The Global Trumpet Horn Hangout

A unique hour spent with trumpet superstars! On this special Horn Hangout in the time of Corona when everyone is staying home, Sarah Willis invited some of the worlds best trumpet players to join her on a live Horn Hangout. What a global trumpet summit it was! Starring: Chris Martin, Sergei Nakariakov, Håkan Hardenberger, Wayne Bergeron, Arturo Sandoval, Tine Thing Helseth, Phil Smith, Matthias Höfs, Phil Cobb and Gabor Tärkövi and questions from a wonderful live audience all over the world. Don’t miss this!

Transcript

Auto-generated from the live stream, expect the occasional robot mishearing.

Hi Tim. Good morning, Sarah. How are you? Good morning. It’s time to call all the trumpet players to this hangout. If you are watching this and you’re a horn player, you I want you to share this right now with all your trumpet player friends. Um, tonight is a very special hangout. We’ve invited all our trumpet player friends to join us and the first one is just here. Chris Martin, hi. Hi, how are you? It’s good to see you. Your underpants have disappeared. They were hanging above you a few minutes ago.

Oh, well, they’re being cleaned, fortunately. I hope you’re wearing them. I I That’s the thing now. I am wearing pants, yes, I’m wearing Uh, that’s that’s I’m very glad to hear it. Welcome to the horn hangouts. It’s great to be back. It’s great to be back. It’s really great to see you and welcome to all of you. We’ve just gone live here on the website where I’ve got all your questions from here and live on Facebook as well. So, we’re hoping that everybody’s sharing this link so that everybody can find out who we’ve invited to tonight’s horn hangout.

Are you excited, Chris? I am excited. I’m going to put this away because we’re just No, no, no, leave it. Okay, okay. We won’t We We won’t This is the best I could do. This is the closest I could get to a trumpet. Chris, where are you exactly apart from in a cleaning cupboard? Uh, I am I’m in the closet. I’m in a closet. Are you coming out of the closet today on the hangout? Uh, I It’s It’s a little warm in here, so maybe I might come out of the closet today.

Oh, don’t say that too loud. Um, we we were in New York City until last Friday. Um, but we left uh to come to Kentucky now. Near some near near some family, so. So, it’s a little bit It’s a little bit calmer here. It’s a little bit more green and a little less um little less scary, so. Yeah, it’s New York’s a very scary place. So, I know we’re all having a lot of fun tonight. We’re also happy to see each other. We want to inspire as many people as we can who are feeling down in isolation and not wanting to practice, but of course, we know we don’t forget that there’s terrible things going on in the world right now.

But, what can we do? We can just keep practicing and keep making music. You guys made some great videos in New York Philharmonic. We did, yeah. We um we had a great time doing that. You know, believe it or not, one guy put that whole thing together. One orchestra member. He’s spent uh he’s spent a long time, a lot of hours over a course of a week, but he did a beautiful job. That You’re talking about the Bolero, right? Yes, the Bolero. Yeah. It’s great. If anyone’s got a link to that, please put it up in the chat so that everyone can see it because it’s uh it’s fantastic.

And you’ve got the New York Phil’s also been doing some great meet the musicians videos that I’ve liked as well. We have, absolutely, yeah. And I’ve got um we I’ve got uh our brass quintet’s working on a uh tune uh to put together for New York, for the city, and for the for the workers, and for the orchestra. And uh my guys at Juilliard, my students at Juilliard have put together a fun quartet, too. I’ll maybe I’ll put that up in the chat as well. Oh, yeah, please do.

That would be great. I’d love to see that. I think that’s one of the best things if there’s anything good There’s nothing good about Corona, but the best thing about the time right now is is it’s bringing people together in a way that you’d never expect. I mean, look at today. The The audience don’t know what’s about to hit them. I’m not even sure. No, I know. We’ve just been testing and I tell you, I got completely, I don’t know, flustered because and also a little fan girly as well because, oh my goodness, I’m just wondering if everyone’s going to manage to actually get back into the chat.

Well, we’ll see. We’ll see. I’m I’m feeling fan girly myself, so I’m ready. Well, um I’m just disappointed all your washing has disappeared. I thought that was quite cool. So. I’ll show you later. I’ll show you later. Chris, look down on your right. Yeah? Can you see something? Can you see the next guest about to arrive? Yeah, uh I There he is. Håkan Hardenberger, everybody. Hi. It’s so great to see you. Where are you, Håkan? I’m at home. What the hell? In my orchestra In In my orchestra, if the phone rings, you have to pay a fine.

So, uh yeah, you’re going to have to What did you What did you bring What did you bring to drink? Well, you told me to bring uh a drink, so I have a drink. I very good, very good. Chris, what have you got? Uh, so far, just coffee. It’s a little early. Just coffee. We’ve got people watching literally from all over the world and they’re drinking They’re drinking rum, they’re drinking raspberry juice, they’re drinking coffee, they’re drinking tea, they’re drinking all sorts of things. So, um This When When you go back and read the chat, oh my goodness, you can see where everyone’s watching from.

The next guest is about to arrive. Ladies and gentlemen, may I introduce the drum roll. You can see who it is, can’t you, in your screen. This is really hilarious. Oh, Håkan’s Håkan’s leaving the party already. Sergei, privet. Welcome. Hello. Well done. Well done for getting online. You’ve met Chris before? How are you? Hi. Uh, I don’t think we’ve Good to see you. I don’t think we’ve met either, but I missed you in just in New York a while back. So. It’s great to meet you now.

Great to to see you again. Oh, whose cat was that? My cat’s here. He’s going to say hi. SHOW US. OH. AW. OH, WE LIKE THAT’S A big cat. Oh my goodness. Yeah, he’s almost 17, Oh my goodness. And Sergei and Håkan, you know each other? No, we’ve never met. Don’t be shy. Don’t be shy. Just uh You really never met? That’s incredible. That’s really amazing. Oh, and the next Sergei, where Where are you, Sergei, right now? I’m in Paris. Is everything okay? You need a piece of paper to go outside, right?

