News From The Trumpet World

The UNCSA ITG Clifford Lillya Brass Symposium took place on January 15 and 16, 2012. The event was a tribute to Mr. Lillya and to highlight his solo, orchestral and ensemble music library, which his grandson Erik Lillya offered to Judith Saxton for use in her studio. Saxton, her students and colleagues utilize this resource in both teaching and performing.

To open the event, UNCSA Trumpet Artist/Faculty Judith Saxton and her graduate assistant, Ben McCarthy proclaimed the festivities open with a short Bernard Fitzgerald Fanfare from Mr. Lillya’s Library.

Exhibitors included Conn-Selmer with a display of brass instruments from Mid-Atlantic representative T. J. Waicul, Waterton Brass Music with owner Kevin Paul, and Separk music, an area music store whose proprietor is Drew Parker.

Judith Saxton, UNCSA Trumpet Artist/Faculty and Brass Coordinator

Lillya-ites Panel Discussion

The panel discussion began amidst a wave of chatter and laughter as Saxton stood at the front of Watson Chamber Music Hall. The panel consisted of moderator Ms. Saxton (UNCSA), Dr. Ned Gardner, Mr. Alan Siebert (University of Cincinnati), Mr. Jeffrey Piper (University of New Mexico), Dr. Marvin Anderson, and Mr. Emerson Head. Panelists discussed how they knew Lillya, his personality, his teaching, and what he passed onto his students. Emerson Head commented, "Mr. Lillya was deeply committed to each and every student. He attended every recital, whether at the undergraduate or graduate level. . . . He just wanted everyone to excel." Gardner added, "Mr. Lillya was a man without ego: the ultimate teacher and gentleman."

Brian Menzies, UNCSA College junior trumpet major

US Army Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps Concert

The Bugle section and Baroque Trumpet Ensemble from the US Army Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps performed on January 15. During the first half of the program, the Bugle Section accompanied by a small Drum Corps played works appropriate to those of the American Revolution. They opened with a march as they entered. Between the pieces, the buglers talked about the group’s history and equipment used. They performed on single-valve bugles and in replica uniforms to match the time period. The Baroque Trumpet Ensemble, accompanied by timpani, took the stage for the second half of the concert. They played on trumpets with three holes, similar to those used during the 18^th century. In order to change keys, they had several crooks they would switch out between selections. The Baroque Trumpet Ensemble is a unique unit within The Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps and is typically used for ceremonial events.

Benjamin McCarthy, UNCSA 2^nd year Graduate trumpet major

US Army Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps Master Class

The University of North Carolina School of the Arts hosted the U.S. Army Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps on January 15, 2012. After a concert of bugle and baroque trumpet music, members of the Old Guard conducted a master class. Topics included the histories of the Old Guard, the bugle, and the baroque trumpet. The master class addressed how to approach auditions for the Old Guard. UNCSA High school junior Dean Oaks played the second movement of the Neruda trumpet concerto, one solo featured on their audition list. Following his performance, the class continued with UNCSA graduate trumpeter Ben McCarthy playing a few bugle calls that are on their audition list and then performing the fourth part of the Altenburg on one of their bugles, an instrument with one “thumb” valve, along with the professional members of the Old Guard bugle section. He was complimented on how he fit in the section, how he played the bugle call as a signal, and how he played with appropriate style. A big part of the audition is playing bugle calls, alone or in a section. The corps members stated that bugle calls are not music and players should approach them as signals. All notes are created equal in the bugle call.

Sumner Williams, UNCSA college sophomore trumpet major,

Ben Keoseyan, UNCSA high school junior trumpet major

Guest Artist Master Class

Following a movement from 5 Bagatelles by Dubois by a trio of UNCSA trumpeters,

Jeffrey Piper and Alan Siebert delivered a performance to an audience of fascinated brass musicians at University of North Carolina School of the Arts on January 15. These two guest artists performed contrasting and particularly unique repertoire. Siebert selected a transcription of a number of movements of a Bach piece. Piper performed Light by Anne LaBaron accompanied by visual media, which captivated the audience with its unconventional take on trumpet performance.

