tour was up in the service, Crisara was hired on the staff orchestra of NBC. He was eventually invited to play with the NBC Symphony and it was at this point during the session he shared some of his fondest memories of Arturo Toscanini. A recurring theme in his discussion about the NBC Symphony was the fact that the principal trumpet player was the boss, which understandably drew a very appreciative response from the trumpet players in attendance. Mr. Crisara closed the session with some discussion about his teaching career in Austin. His fondest memories were not of any one student or one particular moment, but dealt more with the opportunity for the one-on-one interaction with his students, and the chance to influence human beings. He feels strongly that being a great person far outweighs being a great trumpet player. When describing how to progress as a musician, Crisara stressed the importance of simplicity. His philosophy was just to play as musically as possible and to let the rest take care of itself, and that philosophy quite simply led him to be one of the most influential people to ever play the trumpet. |
From the program Raymond Crisara has been one of the most influential performers and teachers of trumpet of our time. In this interview with Gary Mortenson, Crisara will talk about factors and events that shaped his early life in Cortland, New York; his education at the Ernest Williams School of Music and at the University of Michigan; his busy career in the orchestras, bands, and studios of New York City; and his distinguished life as professor of trumpet at The University of Texas-Austin. John Ware, a former member of the New York Philharmonic, had this to say about Raymond Crisara for the ITG Journal: “Ray Crisara is a gentleman with character of the highest degree and is a trumpeter of unsurpassed excellence. My experiences playing with Ray are among my fondest memories.” Doc Severinsen added, “I cannot recall a time over the years that I ever heard Ray make a musical error or even miss a note. He is the most schooled and consistent trumpet player I have ever known or heard.” A former student, Charles Decker, articulated what many who studied with Professor Crisara know to be true: “…this quiet man humanized my outlook on the music profession and more importantly on life…there are a handful of individuals who can ultimately shape our destiny over time. Ray Crisara is one of these special few.” Several generations of performers and teachers have benefited from Raymond Crisara’s musicality, integrity, generosity, humanity, and creative energy. Many former students and colleagues are expected to attend, and their input, thoughts, and ideas will be welcomed during a time of sharing at the conclusion of the interview. If you have experienced Crisara’s playing and/or teaching you need no incentive to come and revisit his wisdom. If you have not had this opportunity, come and enjoy getting to know one of the greatest human beings who ever picked up the trumpet! |
Attending the University of Michigan proved much like Crisara’s study with Ernest Williams, as Revelli was equally intolerant of poor preparation for rehearsals. Revelli, a gifted clarinetist, was always quick to eliminate mistakes in the clarinet section by showing them how he wanted a passage played. His method for the other sections fell into the category of what Crisara called “verbal assaults.” On a particularly bad day for the cornet section, Crisara’s, patience worn thin, so he offered his cornet to the bandmaster, and in what must a been a shocking moment in Revelli’s career, said “Why don’t you show us how you would like it to be played.” Revelli likely knew then what others would soon discover – Crisara played the trumpet with a combination of aggressiveness and passion that led him to become the great musician he is today.