Yes, that’s correct. But you’re okay? Your family’s okay? I have some paper. You have some Toilet paper, that’s what everybody else wants, right? Uh, now it’s not a problem anymore. There is enough in the shops. That’s good. I’m glad. I see in the bottom of the screen we have our next guest about to arrive, but I can’t I can’t see I can only see a picture of him. Gabor, if Ah, there he is. Gabor, guten Abend. Say it. Hey. Guten Abend. Hallo. Gabor, um we speak English today.

It’s no problem. I still not everything, but I try. Gabor Gabor told me told me he would just he would listen and then when I had to translate, he’d he’d put up his he’d put up his hand. Wenn ich übersetzen muss, dann sag Bescheid. So, Gabor, do you know Sergei and Håkan and Chris? Yeah. Du kennst doch alle. Ja. Äh, ich Ah. Hey. Wayne has joined Wayne has joined the party. Oh my goodness. Hold on. I got to get my I got to get my mask on.

Hold on. Don’t Don’t ask me why I have that. Wha- Why do you have that, Wayne? I A A pilot friend of mine, I always thought those would make a good plunger mute. And a pilot friend of mine uh told me a place where you can get them, you know, so I went online and I got one. And I use it uh I’ll use it in concert as a a stick. I talk about how I can’t travel with a plunger mute because when they see it in my luggage, TSA takes my luggage apart cuz they think I’m a like a plumber terror terrorist or something, you know.

And uh and so I I make a joke about how I stole this from the plane and you know. How’s everybody doing? Good. All my All my heroes are here, man. I can’t even believe it. Oh my god. Have you met Have you met everyone before or is this first time? I I haven’t met everybody, I don’t think. I’ve met Sergei and I met Chris Martin. time ago. And Håkan, I’ve met your teacher at Yamaha. Yeah. Uh, he was there with Bob Malone and so I I got to meet Bo.

And uh and I and we and I don’t think we’ve met. Gabor, you’ve not You two have never met either? think so. We haven’t met, have we? No, I think not. Well, I’m glad we’re meeting now. This is awesome, man. I’m glad we’re meeting now. I mean, I I I’d I know everybody except for Well, Sergei, I hadn’t met today before today and you neither way. And we have another lady. Another lady. HELLO. HI, EVERYONE. Look at this. Hello. You were You were just You were just with my friend in Minneapolis, my friend Reesa Benedict.

Yes, I know. Yeah. She’s my dear friend and uh and great trumpet player, as you found out, yeah. Perfect. Yeah. No, it’s a lot of fun. Welcome. So all of you guys here. This is like uh And And Tina, Tina, you’re literally in your wardrobe in your in your clothes cupboard, right? And you practice in there. No, you can practice in there. I have some of those same dresses in my closet, too, Wayne. You do? Yeah. No, I Yeah, I practice in my walking closet. That’s my practice room.

And Tina, right next to you is Cobb and I’m very proud that Phil may has made it onto the Hangout. We were worried that it wouldn’t work. HI PHIL. ARTURO SANDOVAL DOWN THE BOTTOM. THIS is so crazy. Matthias Höfs just joined the party. Hello Matthias. Um because Arturo, you’re on your iPad. You need to swipe left and right and then you can see everybody. This is the last moment we all have to talk now that Arturo’s here. Arturo, it’s it’s great to see you. Why can’t you see Can you see us?

Yeah. Yeah. Great. We we are looking really good. Arturo Chris, Chris, I thought you’d enjoy the mug. Hi, very nice. What is it? It’s an Arsenal mug. Uh Why are you an Arsenal fan, Chris? Yeah, I am. I don’t know why sometimes, but I am. And we you know, just as we got things going again Yeah, I know, right? Just as we got things going again, they they got shut down. Um now I can see you I can see Oh the cigar’s coming out. The cigar’s coming.

I can feel the smoke. I don’t I don’t smoke cigars. I I’ll shoot up or something. Here, let me uh Phil Phil Smith has joined the party. What an honor. Hi Phil. Hello. Sarah, why I don’t see everyone? What why? Because are you watching on your iPad, Arturo? I watching in my big screen in the computer. Yeah, but you’re you’re you’re watching from your from your iPad, right? Now shift Yeah, now shift left and right on your iPad. Oh, yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah. Yeah.

Yeah yeah yeah. Oh my lord. Yeah yeah yeah. I got everyone now. Me everybody. Arturo, who do you not know here? Shut up. Shut up. Do you have Do you have everybody Do you have everybody everybody already? Um most people are here. I see a I see a window for for Thomas, but he’s hasn’t appeared yet. Oh okay. The first thing I would love to say is congratulations, Sarah. Congratulations from the bottom of my heart because you are the only person who could do such a thing to put such a a bunch of mother jumpers in the same screen at the same time from different part of the world.

Only you. You are you are a rock star. You are a rock star, Sarah. Thank you. Thank you, Arturo. Thank you. Oh, you know you know that you know that’s from the bottom of my your mother jumping heart. Thank you so much. I I appreciate it so much. I’m I’m very I’m overwhelmed that you’ve all come to the party. I mean, it’s really well, it’s it’s it’s we want to the idea tonight is um so many students and and professionals and amateurs are watching from all over the world who are finding it a little bit difficult to be inspired and actually to practice alone when you’re in isolation.

It’s actually quite hard. Um and and what we’ve done with the horn Hangouts is that we’ve been trying to inspire the horn players and we got a whole bunch of us together last week and people loved it. So I just thought, why not ask my my my trumpet heroes to join in tonight as well. So I’m so honored that you that you all came. Yeah. This is this is amazing. Yeah. I’m honored to be in such a company with all of you guys. So Wow. Very cool.

Phil Phil Smith, where are you? I’m in Athens, Georgia. And at the where the university You’re looking good, Phil. You’re looking good. You’ve just been to your teaching there, right? Is everyone safe over there within Georgia? Yeah, we’re teaching and we’re doing the Skype lessons and FaceTime lessons. I don’t like that. I’d prefer a room and a person. Yeah. Yeah, but if but for something like this, it’s great, right? This is fine. Yeah, but once once you start playing, everything sounds the same. Yeah, but you could I know it’s hard to say to say well, we need to improve on your sound.

Are you guys all doing online teaching right now? Yeah. Yes. Arturo, I’m I’m so sorry because I’ve been I’ve been saying for years that teaching over the phone is not fair because you know, we’re talking about sound quality of sound and everything and articulation, all those kind of thing. And then I I I cannot come back now and I say, “Okay, now because I need a little bread I I will do it now and and you know, that it’s okay. I prefer to hear the person close to my ear, you know, to be honest.

