2005 INTERNATIONAL TRUMPET GUILD® CONFERENCE
GRAND HOTEL BANGKOK, BANGKOK, THAILAND
TUESDAY – FRIDAY, JUNE 21 – 24, 2005

Conference Coverage Home • Schedule of Events

Wednesday, June 22
9:00 a.m. - ITG Orchestral Excerpts Competition Finals
Grand Hotel Vimarnkeaw Room

Finalists
Robert P. McCabe, Grand Valley State University, USA, Teacher – Richard Stoelzel
Matthew Misener, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, USA – Teacher – Eric Berlin
Jordan Winkler, Carnegie Mellon University, USA, Teacher – Neal Berntsen

Robert McCabe, Jordan Winkler and Matthew Misener

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Neville Young, reporter

Matthew Misener

The performers, all from the USA, were Jordan Winkler (Carnegie Mellon University: taught by Neal Berntsen), Robert P McCabe (Grand Valley State University: Richard Stoelzel), and Matthew Misener (University of Massachusetts, Amherst: Eric Berlin). The finals were judged by Zhonghui Dai of the China National Symphony Orchestra, Larry Knopp of the Malaysian Philharmonic, and Murray Greig from the Orchestra of Opera North in the UK.

The judges selected six excerpts from the nineteen available for this morning’s final. These were, in order, Bach: Christmas Oratorio, No. 54; Promenade from the Mussorgsky/Ravel Pictures at an Exhibition; Wagner, Tannhäuser Overture; Gershwin’s Piano Concerto in F, The Posthorn solo from Mahler’s Symphony no 3; and a third trumpet excerpt from Strauss’ Don Quixote. Competitors could put the Bach anywhere in the first five but were otherwise required to keep to the given order.

All three finalists impressed with their calm and concentration, displaying in large part the confidence needed for orchestral auditions. They varied in the specifics of their approach,

Robert McCabe

whether they “tootled” a few notes to warm up between instruments or not (and this may be a subject for debate – is it appropriate?) whether they sat or stood, and so on – but all of them displayed a professionalism and quality of approach – especially at the traditional early start time for this competition! – that will stand them in good stead in their careers, and for which this correspondent takes his hat off to all of them.

Particular moments that caught the ear were, amongst many others, Winkler’s romantic, singing performance of the Mahler, which seemed to emphasize beautifully the folksong-like aspects of the tune; McCabe’s precise, yet nicely relaxed Gershwin; and Misener’s magnificent low tone in the Wagner, especially when sustained across the very measured pace he chose. The Bach excerpt in particular was subject to some quite widely varied approaches and I would have liked to be a fly on the wall during the judge’s deliberations on this.

For the last excerpt, the Strauss third part, the competitors played once on their own, then again with two of the judges joining them on 1st and 2nd to make up the section – this new feature was a very welcome part of the competition this year, both giving the competitors

Jordan Winkler

another opportunity to interact with the judges, and giving the audience a welcome chance to hear the whole sectional sound and to place the excerpt and the competitor in a fuller context. Another value-added aspect is that the competitors all received an individual feedback session with the judges afterwards.

At the time of writing the result is unknown, to be announced at the Banquet: regardless of outcome it was a real pleasure to hear these fine young players put through their paces in this challenging repertoire.

Preliminary Judges

Finalist Judges

Repertoire
To be selected from the following: