News and Welcome from Host, Eric Berlin

April 13th, 2007

Dear Fellow Trumpeters,

The most enjoyable part of hosting this conference has been bringing
the world's finest musicians together to perform for a week. The
lineup that I have compiled contains the very best that the trumpet
world has to offer. From Wayne Bergeron and Ingrid Jensen to Chris
Martin and Manny Laureano and Spanish Brass to the Gordon Goodwin Big
Phat Band, these are artists who represent the pinnacle of what we
hope to achieve. I can't wait to hear them all play!

There are many new ideas being tried at this conference. In response
to many concerns raised by many people, as well as my own desire to
be able to see everything, I have tried my best not to stack artist
recitals against one another. Also, the evening jazz events will be
held in a wonderful club type setting in the campus center itself.
The Festival of Trumpets on Saturday afternoon will be held outside
for the general public to enjoy. As a real twist to the standard ITG
conference activities, there will be the first annual Trumpet Golf
Alliance ITG Open! Held at Crumpin Fox Golf Club, consistently rated
among America's Top 100 Golf Courses, this will be a unique way to
enjoy the rich landscape of New England before heading to campus to
register and enjoy the opening concert. See www.trumpetgolf.com for
more information.

In addition, you will notice three tributes to great trumpeters.
Roger Voisin will be on campus to receive richly deserved accolades
for his role as a leading performer and pedagogue for more than half
a century. We also lost two greats of the trumpet world this year,
they will be honored in different ways. If you were not able to
attend the recent Maynard Ferguson tributes, you will be able to
enjoy rare audio and video from throughout Maynard's entire career
and hear from people that knew him best. The legendary Chicago school
pedagogue, Vincent Chicowicz will also be honored including a special
tribute led by the new Principal Trumpet of the Boston Symphony
Orchestra, Thomas Rolfs.

You may notice on the schedule that there have been some changes
since the original poster was printed. Please note that appearing
with the Jeff Holmes Big Band on Wednesday evening will be phenoms,
Wayne Bergeron and Eric Miyashiro featuring charts from their new
CDs! Although, due to personal reasons, Doc Severinsen will not be
able to attend the conference this year, I am delighted to announce
that Richard Kelley, who has left audiences aghast with his complete
mastery of all styles on the instrument in his years touring with
Boston Brass, will join me in a new Wind Ensemble orchestration of
Stephen Paulus' Concerto for Two Trumpets.

Indeed there has been some bad news. I was told to expect the
unexpected as a conference host, but was very disappointed that
German Brass decided to pull out. For reasons that have not yet been
made clear to me, German Brass will not be appearing at this
conference. After weeks of intense efforts to rescue this
performance, it seems that they are determined to remain in Germany.

Luckily for all of us, I am extraordinarily pleased that Washington
Symphonic Brass have ridden in on a brilliant white steed to save the
day. Their latest CD "Voices of Brass" has been heralded by American
Record Guide as "one of the all-time great brass ensemble recordings,
ranking with or possibly ahead of Philip Jones' Pictures at an
Exhibition and anything Summit Brass ever released." Under the
leadership of Milt Stevens and Phil Snedecor, this ensemble simply
must be heard to be believed! From what I hear, Phil has arranged the
first part of Rite of Spring for this performance!

With all of this incredible activity, UMASS will become trumpet
heaven on earth for a week and I hope to see you here.

Sincerely,

Eric M. Berlin