That’s the only thing I could judge or recommend something because over the phone what you hear is distorted thing, you know, something that is not the real sound that you’re producing. But it’s okay. It’s you know, something is is better than nothing. If everybody’s agree to do it, I have no objection. That’s that’s my personal problem. I have to deal with that. They cancel They cancel all our gigs for a while and then I don’t know how I’m going to pay the bills, you know. In my in my situation where you’re working at a school, the school says, “This is what you’re doing.” and you go, “Okay, that’s what we’re doing.” Of course.

You have to do what you got to do. Go with the flow. You can at least exchange information there. Obviously, Arturo is absolutely correct. It sounds awful, you know, and you can’t really tell what they sound like. But maybe you can, you know, at least there’s an opportunity to exchange some information and they ask good questions and maybe you can give them No, no. I’ve seen you run with, you know. I think with students, I think the other part of it is just I mean, all the students, all the faculty, we’re all blown away by what’s happened.

And part of it is just an encouragement, getting on and seeing people face-to-face or screen-to-screen. And just saying, “Hey, how are you doing?” and you know, “Hang in there. Keep going. Let’s play. Let’s make some music.” They need that stimulation, too. I I my wife is teaching at four universities and uh so she’s teaching here all day every day and the people even misfit students who weren’t engaged are so bored and depressed that they’re this is is great for them now because now they have to get engaged and they is their only interaction with their friends.

So it’s it’s a it’s it’s taken a few of her students that weren’t doing so well and all of a sudden they’re doing better now. So there’s a maybe a plus side to some of this even though I miss, you know, being around my colleagues and I miss Arturo. Arturo lives, you know, a 5-minute drive from me here, but we never see each other, you know, and now we’re seeing each other here and you know. Oh my goodness. Tell me about it. Gabe Gabe What you drinking there, vodka?

Jasmine tea. Jasmine tea. Oh the Look, don’t make me feel guilty. I can tell you it’s a very old Soviet mug and here in Russian it says Happy 1st of May. Oh, okay. Nazdrovya. I need a drink. You do? I told you to bring one. I’M COMING RIGHT BACK. I’LL BE BACK. OKAY, you go and get it. Okay. Please come back. Okay. Hey everybody, did you hear the story about Wayne? Håkan, what are you drinking? I’m drinking a little bit of red wine. Good for you.

And you know, I was thinking about that I was thinking about the students. They it’s it’s uh it’s also the limited time they have. It’s sometimes good because they they will think about what they want to talk about and formulate their thoughts. So actually the the the limited little lesson can sometimes be beneficial. I think that’s true. things. I think if I get an hour lesson with my students these days, it’s about 40 minutes of talking of conversation and questions and answers and and thinking about new ideas.

They they challenge me more in a way they never did in person. I think they feel a bit more freedom and uh uh confidence to ask more questions. Which is great. Matthias Matthias, du bist ganz unten. Good Hi, Matthias. Yeah, I’m glad you got it set up. Thank you for joining us. Matthias is professor in in Hamburg um and and also the the lead trumpet of German Brass as you guys know. Have Have you all seen his orchestral excerpts video? I have not. He’s he’s amazing.

He’s amazing. Um bravo, Matthias. The way to practice this with the students come all excerpts together, it’s you need not so much time for this. So play together. It’s a good way. It’s a good way. It’s a good way. I I I I I said good. Hey Matthias, you’re not going to be using that fake accent all day, are you? Matthias, don’t listen to them. They’re being mean. They’re being mean. Matthias, tell us tell us how you are Okay, I promised I promised the trumpet the trumpet community that I would ask at least a few trumpet questions before this deteriorates into a a party.

Don’t switch off. Don’t switch off. Matthias, what’s what Let’s talk about Corona. But I mean we are the only the only one. No, no, okay. But don’t they don’t they make Corona cigars as well? A beer look Matthias, is that but that’s not that’s not Corona beer, is it Matthias? What sort of beer is that? This is the best. That’s what I smoke. A tour of Ponte. Dominican. That’s the best. Very best. Go on, let us let us smell it. Oh, yeah. It’s especially especially in the morning after the special coffee, this is the glory.

And it’s good for your breathing, too. It’s very good for you. Can you smell it? I can smell it from here. Close your window, Arturo. I can smell it from here. Hey Arturo, can you see this picture this picture behind me? Oh, man. Yeah, we we with with Jack. Oh, yeah, yeah, man. That’s that’s beautiful, Wayne. Oh, man. That’s Oh, man. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. That’s beautiful, man. Yeah, with Jack, man. Wait, tip it a bit. We can’t It’s tip it a bit. Yeah, that yeah.

Yeah, perfect. Oh. The glare from the the camera. It was after Jack Sheldon had his stroke. Uh we had a He just passed away, as you know, but we had a I was I ended up being a pallbearer at his funeral and I also when we were walking to the graveside, his wife said, “Did you bring your trumpet?” And I’m going, “Well, I’m holding the casket in one hand. I obviously don’t have a trumpet, you know.” And uh she said, “Well, I need somebody to play taps.” And so she said right after the prayer and the prayer had begun, and she handed me Jack’s trumpet case and I opened the case and I put his mouthpiece in and I blew in it to make sure the valves were in right and I had to play right then.

And it’s the best taps I’ve ever played cuz I didn’t have time to get nervous. You know, on his his horn and mouthpiece. So anyway, I I knew I was wondering if Arturo could see this cuz this is quite a That that meeting was organized what that by Juan Rezzio. Yeah, exactly. Yeah. That was Juan’s idea. Yeah. That was Juan’s idea, you know. Juan is one of the beautiful one of the beautiful angel we got on heaven, you know, watching us all. Yeah, yeah. That’s right.

Sarah, are you recording this? Recording? I’m recording this. This is Tim Tim is Tim is recording it. We’ll all be able to see it later. What what you guys have got to look at later is the chat the live chat that’s going on. Thank you for everything you’re writing. Everyone will get to see it. Um the trumpet world and the horn world, they’re going crazy. They are literally going crazy. It’s It’s going out live on Gail Williams is watching. Hi Gail, nice to see you. All great.

