ITG News: The First Aussie ITG Conference

The first Aussie ITG Conference was held July 4-5 at Presbyterian Ladies College (PLC) in Croydon, an inner suburb of Sydney. Recitals and lectures were held in the Victorian School Hall - with its stage and plush curtains, two open fireplaces, and a 1901 Davidson pipe organ.

Anthony Heinrichs, Dave Elton, Staphanie Geisajtis, & Brian Evans

Anthony Heinrichs, Dave Elton, Staphanie Geisajtis, & Brian Evans

Paul Goodchild, associate principal trumpet Sydney Symphony Orchestra (SSO), and organist Warwick Dunham provided an excellent recital of baroque works for trumpet and organ that included a Crispian Steele-Perkins compilation of British Baroque trumpet classics. Goodchild and Dunham were dressed entirely in black. Goodchild, a tall, imposing man complimented the Gothic setting with his great coat and gold chains. Goodchild demonstrated a tremendous range of tone and enlightened interpretation using a standard Yamaha piccolo trumpet and a Bach C. Dunham demonstrated the tonal qualities of the Davidson Organ.

Don Rader (trumpet and flugelhorn) and Roger Frampton (piano) gave an energetic - in fact, breathtaking - recital of jazz standards, not-so-standards, and original works. Frampton's piano playing was outstanding - even diving into the heart of the piano to pluck the strings directly in one work! Rader's trumpet tone was incisive in this duo setting, and he would have soared above a large band. An original work, inspired by a rural locality in Japan, was particularly memorable. His flugelhorn sound was wonderful. Rader played a 1903 rotary-valve flugelhorn with clock-spring mechanism that he had bought in a flea-market in Germany to hang on the wall. Rader commented, "Then I played it and decided to hang my modern horn on the wall!"

Dave Elton (Queensland Philharmonic and 1998 ITG Conference Solo Competition co-winner) and Anthony Heinrichs (SSO) played a spirited performance of Stravinsky's Fanfare for a New Theatre. Elton also gave convincing performances of works by Honegger and Halsey Stevens.

Lynda Bacon gave a very interesting and frank discussion of her career experiences and then performed a set of electric funk/rock trumpet and smooth flugelhorn playing with her band, The Eggs.

Dan Williams (trumpet) and his trio, The Brass O Holics, demonstrated the performances they give in schools to familiarize young people with brass music. Williams played a flashy version of Reiche's Abblasen. It was a great show that also saw horn player Debbie English (also known as Brasso Debbie) playing a hosaphone while whirling it above her head.

Ron Falson and Paul Panichi

Ron Falson and Paul Panichi

Studio trumpeter Paul Panichi gave a presentation about the changes in the Sydney commercial playing scene over the past 30 years that included some very personal reminiscences and advice. ITG President Kim Dunnick chaired a panel discussion of symphonic, theater, and jazz performance with panel members Goodchild, Panichi, and jazz legend Bob Barnard. Dunnick also gave a presentation about the American system of trumpet training.

Also on the program were The University of Newcastle Trumpet Ensemble, and a recital by a trumpet quartet comprised of Leanne Sullivan, Helen Blunt, Kelly Parkes, and Louise Hunter.

A small audience of less than a dozen were all that were privileged to hear one of the most spectacular trumpet recitals ever performed on Planet Earth (or anywhere else for that matter) - the final Festival of Trumpets Concert. Players of all ages, shapes, and sizes, playing a wide range of instruments, assembled in the school's outdoor amphitheater and read through three challenging works under Dunnick's direction - the highlight was providing backup for Bob Barnard's solo on Here's that Rainy Day.

Brian Evans, section soloist trumpet of the Australian Opera and Ballet Orchestra, is due much thanks for organizing this wonderful event and helping to unify the trumpet players of Australia. Evans was assisted by Jeanne Hope (a high school teacher who

Paul Panichi

ITG President Kim Dunnick conducts the
Festival of Trumpets Concert finale

arranged everything at her school, Presbyterian Ladies College); Lynda Bacon (a jazz trumpeter and music business woman who handled exhibitors and sponsors); ITG board member John Kellaway (lecturer in trumpet at University of Newcastle who secured a generous grant from ITG); and ITG President Kim Dunnick, who emphasized ITG's interest by his attendance. Smits Music, Woodwind and Brass, Dicksons, the Australian Music Academy, and Optimum helped sponsor the conference.

Steps were taken to formalize an Australia-wide ITG chapter, known as the Australian Trumpet Guild (ATG), and notified Australian trumpeters of this organization. ITG gained 15 new members. The 1999 Australian Trumpet Guild Conference will be held July 3-4 at Presbyterian Ladies College. For further information contact: ATG Conference, Brian Evans, 1 Chifley Close Wahroonga, NSW 2076 Australia, evandiet@ozemail.com.au, phone/fax 02-8489-6940.

Source: Bob Burne