Mass Reading Session

On February 7, 2009, over 100 trumpet players from Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Kansas attended the second Northeastern Trumpet Festival at Northeastern State University (NSU) in Tahlequah, Oklahoma.  The event was held in the NSU Jazz Lab and hosted by Jason Dovel, assistant professor of trumpet at NSU.

The event opened with a concert shared by three trumpet ensembles, including the NSU Trumpet Ensemble, directed by Jason Dovel, the Broken Arrow Trumpet choir, directed by Danny Judd, and the Arkansas Tech University Trumpet Ensemble, directed by Gary Barrow.

After the morning concert was a mass trumpet ensemble reading session in which students and professionals alike sight-read standard literature ranging from easy to difficult.  Jason Dovel and Danny Judd shared conducting duties in the reading session.

The featured clinician was Vince DiMartino, internationally recognized trumpet soloist and Matton Professor of Music at Centre College in Danville, Kentucky.  DiMartino presented an afternoon master class where he demonstrated his technique and distributed handouts derived from his own practice routine.

Following the master class, Nicholas Harvey, a freelance trumpet player from Denton, TX, made his second visit to the NSU trumpet festival with a lecture-recital on early brass instruments.  He performed Handel’s Suite in D on the Baroque trumpet and Frescobaldi’s Canzon per Canto Solo on the Renaissance cornetto.  After his performance, he coached several student volunteers in playing their first notes on Baroque trumpet.

The afternoon concluded with a solo recital by Jason Dovel that included Concerto for Trumpet by Alexander Arutunian, Cascades by Allen Vizzutti, Mont Saint-Michel by Geoffrey Robbins, Night Sun Journey by Meg Bowles, and Concertino Pour Deux Cornets by Fernand Andrieu.  Dovel was accompanied by Ronald Chioldi, associate professor of piano at NSU.  Robert Bailey, emeritus professor of trumpet at NSU, joined Dovel for Andrieu’s cornet duet.

The evening concert featured Vince DiMartino with NSU’s Jazz Ensemble I, directed by Arthur White, director of jazz studies at NSU. DiMartino demonstrated his improvisational skills on a wide variety of pieces, including works by Kenny Dorham, Mike Tomaro, Robin Eubanks, and Horace Silver.  The festival ended with a transcription of Duke Ellington’s Tootin Through the Roof by Chuck Dotas, director of jazz studies at James Madison University.  DiMartino and Dovel were the trumpet soloists in this piece.  During the closing concert, Jason Ashmore, NSU trumpet student and president of Alpha Rho chapter of Kappa Kappa Psi, presented DiMartino with an honorary induction into the fraternity.

Throughout the day, Tony Johnson provided a special treat as he chauffeured guests in a Cadillac formerly owned by Maynard Ferguson.  Mr. Johnson generously allowed participants to enjoy this unique piece of trumpet history.

Tulsa Band and Saied Music exhibited trumpet-related merchandise throughout the event.

Nicholas Harvey

DiMartino, Dovel, and NSU Jazz Ensemble I