And um yeah. Um someone said yeah, Wynton was invited, but Wynton had has something going on on Instagram right now. So he knows his he wanted to come over to this, but he’d already been planned on Instagram, but he was invited. So so don’t worry. He might he might pop in, you never know. Wynton who? Wynton Kelly? Wynton Kelly, no that’s that’s Tim Kelly. Churchill Churchill Churchill So okay, right. I’m going to I’m going to ask some trumpet nerd questions, okay? Please forgive me, but I really want to because everyone is um is oh um Ethan says he loves the Scott big book book that Wayne has in the background.

Oh, Scott Belk. Belk. Sorry, Belk. It’s my eyes. Yeah, it’s it’s it’s modern progressive progressive lip flexibilities and they’re kind of wild. Uh they’re basic lip flexibilities except you you’re changing the length of the horn a lot. You’re using different valves per beat and uh they’re real wild sounding, you know, nutty nutty things. I have that I don’t have it open. I just like the way it looks. I was I was just going to say, is it just there for decoration or do you actually do those exercises?

Well, I do them a little bit, but that but the one on this side is the one I’m looking at more the Charlie A number 14. Now, why is that? Because my third finger sucks. And everybody in this room knows that that etude right there. Håkan Håkan has a project with with exactly these etudes. Tell us, Håkan. Well, I was thinking of of what to do in all this and and I thought I would challenge this virus, you know, and week by week and and record one etude a week and put out there.

So I I really hope that I win over the virus before the end of the book because I don’t know them very well. But yeah, you know, I think they’re really good etudes because there are so such great music in They’re beautiful to listen to, yeah. I envy all the pianists and and violinists they have Bach. They can play all day long, you know, really fulfilling music. And and we we have I think Charlie is one of the closest thing we have where you can really have fun great music.

Yeah, yeah, I agree. Hey Håkan Håkan, are you are you dyeing your hair something because I remember you used to have a black hair. He’s been surfing and he’s been in the sun a lot and stuff, so you know. And I made you you were you were a little kid who was people there in Paris. Do you remember that? Yeah, I don’t remember the Paris meeting, but I remember I remember playing in London and then you were sitting in first row, you know, that was a nice thing to do.

I went down to play a recital in there. But I remember when Pierre when Pierre invite me to to his classroom in in Paris Conservatory and you were there that day. Okay. Yeah, I remember that. You you were a little boy. You were a little boy. It suits you, Håkan. It suits you, Håkan. I like your hair. It suits you. It suits you. And actually in Sweden is practically the only place where the hairdressers aren’t closed because here everyone’s getting longer and longer hair and and soon everyone’s going to know our real hair color.

That’s the problem. That’s the real problem because because all all the hairdressers are shut. I was going to say I think Håkan has the best hair on the screen, actually. I use the shoe polish shoe polish Shoe polish? to cover all my white hair. I was going to say only Arturo could get away with saying that to Håkan. Phil, come down the bottom here. Phil, when I asked you to do this, you said, “Yeah, all right, but only if I don’t have to play the trumpet.” But actually someone’s just asked you a question and it’s so many questions ago that I’ve got to I’ve got to scroll, but can I ask you a question from one of the online audience?

Um Jasmine asks, “What do you do to work on practice efficiently and and ease in on playing in playing on trumpet in relation to the cornet? How do you how do you manage both?” Uh see, this is why I don’t like doing these kinds of things. Matthias Matthias He is the right guy to answer that. I agree. Um I I I I mean I’ve I’ve answered this question a few times. I try not to think about it too much the difference between the cornet and the trumpet.

Yeah. I think that there there are subtle differences, but I don’t think it’s too healthy to think too much about it, if I’m honest. Um which is what I try and do, which is probably why I can’t answer the question. You did answer the question very well in our horn hangout. So if anybody wants to know what Phil thinks, go and watch his horn hangout. What about the other Phil? Yeah, I agree. You you do it. I mean, I grew up playing the cornet. I didn’t play a trumpet until I was probably in high school.

And then going to Juilliard, I had a teacher Ed Troyel who really turned me away from a cornet concept or sound. Trumpet, but but it still is in your mind, right? So when you’re playing a cornet, you you you drift back to that’s the way it should sound. And when you play a trumpet, you drift back to that’s the way it should sound. And your scope is just big. You just do it. Don’t think about it. Hey, according to to Herbert L. Clark, trumpet was a bastard instrument.

The only cornet is a fair and the right instrument. That’s what he said. Well, I would agree with that, but I couldn’t make a living That’s it’s in the letter he sent to Banch many years ago. That’s a famous letter. I love I love all these stories. Tina, I’ve got a question for you for you, okay? From Shan Hui Sun, um how do you manage to practice your do your daily practice routine? Could you be a little specific? Your secret is to play in your with all your dresses, right?

Well, right now when I’m at home first of all, my husband just gave ME THIS. OH. THIS IS THE RIGHT CORONA. NO, BUT YEAH, WHEN I’M at home, so right now of course it’s very strange. I’m sure for a lot of us to just be at home instead of traveling around to play. It’s quite nice though as well, but not not when you have to. It’s it’s okay when you choose to. So now it’s a bit strange, but when I practice at home, I do it here in my in our walking closet.

I mean our apartment is also quite small, so if my you know, my husband is allowed to not hear me all the time, then I just lock myself into the walking closet and I play. And it’s very nice because it’s it’s quite you know, then the sound gets really I don’t I I can’t hide behind anything. It’s very naked. Don’t don’t don’t come out of the closet, please. Talking about coming out of the closet, Chris. You were you were saying you might come out of the closet today, but I I not literally.

Your wife is watching. So our apartment in New York is quite small as well and I practice in a like a like a sound isolation booth like for singers and it’s about the size of a like an old phone booth. And I find the same. You could there’s nowhere to hide any anything any any imperfection any messing the sound is you hear everything, so. Something I found with Yeah, yeah. Yeah, and also it’s nice if it’s in a you know, I have neighbors and they haven’t said anything.