Mollie Foster, UNCSA high school sophomore trumpet major

UNCSA Brass Quintet Concert

The first day of the Clifford Lillya Brass Symposium ended with a performance by the UNCSA Brass Quintet, composed of the brass faculty: Judith Saxton, trumpet; David Jolley, horn; John Ilika, trombone; Matt Ransom, tuba and the dean of the school of music, Wade Weast, on trumpet.  Performing standards and favorites from brass quintet literature, they started off the performance with a transcription of J.S. Bach’s Fantasy in C Major followed by Samuel Scheidt’s Canzona Bergamasca.  They paired that with a Renaissance piece by Luzzaschi: Two Madrigals, as arranged by David Jolley. The first half of the concert closed with Hindemith’s 1932 composition, Morning Music.

The second half began with an energetic performance of Fancies, Toyes and Dreams by Giles Farnaby immediately followed by a raffle in which three winners each received envelopes full of ITG and UNCSA CDs, books, calendars and information. The quintet then played Victor Ewald’s third quintet. The Southeast Chamber Brass Quintet and four members of the U.S. Army Old Guard Bugle section joined the UNCSA Brass Quintet for John Williams' Summon the Heroes.

Cody Ward, UNCSA high school senior trumpet major and

Ben Keoseyan, UNCSA high school junior trumpet major

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Guest Artist Master class

On January 16, 2012, guest artists Alan Siebert and Jeff Piper gave a joint master class. They worked with a student preparing college audition material and coached a UNCSA student trumpet ensemble on Robert Muszynski’s Trio. Over the course of the master class, Siebert and Piper discussed staying in shape while traveling, making practicing efficient, and goal setting for all aspects of playing. They also discussed the necessity of having a routine that covers all aspects of playing and pushes one’s limits. They talked about how using practice mutes like those of Best Brass and Silent Brass is a good way of practicing in hotels without bothering neighbors. They stressed the need to practice fundamentals while traveling, and that practicing the basics keeps players from losing their chops in critical moments.

Sumner Williams, college sophomore trumpet major

Southeast Chamber Brass performance/clinic

In the morning of our second day at the UNCSA ITG Clifford Lillya Brass Symposium we were treated to a concert and clinic by the Southeast Chamber Brass, a quintet consisting of players and teachers active in the lower right of the continent.

The concert part of the event introduced the audience to brass chamber playing. The quintet played a variety of music, including three movements from Ludwig Maurer’s Twelve Movements for Five Brass, Plog’s Four Sketches, and Carter’s Fantasia on One Note.

After the performance, the five musicians launched into a unique clinic. They pulled out a work they had never played before as a group and invited the participants on stage to watch them rehearse it. Trumpeter Judith Saxton led the rehearsal, explaining to the students the rehearsing process. The group discussed the importance of timing, and that it was “non-negotiable.” The quintet advised that when learning a new piece, it was wise to begin at a place that is easy to stay together and then demonstrated this strategy to great effect before moving to more complicated sections. The students watched over the shoulders of the quintet in the first run of the piece. All five players both talked to the students and demonstrated how to professionally communicate during a rehearsal and how to collectively work through problems effectively. Amanda Pepping showed herself to be unafraid to point out flaws the group experienced and helped develop practical solutions without ever causing tension or unease within the ensemble. Finally, the group cleared the stage and allowed a student quintet to perform the third movement of Ewald Quintet no. 1, using school-owned cornets and using euphonium rather than trombone before returning to deliver comments.

