Michael Sachs created excitement and motivated young trumpeters for five days during the festival with his master class, lessons and a performance with fellowship students and Bay Brass. Sachs gave three classes: the Art of Symphonic Trumpet on July 9, the Art of the Lyric Trumpet on July 10, and the Art of the Warm Up on July 11. During the Symphonic Trumpet class, participants benefited from Sachs’ experience as principal trumpet in the Cleveland Orchestra since 1988. He spoke about enhancements in sound, attack, and nuances of orchestral section work. In the Lyric Trumpet class, after performing the Haydn Concerto, he worked with Sara Huebner on the same work, Shannon Walsh with the second movement of the Hummel Concerto, Daniel Mills with the Boehme Concerto, and Anne Kovarik with the Arutunian Concerto. Students especially enjoyed opportunities to talk with Michael at lunch and dinner, to hear his performances and to take lessons.

The institute offered a musical feast for the many trumpeters and brassplayers who attended. On Tuesday, the Memorial Church Festival Concert by Bay Brass professionals joined by fellowship recipients on select works. Classes and performance opportunities abounded. Trumpeters worked on the Ewazen Trumpet Septet, coached by Michael Sachs and by festival newcomer Adam Luftman, recently appointed principal trumpet with the San Francisco Opera Orchestra. Longtime San Francisco Symphony principal trumpet Glenn Fischthal taught students and played side by side with select participants in works by Shostakovich and Strauss during concert performances. Trumpeters Dave Burkhart and Jim Dooley also taught and performed. Large ensembles allowed trumpeters to perform on trumpets in a variety of keys including picc and flugel. The weeklong institute provided twelve quintets and eleven large ensembles with plenty of rehearsal and coaching from 9 to 5 each day. Participants performed concerts of chamber music and also of large ensembles, in addition to the artist concerts on offer.

Michael Sachs works with student

For information about Summer Brass Institute and Festival in summer 2010, please visit http://brass.menloschool.org.