They’re very nice, but it’s also nice to be able to play really loud without it being so loud, you know, then I can I don’t feel because sometimes you feel a bit like this, you know, especially practicing in hotel rooms and stuff like that, then you feel very about everyone around you, but then here I can just play as loud as I want into all my dresses and stuff and then yeah. It’s quite nice. It’s not practice and smoke cigars like Arturo. It’s Sergey. Sergey, where are you now?

I’m near Paris. I’m in France at home. Le France. Oh, c’est la vie, mon chéri. Oui, oui. Sergey, cuz Sergey people keep asking the people are dying to know all these things. I’m going to have to do individual hangouts with you all to get the right answers. We’re not going to be able to answer everything here. It’s just so great to see all of you together. Um what what what is your practice routine on a performance day compared to a concert day? Uh is it a question for me?

Yes, for you. I I warm up a little longer, which is still not long at all. And I try to avoid rehearsals so that I can save all my energy for the concert and then also I check some risky spots um in the well, in the pieces that I’m going to perform. Yeah. Just to feel a little more calm. And and I will just wait till the concert is over. And then Jasmine No Jasmine no Jasmine tea, huh? Do you still get nervous? I do. When I was a kid, I wasn’t really and the last maybe 8 years or so it started to happen.

And um my way is just to focus as much as I can on the music when I’m on stage. Yeah. No no meditation or anything beforehand? I don’t know how to do that. My meditation goes like this so and then to see see if the time’s up. I love I love your hair, Sergey. Beautiful. Towards the end of of this period, maybe I can I can do some Oh oh oh oh no no no. No man no man bun. No man bun. No man bun. Yeah, Gabo, I saw Gabo today and Gabo is going to be getting a beard.

I never I you know, you’re growing a beard. I have never it’s new for you, no? I have long time free. Yeah. So no concert. So what are you doing? Was machst du? I teach. I teach also in the with internet with Zoom, FaceTime, with everything. And I try my give my best for the students. This is a difficult time for for everyone. So I teach three afternoons every weeks. We are together with the students and I think it’s one thing is very important for the students.

He have to do a recording. And he have to do a recording and send me. And these recordings time is a very difficult and very important time for the students. Because sometimes if you have the if the lessons in person we give the tips very fast and it is very important, but now I give the tips in internet or I write a mail or a message and I think for some students is very very important to recording. And I think it is a bad time now.

Uh but we we can do that positive. And I I try to do positive. I I practice new solo pieces. Maybe I I hope I can play this piece in the future. But I I practice. Yeah. It’s it’s hard to keep up the motivation. Matthias, you’ve always been a big practiser. I know. We’ve known each other many years. You are a big you’ve got a great house and you can play as loud as you want and your studio is right on the top. Yeah. Yeah, we have here in Hamburg a very good situation because now it’s very warm.

It’s like summer. 25 degrees. So and most of us they have the problem to practice to find a room and I told my students go outside in in the park or in the wood to practice there or if it’s raining, go in the park garage. Yeah, it’s a fantastic acoustic. So perhaps it’s a good idea not stay all all the time in your small room, go outside and your idea Gabo with the recording, it’s fantastic because um I think it’s a good idea to to try to have one good version on on tape.

It’s a lot of practicing before and sometimes in the lessons we play just and with a lot of mistakes, but if you want to have a clean version, you have to practice a lot before, so it’s a good idea, I think. Yeah. Yeah. I think so, too. No, no. No. I try I try to to play every every day some except I record it for the students. This is not so simple. Yeah, Matthias Matthias plays Matthias plays them all together. Matthias Matthias just puts them all together.

You can do that. Then you have them all in you know. Um um there’s a good question. Lampros has asked maybe I don’t know maybe Chris you can answer this one or maybe you can all chip in on this. They want to know is it good to practice with mutes? Is it good to practice with a practice mutes? I mean we had this discussion with the horns and it’s you know, it’s sort of like it’s not so great for our embouchures it sort of flattens them rather than helps it, but Chris, what would you say?

Yeah, I’d say no. It’s I mean it’s better than maybe zero. It’s better than nothing. But not much better than nothing to me. I think it’s better to I think it’s better to play into some pillows or play into a blanket or Dresses. Dresses. Yeah, I I think it’s really damaging. Maybe mouthpiece practice lead pipe lip buzzing is better than the mute, I think. I mean it’s okay to do it if it’s if it’s like just before a performance. I do it if I have to keep, you know, if I should stay warm if because I can’t play just before, you know, stuff like that.

But that’s just for not for practicing, you know. And if I have to like do a bit of this in the evening when no one uh the hotel at mid midnight, you know, then I have to do something, but proper practicing Yeah. You would you all agree on that? Phil Smith, what do you what do you think? Phil and Phil? I mean if some of you some of the students may you know, Joe Alessi and I did on tours when I would practice into the pillow cave.

And we made we made fun of that. We had a good time making fun that it’s actually good. I would fill the cave out of pillows because I’d rather play into there. Yeah, totally. Oh, the pillow cave. Yeah, we know the pillow cave. It right now it’s still I’m sorry to interrupt you, but it sounds like someone’s not feeling well. Arturo, what are you doing? Arturo, what Show us. Yeah, show us what you want me to show This is the thing that saved my butt because you know, I I used to practice a lot when I was younger but now this is what I use.

Just to keep my fingers alive. I just blow into the mouthpiece here and I and I see the horn on the stage. I think that it’s I think playing in a mute you’re practicing in a mute like really practicing. It’s a false sense of security cuz when you put a cup mute in it fixes a lot of stuff. Like all of a sudden you don’t hear the dirt in your sound and you go, “Oh man, I’m making a great sound. It sounds good.” And you practice and then you open up cuz I do that here sometime if it’s early I’ll put a mute in and I’ll I’ll just start that way so I don’t disturb my wife and then I’ll open up and then I realize oh that’s just a bunch of garbage in my sound and I have to practice some more to get rid of that again because it when you put a mute in that resistance you know, your aperture reacts differently.

You know, and so you have to change all that and kind of find that sweet spot again. So I would agree that it can be more do more damage than good. Uh but it like you know, for getting something together real quickly like like Tina said, you know, I think it’s it’s okay for that. Wayne You know what is great too that they use the the the only the lead pipe that Exactly. sings. That’s medicine. It’s medicine for Can you explain? I don’t I don’t can you to a horn player?