Chris Frith, UNCSA School of Filmmaking, college junior

Orchestral Excerpts Master Class

The second day of the symposium began with a master class given on the ins and outs of orchestral section playing. The section consisted of Judith Saxton (Professor of Trumpet at University of North Carolina School of the Arts), Jeffrey Piper (Professor of Trumpet at University of New Mexico), Alan Siebert (Professor of Trumpet at Cincinnati Conservatory of Music), and Amanda Pepping (Assistant Professor of Music at Georgia State University). The section rotated parts throughout the master class as they demonstrated the roles and responsibilities of each player in the section, emphasizing that each part is equally important. The excerpts covered included Bach's Suite No. 3, Mahler's Symphony No. 1, movement 3, Bartok's Concerto for Orchestra, movement 1, Gustav Holst's The Planets, Jupiter, Bringer of Jollity, Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 4, movement 3, then ended with the last movement chorale from Mahler's Symphony No. 3. They covered topics such as balance, intonation, and articulation. Each member was engaged in discussing and reacting to the style in which the principal had chosen to play the excerpts. The section also discussed the different interpretations of the excerpts that are accented; they then demonstrated the contrasting styles.

Benjamin McCarthy, UNCSA 2<sup>nd</sup> year graduate trumpet major,

Brian Menzies, College Junior trumpet major

UNCSA Brass Student Showcase

The excerpts class was followed by the thirty-minute recital featuring each studio from the brass area, many performing pieces from the Clifford Lillya library. The Trumpet Ensemble performed a Purcell fanfare featuring two trumpeters doubling on percussion, drumming on their trumpet cases and Jubilance by Rodney Miller. The high school ensemble next performed three charts from James Olcott’s Recreational Jazz Quartets.

All-District Band Audition Master Class

The UNCSA brass faculty opened their All-District Band audition master class by having volunteers take the stage in Crawford Hall and perform their audition pieces. Afterwards, tuba instructor Matt Ransom told a young euphonium player, “The level of dynamic should never affect the quality of sound being produced.” Ransom also told students to “Sit up straight and take large breaths so that your lungs are able to expand to their full extent.” Horn professor David Jolley instructed that, “Buzzing on the mouthpiece alone gives an idea of the amount of air required to play the piece.” Next, Judith Saxton, trumpet teacher, explained to a young man that tempo should always stay even unless marked and that it should not have any skips. Saxton used a visual demonstration to help explain the importance of this concept to the student. As the student played his musical selection Saxton either walked or skipped in place depending on the young man’s tempo, skipping every time his tempo skipped.

Nico Rodriguez, UNCSA high school freshman trumpet major

Final Gala Concert

The final gala concert took place in Crawford Hall. The event opened with the UNCSA Faculty Brass Quintet joined by the school’s organ instructor Dr. Timothy Olsen performing Richard Strauss Solemn Entry, which built to a crescendo for the brass and provided ample opportunity for Olsen to pull out the stops on the Fisk organ built into the hall. This was followed by Francesco Manfrediniʼs Trumpet Concerto in D for two trumpets performed by guest artists Jeffrey Piper and Alan Siebert with Timothy Olsen at the organ. Next the Southeast Chamber Brass to performed alongside the UNCSA faculty in David Sampson’s Fanfare for Canterbury Cathedral for two brass quintets. The concert continued with the first sketch from Four Sketches for Brass Quintet by Anthony Plog. The UNCSA Brass quintet performed next, playing Giles Farnabyʼs “The Old Spagnoletta” and “A Toye.”

During a brief interlude, the guest artists were presented with the pickle-green festival t-shirts. UNCSA’s mascot is the “fighting pickles,” making the color-choice extremely appropriate. There was also another raffle with three winning audience members called to the stage for the presentation of ITG and UNCSA paraphernalia.

Following the pause, the two quintets joined together again with Tim Olsen to present Gabrieli’s Canzon Primi Toni. The UNCSA Brass Quintet performed Eugène Gigoutʼs Grand Choir Dialogue, giving both the brass and organ a chance to fly. Next came the final trumpet fanfare, a signature piece Clifford Lillya used to close all of his brass concerts. Judith Saxton invited all participants of the 2012 UNCSA ITG Clifford Lillya Brass Symposium to come up on stage, some as young as eight or nine, to perform side by side with the pros in a blasting rendition. For the closing piece, all the brass players in the concert hall were invited onstage to be conducted by Judith Saxton for a side-by-side with the two professional brass quintets and Dr. Timothy Olsen in a grand presentation of Marc Chapentier’s Te Deum.

Chris Frith, UNCSA School of Filmmaking, college junior

Source: Judith Saxton

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