2014 Midwest Trumpet Festival
Dr. Todd Hastings and Pittsburg State University in Pittsburg, Kansas, hosted the 6th Annual Midwest Trumpet Festival, October 12-13, 2014. This year’s festival was dedicated to the memories and teaching of John K. Park and Professor Raymond Crisara, two musicians who inspired generations of artists and teachers. With 16 faculty/guest artists and nearly 100 college, high school and middle school students, the festival has become a tradition attracting musicians from far beyond the Midwest. The festival included sessions and activities for everyone, offering those in attendance a variety of opportunities to play along with other trumpeters, attend master classes, and enjoy performances by master trumpet players.
This year’s featured guest artist was David Hickman, Regents’ Professor of Trumpet, Arizona State University, and one of the world’s finest trumpet virtuosos. Other guest artists included Iskander Akhmadullin, University of Missouri; Tito Carrillo, University of Illinois; Andrew Cheetham, Eastern Illinois University; Jesse Cook, Northeastern State University; Jason Dovel, University of Kentucky; Ryan Gardner, Oklahoma State University; Todd Hastings, Pittsburg State University; Benjamin Hay, Tulsa Community College; Alan Hood, of Denver; David Hunsicker, Wichita State University; Grant Peters, Professor of Music; William Richardson, Northwestern Missouri State University; Richard Rulli, University of Arkansas; Tom Smith, Florida SouthWestern State College; and Tim Wootton, Evangel University and Southwest Baptist University. Two pianists accompanied the musicians, Miriam Hickman, Arizona State University and Natalia Bolshakova, University of Missouri.
The Trumpet Festival opened with the PSU Trumpet Ensemble performing Mel Broiles’ Fanfare. After a welcome from Todd Hastings, Hickman gave a presentation on the 5-valve trumpet. He presented a brief history of multi-valve brass instruments before demonstrating the new Blackburn trumpet. The instrument, cut from a C-trumpet, uses a 4th piston-valve to lower the pitch a semi-tone and a 5th rotor-valve that raises the pitch a whole step. Both valves in combination raise the pitch a half step, allowing the horn to play in B, C, B♭ and D. Since the instrument is able to change keys “on the fly,” the trumpeter can simplify fingerings, create easier trills, and feel more secure with troublesome entrances experienced on other keyed trumpets. Hickman demonstrated several excerpts from pieces by Stravinsky, Sibelius, Tchaikovsky, Mahler, Mussorgsky, Rimsky-Korsakov, Ravel, Rossini and Brahms.
That day also hosted a mass trumpet ensemble reading session conducted by Jason Dovel, where nearly 100 students of various ages, playing levels and abilities gathered to sight read several trumpet ensemble pieces, including Infinite Ascent by Erik Morales, Eric Ewazen’s ITG piece Prelude and Fugue for Trumpet Choir, Shenandoah arranged by James Olcott, and Northeastern Flourishand Summertime by Jason Dovel.
Tito Carrillo, Tom Smith, Andy Cheetham, and Al Hood led sessions on beginning and intermediate jazz improvisation. Topics included how to cultivate a practice and performance mind-set, the importance of memorizing chord changes, key centers, embellishing upon the melody, how to develop short motives, and how to make better use of space. That evening, the Crowder Jazz Orchestra (led by Todd Hastings) showcased performances by those festival faculty members, Hastings, and CJO lead trumpet Keith Wood.
Day two began with a session stressing the importance of an effective warm-up, followed by a discussion on careers in music. A panel of the 16 faculty members answered questions posed by Hastings and the students. Topics covered included the path to a career as a professional musician, overcoming anxiety, warm-up, effective preparation, and practice methods and performance technique. The morning concluded with a masterclass led by Hickman, featuring several student participants playing solos.
The afternoon sessions continued with a faculty recital. Performances included Bill Richardson and Tim Wootton playing Fanfare from 10 Concert Duets by Anthony Plog, David Hunsicker, Intrada for Trumpet and Piano by Arthur Honegger; Jesse Cook, Escapade by Joseph Turrin; Jason Dovel, Cantus For Trumpet and Electronics by Eric Nathan; Grant Peters and Richard Rulli, Copland’s Quiet City as a trumpet and flugelhorn duet; de Falla’s Siete Cancoines populares Españolas, Ryan Gardner; and Iskander Akhmadullin, Song and Dance for Cornet (Trumpet) and Piano, by Philip Sparke.
A masterclass for grade school students followed with five high school students performing. Faculty stressed the importance of stage presence, proper breathing, accurate articulation and tone quality. The College Student Spotlight Recital featured several participants from schools around the Midwest including Pittsburg State University, Missouri State University, University of Missouri, Eastern Illinois University, Wichita State University, University of Arkansas, Northeastern State University, Northwest Missouri State University, and Tulsa Community College.
“Effective Practice Techniques: Secrets of the Pros” followed the masterclass. During this, Akhmadullin, Hastings, Hunsicker, and Rulli outlined some of their personal routines and discussed the effectiveness of good practice techniques. Audience participation was used to demonstrate the success of some of the methods recommended by the panelists.
The festival concluded Monday evening with a recital by David Hickman with Miriam Hickman at the piano. Works performed included Concerto in B♭ by Alexander Goedicke, Gasieniec’s Elegy in memoriam Gustav Mahler, Miriam Hickman’s arrangements of Andaluza and Chant du menéstrel, Mendez’ Jota No. 2, David Hickman’s arrangements of The Girl with the Flaxen Hair and Concerto in G Minor, and Their Hearts Were Full of Spring arranged by Brad Ellis.
For more information about the festival and how to participate in next year’s event, please contact Dr. Todd Hastings at [email protected].
Sources: Kelly O’Neil, Valley City State University/Florida SouthWestern State College and Dr. Tom Smith, Professor of Trumpet and Director of Bands, Florida SouthWestern State College, Fort Myers, Florida