Can you show us? Ah, okay. I I adapted this. Okay. It’s okay. We got it. Arturo Well, yes the pro model. No, this this is the just the set of valve and the it regular lead pipe, you know, a normal lead pipe. And then I I put the the the the mouthpiece there. Okay. But you can do it with a normal trumpet. Yeah? And it just focuses the sound, right Wayne? Just just put put it out the the the tuning slide and you have a lead pipe.

You can any trumpet work for that. Wayne, when you joined the chat not everyone was here. Can you please show us your cup mute? Oh, you mean my Oh, you mean my my my my mask? Your mask. Yeah. And look look what he does with it. I actually use it for a plunger mute. And uh I got it from some place online a pilot friend of mine. So anyway, kind of a fun fun thing. It’s cool. It’s actually a pretty darn good plunger mute, too. sounds good, man.

It works but it like when you close it up it doesn’t distort the sound so much. So if you’re whining on a high C or something it doesn’t break the sound up as much as uh my regular plunger. So I like it. I don’t I don’t whine on high Cs very often I must say but if I do then I will remember remember that tip. Hey guys, the Simon Bolivar Trumpet Ensemble are all watching and say hi to you all. So that’s great. I wonder I wonder how they’re all doing where they all are.

They’re all sort of scattered around. So I I hope they’re fine. Um Jeff Strong wants to know if Håkan likes lead pipe work. Lead pipe Oh, you mean the like you were just talking about. Yeah. Um I I never have to. I mean I I I don’t I can practice here at home and then I can practice at the hall. It’s never it’s never been an issue. Uh I do like mouthpiece work um quite a lot. And I spend a lot a lot of time doing that.

I completely agree on the mute things you were saying before. So if it’s if it’s to to be to do something else than that then I’m sure very good idea. Yeah. Sergey, what do you think? Um I have this luxury to practice at home. Oh, great. disturb neighbors and I can even play at night. So I’m very lucky. What do your family say to that? Um well, let’s say my father hopes that I practice enough. My neighbors were I was asking them if I was too loud, you know, I didn’t want to bother them and they said, “No, it’s not the volume.

It’s more the intonation that bothers us.” but Phil Phil Phil Smith, where are you practicing right now? I have a little bedroom up in my house. It’s got a nice peak ceiling in it. So that’s my practice room. Yeah, and you can just let rip. You let it go and as far as as far as cuz I did practice late at night. I would often come home after a concert and then be upstairs practicing and the kids in the family that’s just normal noise in the house.

It’s when you didn’t practice that’s when they’d wake up. It’s like the white noise machines, yeah, that babies have when they when they sleep. You were the practice noise. Yeah. It’s just part of the sounds of the house. You you wonder what you do to your you wonder what you do to your kids My daughter My daughter could My daughter knew modify it at 6 months I think. She was born Now, I’m really sorry that Thomas Gansch can’t can’t join us. He was supposed to join us.

He had his Gansch horn already and I actually did a test with him earlier on where all his kids were on and we I could see them all. They’ve done a great family video. I don’t know if you saw it of all of them playing together. It was very sweet. But he can’t get on the chat. So Thomas, I’m so sorry. We would have loved to have seen you. Yeah, bummer. He’s he’s in Austria in some like miles away from anywhere in some mountain hut. So um he was going to go around and look for look for reception but unfortunately he didn’t but he’s watching.

So Yeah. So lots of love Thomas. Sorry to miss you guys. Sorry, that’s such a shame. Aw. Um who Do you guys all know Thomas? You’ve all met him before? No. Um I remember when Chris when I said to you Chris Thomas is coming on the chat you’re like, “Oh man, I feel a hangover coming on.” He was in Los Angeles here about a year ago and we were doing a recording session for this this TV show called The Wiz Live. And uh Jerry Hey, a great arranger trumpet player had done the charts and it was Chuck Findley and Gary Grant and I but the brass group was in town.

So Thomas came to the session. Jerry invited him to the session and he wrote him a fourth trumpet part to play in our section with us and it was this ferocious really hard thing and and we’re you know, it’s you know, it was loud, you know, Gary and Chuck and myself were cranking, you know, and and we played like four bars and he looked at me and he goes, “You guys play so [ __ ] loud.” Watch your mouth. Watch your mouth. I know I said a bad word there.

I’m sorry. I said I said mouth. But anyway, he was dirty mouth So Wayne, who have you met before and who haven’t you met before here? Uh I haven’t met Phil yet but I know him through a lot of mutual friends. I met Phil Smith before and I’ve met Sergey and Chris and I have worked together several times together now and I don’t know Yeah, you guys are you’ve got a big project. Are you allowed to talk about that project or you’re not allowed to talk about that project?

It’s a project that’s it’s a movie that was done a long time ago about rival gangs. And it’s being redone by You can’t mention any names. So wasn’t it a great musical And it might have been a musical in in Steven Anyway, but it’s all over the internet but Steven Spielberg is the director and John Williams and David Newman are the music supervisor and it’s it’s quite a I played this same music with Phil Smith here before actually as well at Avery Fisher Hall and I’ve got to do it with Chris a couple of times and now we’re recording the music for the movie together and and we’re supposed to be doing it like last week, weren’t we Chris?

Yeah, last week we were supposed to be together. to be together last week doing another one but unfortunately this uh took us out of the game for a minute. How How are they going to do that if this goes on for ages? Are they going to sort of do like what everyone else is doing like on a cappella and everybody play their parts or I don’t think we can do that with this. I I think it’s It’s a big production. Yeah. Yeah, yeah, it’s it’s kind of a big production.

Yeah. We had the Obamas We had the Obamas at one of our recording sessions. Oh, cool. We had an audition and I mean an audience and we had all these these dignitaries and it was a was really really exciting, you know, and quite a moment for for all of us and Yeah, Barack had a great high F sharp We miss him. Well, we do in Europe anyway. Barack had a great high F sharp but I think yours is better. Yeah, the I mean this music I I won’t say what it is but it’s it’s it’s pretty it was very difficult.

