Elisa Koehler, reporter

Chinese trumpet artist Zhonghui Dai is the principal trumpeter of the National Symphony Orchestra in Beijing as well as professor of trumpet and head of brass at Beijing's Central Conservatory of Music. ITG Board Member Brian Evans introduced Dai as part of the “wind sweeping in from Asia” that highlights the international quality of the International Trumpet Guild.

The recital began with an enjoyable performance of Albinoni's Concerto in B-flat. Performing on a piccolo trumpet, Dai exhibited a delicate, sweet sound and fluid trills. Dai was accompanied by the incomparable Rebecca Wilt who contributed notable insight and color to the performance. Next on the program was Ernst Sachse's Concertino in E-flat. Performing on an E-flat trumpet, Dai displayed technical fluency and tasteful figuration. His easy brilliance in the central cadenza was a particular highlight.

An arrangement of Remo Giazotto's poignant Adagio in G Minor followed with Dai performing on C trumpet. Often known as the “Albinoni Adagio,” it was refreshing to see the work attributed to its true composer (only a brief fragment of an Albinoni trio sonata appears in the work). Dai and Wilt gave the work a passionate reading, especially in the recitative passages (originally for solo violin). The Fantasie-Caprice by Gabriel Pares was performed on B-flat trumpet with a full-bodied sound and dramatic flair. Eric Ewazen's melodic Pastorale for Trumpet and Euphonium received a beautiful performance with the distinguished artist, Tyrone Breuninger joining Dai and Wilt on euphonium.

Before the last work, Dai thanked the audience for coming to the recital and thanked the ITG for inviting him to perform at the conference. He expressed regret that a commission for a work from a Chinese composer failed to meet the performance deadline, but instead played a touching Chinese folk song from memory, unaccompanied, on a B-flat trumpet. The program closed with a spirited performance of two Danses Fantastiques by Shostakovich.