The 1999 Gulf Coast Brass Weekend	June 2 99

The 1999 Louisiana Trumpet Competition weekend has expanded to become the Gulf Coast Brass Weekend, which includes the trumpet competition as a major part of the brass event. This year's event, sponsored by Yamaha Corporation of America, was held on March 19-20. The 1999 guest artists included Mr. Wiff Rudd and Mr. Rex Richardson, trumpeters with Rhythm and Brass. Rudd and Richardson worked with several students, and discussed topics of musicianship, phrasing, air movement, release of tension, and the overall importance of engaging your audience in the musical experience. The students who performed were Brad Comeaux (McNeese State), Scott Coriell (Univ. of Southwestern Louisiana), Kelly Watkins (Northwestern State Univ.), and Rob Thomson (Northeast Louisiana Univ.). Rhythm and Brass presented an evening concert which presented a variety of music ranging from Bach to Ellington. The group was joined by the McNeese State Univ. Wind Ensemble under the direction of Dr. Royce Tevis. The final round of the Louisiana Trumpet Competition was held on March 20, 1999. Guest adjudicators for the competition were Mr. Wiff Rudd and Mr. Rex Richardson. Nine high school trumpeters from Louisiana, Tennessee, and Texas advanced to the final round. The 1999 contest was funded by Yamaha Corp. of America and McNeese State Univ. John Armstrong of Hermitage, TN won First Prize and the Major Herman Vincent Award with his performance of Carnival of Venice by Clarke. Second prize went to Charlie Mitchell of Lake Charles, LA, and Third Prize was awarded to Dusty Pigg of Pineville, LA. The other finalists included Joe Bertrand, Tiffany Moorman, Michael Shamburger, Matt Long, and Adam Edwards of Louisiana. Texans Kathryn Barton and Mike Lewis also qualified for the competition. The Gulf Coast Brass Weekend also included a technology session presented by James West and Bill Rose. West discussed the computer as a practice aid, using sequenced accompaniments to assist with rhythm and harmony. McNeese student Ricky Peters used the Stevens Sonata to demonstrate practicing with this method, and West used the computer to add preprogrammed harmony while practicing diminished scale patterns out of the Vizzutti Book 2. Rose took the audience through a CD-Rom entitled "Tuneup," and also demonstrated Yamaha's "SmartMUSIC." The final session was a clinic given by Rhythm and Brass. Members of the group discussed how breathing affects the group's tempo, style, dynamics, etc., and pointed out the need to "musically take over" when it's your time within the group. The clinic included a coaching session in which Echelon Brass from the Univ. of Southwestern Louisiana performed. Source: Dave Scott

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