Um I we’re not going to say what it is but everybody knows that famous trumpet lick. You know, the Lenny conducting the I mean I’m not giving away to but you know, the one that goes That’s you, Wayne, is it? Uh possibly. Yes and Yeah, Chris and I the way the way it worked the show the title of the show rhymes with uh East Side Connection. We’ll call it that. Uh anyway, Chris and I when I I was brought in to to play and and Chris and I kind of split up the first book because uh and I I played, you know, uh a lot of it and he plays a lot of it and and uh I always made sure he played the things that I wasn’t going to sound good on and There was a lot of really There was some really soft things that we’re playing and we’d go through and I’d start playing and what am I thinking about?

Here, you play this. Let me I’m going to go get coffee or something, you know. Wait, didn’t you when we did it, didn’t you tell me that that’s the way it was actually recorded the first time? It was because the the the lead trumpet player on the movie was Uan Racey, uh except for on a couple of the commercial things, which uh the mambo scene Oops, I just said it what it was. Oh, gosh darn it. Mambo number five. It’s not that way other one. No, it’s uh uh the mambo scene and the blue There’s a blues uh like big band scene and Pete Candoli, Peter Candoli, Manny Candoli’s brother played lead on those things and Uan played in the section.

So, they were separate sessions. So, when they put the music together for the movie to be performed live to the picture, uh everything was combined and and transcribed into one because they don’t even have the original music. So, it’s all transcribed and it’s really pretty impossible for one person to play all this with any kind of elegance because you’re you’re playing all this high stuff and you’re beat up and then the next entrance is a pianissimo thing, you know, and so having two people to When I did it with Phil, we got together ahead of time to to discuss the book, how we’d split it up and and Phil says, “Oh, you just play everything.” I go, “No, that that’s not that doesn’t really work like that.” And uh and it was really it was really Phil, yeah, you don’t know this, man, but that moment for me, getting to sit next to you, just like it was when I got to do it with Chris, man, was was like one of those things and if if you don’t mind me taking up a little bit of time, I want to tell a funny Phil Smith story cuz there’s one moment in this music where there’s a little lick that goes bom da bom and it goes to a written high C on the B-flat trumpet.

And Phil, the way I described it, man, he like threw a lasso of sound over the entire orchestra and then then reeled the whole orchestra into his tone and I said to him, I said, “You can’t teach what you just did.” And he said, “Well, what do you mean?” I said, “Well, just the way you played that. It gives me goosebumps when I think about it.” And so, I told uh I told this same story to Tom Hooten with the LA Philharmonic when I played it with him and I was telling him about Phil and how he played this thing and it’s one of the most musical things I’d ever heard.

And it’s a simple little thing, but just And uh and so, you know, of course, when you say that to somebody, it’s going to be a challenge to them. So, so Tom played it and he played it beautiful, you know. And he goes, “Well, what do you think?” I go, “Ah, not so much.” Wayne, if it’s that hard, do you reckon you can see if you can get another 10 trumpet players on it cuz I reckon we could all do with a work in a few months’ time.

Yeah, we could use you. That’s a good idea, actually. Double all the parts and get all these guys in. That’d be great. Yeah. you have more questions? I have some more questions. Um I have a question from Matthias, from Günther. He wants to know how you managed to change from B-flat to C to piccolo so quickly in a concert. Oh, I I try to practice every day on each instrument. And if one instrument doesn’t work, I take the next one. So, I have all instruments every day.

So, I I think it’s it’s a good idea to be flexible and uh even the the music helps uh to change all all the different sounds uh to have a good feeling and and not to fix on one instrument. Yeah. Yeah, well, I mean, especially like if you’re doing that sort of movie, you don’t you don’t know what’s if you I was talking to some of the movie horn players, you never know what’s going to come. You never know what what you could sit down, you don’t know what you’ve got.

I mean, like like Håkan, when you’re working up a big concert or Seger, or you know, a new one, then you you’ve got time to work it all out. And and it’s still hideous hideous difficult, but the uh the movie world, mm, that’s that’s hard work. We never see the music in advance. Well, with modern technology, a little bit more now. Sometimes they’ll put the parts on Dropbox and I’ll look at them on my phone. Oh, this is nothing, nothing, nothing. But every once in a while, I see something and I will practice it, you know, with my fingers or whatever, you know, just so when I get there, I But most of the time, in the old days, you show up for work and 10:00, we start recording, you know.

And and you do it and you move on to the next cue and you never see that music again. Yeah. I love the spontaneity spontaneity of it, though, Wayne. I mean, I I think I think I just love love turning up and just the red light goes on and play. I think it just gives you less time to think about it. I think that’s what’s I think it’s there’s something really liberating about working like that, actually. I completely agree, you know, my uh my dear friend Lew Soloff, who was a great trumpet player in this town, when he would never look in look at the music, he would never open the book.

He’d have his coffee, he’d be warming up and he wouldn’t open the music up until the downbeat, till the red light was on. He goes, “Ah, it’s just going to scare you. You don’t want to look at that.” Nothing you can do about it by then, anyway. Yeah, yeah, you’re I mean, another 10 minutes of practice practicing is not going to help, you know, so it’s not That’s how I feel about the last movement of Mahler’s 7th. I lost the sound. Oh, you lost the sound?

Are you back? I’m back. Yeah, yeah. You’re back. You’re back. That’s good. Good, good. We don’t want to lose you, Arturo. We got to give you No, no, no. I Who? The last couple of things I I the last couple of things I missed it, but I it’s back now. It’s back. It’s back now. That’s that’s that’s to We going to be able to share this afterwards with the people I’m going to Of course, you are. And you can also look in the links and see There’s so many questions coming in.

I feel a bit bad because I literally cannot get to all your questions because there’s so many of us and I’m so happy to see them. Basically, tonight was about us all meeting up and just sort of saying hi to you um out there in the world and and trying to make us all feel connected for an hour. And I know everyone has to go and teach. We’ve been going on for almost an hour. It’s incredible. It doesn’t It doesn’t feel like it. Um um but it next Wednesday again.

Yeah, I you’re more than welcome. Regular party. I like that idea. Yeah, I I love The only person The only person I’m not sure might not like it is is Tim at Tim, we’ve got to say a big thank you to handsome Tim down here. You coming back in? There you are, Tim. Because he got up at 4:00 in the morning in Melbourne. Pretty early to be up. This early. That is early. Thanks, Tim. Well, that is And now And now we want to do it all again because the thing is, you know, there’s so many great questions that are coming in from everyone.

