Master Class: The Section: How does it work? Will I fit in?

Instructor: Susan Slaughter
Panelists: Lauraine Carpenter – Principal Trumpet, Toledo Symphony Orchestra; Cathy Leach – Principal Trumpet, Knoxville Symphony Orchestra; Judith Saxton – Principal Trumpet, Wichita Symphony Orchestra; Marie Speziale – former Assoc. Principal Trumpet, Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra

Assisted by: Karen Donnelly – Principal Trumpet, Natl. Arts Orchestra, Ottawa; Theresa Hanebury – Second Trumpet, Houston Ballet Orchestra; Tammy Leverone – U.S. Army Band “Pershing’s Own”; Michelle Rakers – U.S. Marine Band “The President’s Own”; Carole Dawn Reinhart – Internationally acclaimed soloist; Susan Rider – U.S. Marine Band “The President’s Own”; Stacy Simpson – Canterbury Brass Quintet; Ginger Turner – U.S. Army Field Band

This very informative clinic opened with Susan Slaughter conducting a rousing performance of the Janacek Sinfonietta, Mvt. I. Susan introduced the session, after which the panelists played excerpts from Copland’s Third Symphony and Strauss’ Ein Heldenleben. Lauraine Carpenter played beautifully as principal trumpet on these excerpts and focused the demonstration on the different types of articulations, especially accents, she would ask of her section.

Judy Saxton continued as she played principal on excerpts from Mahler’s very demanding Second Sumphony. In addition to the many high volume (and high range) sections of the work, Judy brought attention to several soft sections, remarking on the difficulty of having to alternate extremely loud playing with extremely soft playing. At one point she demonstrated to the audience how she on occasion uses a flugelhorn mouthpiece in her C trumpet to help her achieve the desired soft tone quality on a chorale. The effect was exquisite and showed how minor equipment changes can sometimes be of great value.

Cathy Leach played principal on Ravel’s Daphnis and Chloe Suite, No. 2, and Strauss’ Till Eulenspiegels Lustige Streiche. In Daphnis the section focused on the many dynamic and coloristic effects. In Till the panel demonstrated the point that in Strauss one has to be ready to play many extremes – very loud/very soft, very high/very low, very powerfully/very light. Mention was made that there are passages in Till where the three trumpet parts are written in bass clef.

Marie Speziale’s welcome contribution to the session was from the Pops literature. She played principal and improvised to “Love” and “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy.” Pops literature does appear as part of auditions in many orchestras, and as Marie emphasized, it is important to be able to read and “feel” those rhythms. The section made every effort to “swing” on these excerpts!

The final portion of the masterclass included a half dozen or so “volunteers” from the audience who sat in with the section (Speziale and Slaughter), and played 2nd trumpet on selected excerpts. Panelists Leach, Saxton, and Carpenter voted on who to retain round to round, making their selections based on the candidates’ abilities to match pitch, style, and volume. The winners obviously were the people that made the section sound the best!

A final word – this reviewer had the good fortune to be one of the panelists in the Master Class. What a shot in the arm it was for me! (We rehearsed A LOT). Audience reaction was very favorable. This was a marvelous idea for a masterclass, and it was carried out beautifully thanks to the very hard work of Susan Slaughter, the panelists, and assistants.

Submitted by Cathy Leach, Principal Trumpet, Knoxville Symphony Orchestra Professor of Trumpet/Director of Graduate Studies University of Tennessee