Trumpet Lessons in Denver
Colorado Honor Band offers trumpet lessons in Denver, Westminster, Thornton, Centennial, and Littleton. Our after school music program provides weekly one-on-one coaching and band classes, seasonal public performances, a yearly summer camp, and national and international travel opportunities.
Trumpet General Information
The trumpet is the highest pitched brass instrument in the band, and one of the most popular instruments. Since the development of the piston valve in the mid 1800s, the trumpet, and its brother, the cornet, have dominated the upper brasses. It can play chromatically and has an astounding range. It can play very softly and also be the loudest member of the band. It can be played so it sounds very mellow and can be very bright and piercing.
Trumpet’s Role in Music
Trumpets and cornets are found in concert bands, symphony orchestras, chamber groups, and jazz ensembles (both large and small). The trumpet also has a large volume of solo literature.
The trumpet often carries the melody of song. Because of its wide range of tonal colors it play soft lyrical melodies and bright powerful passages. The trumpet blends well with other instruments, including both woodwinds and other brass instruments.
Because of its power, trumpets can also be used to support the rhythmic foundation of the song with the percussion section.
Famous Trumpeters
There have been and there are many very famous trumpet players. Here are just a very few:
- Maurice André. He was a French soloist who revolutionized trumpet literature by popularizing the piccolo trumpet and playing many baroque trumpet concertos that were written for the valveless trumpet that had gone unplayed for hundreds of years. He also played many transcriptions of flute and organ music on the trumpet. (Video below)
- Raphael Méndez. He was born in Mexico, where his father was a mariachi trumpet player. His ferocious technique opened whole new worlds of what the trumpet was capable of. Every one now tries to master skills that Mendez showed were possible.
- Adolph Herseth. He was the principal trumpet player for the Chicago Symphony for more than 50 years and the acknowledged master of orchestral trumpet playing. At this point, almost all orchestral trumpet players follow his style and technique and are playing in his shadow.
- Louis Armstrong. He was born an orphan in New Orleans and changed jazz and jazz trumpet playing completely. He was such a powerful inventive player that in his early days they put him in the hallway to keep him from dominating the recording. He changed the way jazz music was conceived—we now all play quarter notes the way Louis does. When he started most jazz players played the cornet, when Louis switched to trumpet the whole world switched with him.
- Maynard Ferguson. When Maynard came on the scene, no one knew that the anybody could play the trumpet as high and powerfully as he did. We all wanted to play high notes, but we had no idea you could actually do the stuff he did.
Trumpet Repertoire
Solo Literature
- Marcia Maestoso, by Weber/Musser (beginner level)
- Habanera, by Bizet/Brom (beginner level)
- Bourree in the style of Handel, by L. Smith (beginner level)
- A Trumpeters Lullaby, by L. Anderson (intermediate/advanced)
- English Suite, by Bernard Fitzgerald (intermediate/advanced)
- Suite in B♭ Major, by Corelli/Maganini (intermediate/advanced)
- Concerto, by Joseph Haydn (advanced)
- Concerto, by Johann Nepomuk Hummel (advanced)
- Concerto, by Alexander Aratunian (advanced)
- Concert Etude, by Alexander Goedicke (advanced)
- Theme and Variations, by Jean Baptiste Arban (advanced)
Technical Studies
- Arbans Complete Method, by Jean Baptiste Arban
- Technical Studies, by Herbert L. Clarke
Trumpet Videos
Maurice André plays “Trumpet Concerto in D” by Giuseppe Tartini
Raphael Méndez plays “La Virgen de la Macarena” by Bernardino Monterde
Adolph Herseth plays “Symphony No. 5” by Gustav Mahler
Louis Armstrong plays “West End Blues” by Joe “King” Oliver
Maynard Ferguson plays “Gospel John” by Jeff Steinberg