I mean, it it is it is incredible, but we can’t get to We literally can’t get them to all. If anyone wants to read the chat and and answer any of them, I mean, we’d be we’d be honored. Um but uh but but basically, everyone is just so happy to see all their trumpet heroes on screen and I I know I am. So, I mean, thank you so much for taking the time and something? Yes, please. My suggestion is, please don’t pay too much attention to all the negativity and the bad news on the media, whatever.

Concentrate in the sunny side of the street and use your time in something productive like practicing, reading, enjoy your family, enjoy your dog, enjoy your time at home relaxing. You don’t have to go to the airport, you don’t have to do so many things, you don’t have to be stressed about a concert or something. But don’t repeat all those bad news about the virus and all the things because that create a lot of bad feeling in your head and your soul and then that that don’t doesn’t help at all.

That’s my recommendation, you know, you know, to everybody. Yeah. I could I agree with that. Just be Everybody just, you know, everybody be smart about what we’re doing and do the right thing and live our lives, you know, best we can. But what about what about for students that are really struggling with the motivation to keep practicing? And I love Garbo’s idea about about, you know, the recording, um you know, and and the recording yourself and and then sending that to a teacher rather than a live lesson.

I mean, I don’t know um how how many you can’t hear everybody, but I mean, recording yourself and teaching yourself, I guess. What do you guys think about that? Good great it it get it beautiful headphone set. And then buy as many music as you could and listen to good music all the time because that does evolve for your soul, you know, listen to good music, good music. If if the music a good music don’t inspire you, I’m sorry. Go and do something else because the music is such an incredible and unique inspiration.

And we must get motivated with that. If you don’t feel that thing, I’m so sorry, you never going to make it. I’m sorry, you never going to make it. You have to feel You have to hear some good music and say, “Wow, can I imitate that?” Clark Terry used to say, “Imitate, create No, no, sorry. Imitate, emulate, create.” That’s the the three step that he And this is is beautiful. It’s a genius mentality. You know, we started imitating our heroes and the people who you admire and respect, you know, you you imitate that.

And then when you feel a little more, you know, confident or whatever, you start to emulate your own heroes. And in the end, you feel ready to start creating and producing your your your thing. You That that was Clark Terry told me many years ago and I and I always remember that. Always remember that. Always. Yeah. Yeah. And And remember to to listen to all types. I mean, I’m sure you all agree, all types of music, all genres, and please don’t only listen to trumpet players.

What? Listen to everything else. It’s It’s so boring. There’s so many amazing things to get inspired by and all instruments, singers, whatever, all genres. There’s so much great music out there and this Have you heard Tina sing? She’s a really mean singer, I tell you. Well, thank you, Sarah. No, I love it. Listen to Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto number two. To start with. That’s my biggest recommendation. Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto number two. If you don’t get inspired by that, bye-bye. Sergei, Sergei, what what inspires you? I listen to a lot of jazz, actually.

Of course. I have many jazz records. And yeah, just get inspiration where you can. Yeah. Phil, you I interrupted you, sorry. Phil Smith. I was just going to say it’s not just the students who are struggling perhaps with motivation. It’s all of us. I I doubt that there’s anyone on this screen right now who hasn’t felt a little unmotivated. And even for me, just being in this presence makes me want to go upstairs and practice right now cuz I’m thinking, what am I doing here? And Oh, no.

That’s you know, so we all need that motivation and we all need to be encouraged. And Arturo’s absolutely right. The The And And And Tina as well. Just the imagination you get from listening. Listen, go copy. Listen, go copy. I remember watching a very good documentary about Heifetz and it was at the end of his life and he was not doing any concerts anymore. And he would still get up in the morning, you know, shave, dress, and it would be him and his violin. And that I found such a beautiful connection between human being and the instrument.

That that inspired me. Yeah. That should be a part of you. We have a great chance We have no pressure with any concerts or auditions or so. So, perhaps it’s a great chance to calm down, to think of your basics, to sleep well, to make sports, and to I think for me it’s a great chance to do all things I want to do and I have time now for this. And not in pressure and every trumpet player should calm down. Yeah, it’s good idea. There’ll be lots lots There’ll be lots and lots and lots of great trumpet players because everybody has much more time to play.

That’s no good for the business. You’re going to have more competition. Oh my god. Listen, you guys, I’ll let you go. You’ve given us an hour of your time. I’m so honored. Chris, thank you so much for helping me set this up because I didn’t have everybody’s contacts and you got you got Wayne and Phil into the chat and thank you so much for that. And to all of you to all of you who I haven’t met before, you know, like like Wayne, Sergei, it’s just so amazing.

And Phil as well, hadn’t met you before. It’s such an honor. As a As a As a tiny horn player, I mean, I brought my This is the closest I could get to a trumpet player. I was remembering your horn challenge. Remember? Yes. Chris, keep the cat because what we have to do is we do at on the horn hangouts we do a selfie every night. Everyone knows what they’re going to do. We’re going to get Everyone’s going to get their camera ready and they’re going to take a selfie of themselves with all of us because I mean, to get a selfie with all you guys, it’s really amazing.

So, you guys ready for ready for the horn hangout selfie? Everybody Have you got trumpets? Have you got What What have you got? Anything Come on. Phil, you need your Arsenal cup in there. That’s right. Okay. Everyone’s got their trumpets. Why didn’t you play anything? have a mouthpiece, but that’s fine. That’s a good reason. Okay. Okay, where’s the cat? Where’s the cat? Oh, she did she Oh, okay. I don’t blame him. I don’t blame him. Okay, ready? Ready? Phil, Arsenal cup ready? 1 2 3 selfie timer.

Are you guys getting this? There, I’m sure you are. Oh, yeah. This just went crazy. So crazy. Yeah, it’s just fantastic. Thank you all for Thank you. Thank you, Sarah. Thank you. Thank you for joining me. Thank you, handsome Tim. You can sign off. We’re going offline now. Thank you to all The Horn Hangouts is back at 3:00 tomorrow, Berlin time, 9:00 a.m. New York time with horns again, with French horns, and I’m we’ll see you then. And thank you for joining Guys and girls Guys and girls, you’re all amazing.

Thank you so much. God bless. God bless. Bye-bye.

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