Charles Lazarus Master Class Quotes (Part 1 of 3)

I had the privilege of attending a wonderful master class by trumpeter Charles Lazarus at this year's National Trumpet Competition at George Mason University.  Charles is one of the best musicians I've ever met.  He can play not just well in a frustrating number of diverse styles but amazingly well in said styles.

His diversity is legendary.  If you were to hear him play a baroque trumpet solo, you would assume he does it full-time for a living.  If you were to hear him play with a brass quintet, you would assume he did that for a living.  Same with him playing with the Minnesota Orchestra or playing as a solo jazz player.  Really, he'll either drive you mad or to the practice room.  One or the other!

I had heard he was a great teacher but had never had the opportunity to see him in action until this master class.  I came away with enough quotes to share in a one hour master class that they are being split into three separate posts.  Some of them resonated with me to the point of being shared in almost every lesson I taught the following week after spring break.  I hope you enjoy these great Lazarus quotes as much as I have.

• "No matter what you play, Body and Soul or Mahler 5, people only hear the sound that comes out of your bell."
   
• "If your focus is on your sound, you will get to your end result faster."
   
• "If you give a beginner a tone to try to match, they will sit up straight and their sound will get better."
   
• "Technique is the ability to control your sound on any given note. At any given dynamic, 100% of the time. It is very easy to forget that when you're working on a lick."
   
• Doc Severinsen: "I spent days and days and days trying to imagine the sound I’m trying to achieve.  I came up with my ideal sound and then I go for that."
   
• "Not to say there’s not a physical side (to playing), but you have to know what your goal is."
   
• "Rather than air support I like to think of tone support."
   
• "I like to think of breathing as phrasing.  If you keep the air moving, your lips will vibrate."
   
• "If you take in a full breath, there is some natural compression."
   
• "If I want to get a fuller sound, I actually back off."
   
• "When I talk to you, there are certain words that I emphasize. It is the same with phrasing."
   
• "When you phrase, the sound and style will make sense to people."
   
• "Our lips are like the string and our air is like the bow."
   
• "If you’re phrasing with your air, you are going to take in enough air and you are going to keep it moving."
   
• "If your chops are feeling stiff, keep the phrasing and the air moving."

Excellent Definition of Technique by a Master

"Technique is the ability to control your sound on any given note, at any given dynamic, 100% of the time." - Charles Lazarus

Considering the tone that comes out of the end of Charles Lazarus' bell, it is not surprising that he nails this directly on the head.

The most important thing to do when working on your high register: play with your most beautiful sound possible.  The most important thing to do when working on your multiple tonguing: play with your most beautiful sound possible.  The most important thing to do when working on extreme dynamics: play with your most beautiful sound possible.

I think you get the point.  If you want to play the trumpet like Charles does (or any other instrument), this is some of the best advice you will ever receive.

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This quote is from Charles Lazarus' master class at the National Trumpet Competition this past March.  I will be posting a full list of quotes from his excellent class later this week.  It was one of the best I've attended in a long time.

Wycliffe Gordon: Monday YouTube Fix

Wycliffe is one of my heroes.  This five minute live clip off of someone's phone is a masterclass on style, phrasing, style, high playing, style and just about everything else.  Did I mention the style this guy plays every single note and phrase with? He is a musician who happens to play the trombone.  And he happens to play it better than most.  Bebop, swing, gospel, dixieland.  I have yet to hear him play in a style that doesn't sound just as convincing as the last.

What a gift it is for all of us to be alive at the same time this guy is making music.  I've got to go practice now.

Enjoy!

Hilary Hahn: Monday YouTube Fix

Last week, my wife and I had the privilege of seeing Hilary Hahn perform the Korngold Violin Concerto with the Philadelphia Orchestra at the Kennedy Center here in Washington.  What a stunning performance she gave! The orchestra, particularly Carol Jantsch, sounded great on Bruckner 7 but I felt that Hilary Hahn stole the show with her performance of the concerto on the first half. Her combination of lyricism and technical wizardry is an awesome combination.  This performance of the Sibelius Violin Concerto, one of my favorite concertos, is her as a very young professional. Both her passionate lyricism and impressive technique are on clear display here. This clip features the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Lorin Maazel.

