Håkan Hardenberger in Sydney	September 13, 2001

Håkan Hardenberger toured Australia in May, presenting concerts with the Sydney and Melbourne Symphonies. On the evening of May 15, he took time out from his busy schedule to present a master class at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music. As one would expect, this free master class was extremely well attended. Five young trumpeters won the opportunity to perform on the master class, including Colin Grisdale (Hindemith: Sonata), Alex Bieri (Stevens: Sonata), Peter Gott (Arutunian: Concerto), Jonathan Normand (Honegger: Intrada), and Craig McGown (Hindemith: Sonata). From the outset Håkan was demanding but also unfailingly encouraging. His instructional concepts included: Having students play lyrical passages from memory, so as to enhance their ability to listen more carefully to the sound they produce. Insisting that the music and the desired expressive qualities drive the performance rather than becoming too preoccupied with the physical techniques involved. Striding around the stage while singing the opening to Honegger's Intrada, then: "play it as you sing it!" Discussion and demonstration of techniques inspired by James Stamp; "stay down to go up and stay up to go down." Without exception the playing of each of the five performers improved markedly during their sessions with Hardenberger. Håkan played and demonstrated his ideas all the way through the session and everyone had an up-close opportunity to hear his glorious sound and amazing range of tone colors. His quote from Pierre Thibaud: "while a violinist has thousands of ways of playing something, we trumpeters have only two ways - we either get it, or we miss it!" generated a good deal of laughter, after which Hardenberger advised everyone to seek as many colors and as much variety in their playing as possible. The master class was highly inspirational to all who were present. Source: James Blunt, Principal Trumpet, Australian Opera and Ballet Orchestras Australian Trumpet Guild

What's New | News & Events | Resources | Join ITG Contact ITG | About  ITG | How To Use This Site | Site Search © Copyright 1999-2001 - International Trumpet Guild™ - all rights reserved