The shots of her playing the cadenzas with the violin section gazing on from behind her with astonishment are just great.  They knew that in spite of her age, they were in the midst of greatness.  Hilary Hahn is an amazing talent that every musician should try at all costs to see perform live.  She is special (and the orchestra sounds amazing as well!)

Enjoy!

Joe Alessi: Monday YouTube Fix

I'm not sure what else I can really say about Joe Alessi.  His artistry and command over the trombone are famous.  His ability to play solos like this one just as convincingly as playing the lead trombone in the New York Philharmonic is also noteworthy.  He is a true virtuoso. This is a live clip of Joe playing "Three Scenes for American Trombone" by Eric Richards.  This is a perfect piece to show off his abilities as both a technician and musician.

A few things that pop out at me in this clip:

- I love how unapologetic his slide technique is.  His right hand never goes fishing for the right location, no matter how fast the passage.  He tells it where it is going which is something I try to emulate with my valves.

- I really like his use of vibrato in this solo.  He only uses it in certain instances which really gives it an effectiveness.

- His combination of seeming to be so calm while also going for it with no hesitation is truly great.

I listen to Joe's playing all the time and still need to listen him more.  I learn something every time I do.

Enjoy!

Janos Starker's Inspiring Words on Teaching Music

"I've considered always that teaching is a far more important aspect of my life than performing...I've always said that after a standing ovation, people sit down. Teaching may affect generations."

- Janos Starker

What an amazing quote about the imperative that is music education.  It simply is not an option to eliminate it from any student's educational experience in this country.  Nothing short of future generations are at stake.  May we honor the late, great Mr. Starker, whom we lost this week, by continuing to fight the good fight when it comes to music education.

May he rest in peace.

Black Dyke Band: Monday YouTube Fix

I am amazed by the brass band tradition in England.  There are countless hours of nearly flawless brass playing on YouTube from the great brass bands.  This is a really great clip because it is so long. The amount of great tone emanating from the Black Dyke Band in this clip is really incredible.  The blend of tone, articulation and note length leads to a real "meltdown" of sound.  This is just awesome playing.

Enjoy!

Excellence is a Habit

You are what you repeatedly do. Excellence then, is not an act but a habit.

-Aristotle

Becoming a great band director or an accomplished performer is not an accident.  If you require your students to play with their best sound possible at all times, it will become a habit.  If you make yourself play with great groove all the time, it will become a habit.

At the same time, if you allow yourself to clip a note to take a breath, it will become a habit.  If you allow your band to play heavier when playing fortissimo, it will become habit.

Excellence is indeed a habit.  Are your habits today promoting excellence?

Bud Herseth: Monday YouTube Fix

As I'm sure you all know, we recently lost arguably the greatest orchestral trumpet player of all time, Bud Herseth. I feel so blessed to have attended Northwestern when Bud was still playing with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra in the mid-90's.  His presence as the leader of that orchestra can't be summed up in a blog post. I am so happy I stumbled upon this radio profile and interview from Australian radio in 1997.  The interview is amazing and there are phenomenal clips from many different eras of the CSO's history throughout the piece which feature Mr. Herseth.

Every time I hear a recording of Bud I feel like it is a masterclass on style.  Everything sounds so thought out, so intentional.  His articulations are too clear to believe without actually hearing it yourself.  This radio piece is absolutely must hear for any musician.  You won't believe how much you learn.

Clips Include:

Also Sprach Zarathustra Pictures at an Exhibition Lt. Kijé Mahler 5 William Tell Overture Scheherezade Firebird Pines of Rome

Best Description of Articulation Ever

I've never heard articulation explained as well as Michael Mulcahy did in the Bud Herseth piece that is tomorrow's Monday YouTube Clip:

Arnold Jacobs had a tremendous vitality of attack, tremendous clarity. Not harsh, but more energy at the beginning of the sound than people associate with symphonic musicians.

More energy at the beginning of the sound is what I've been working 29 years to achieve and that is the best wording of it I've ever heard. Thank you Mr. Mulcahy!