Al Hood's Trumpet Studio

The University of Denver Lamont School of Music is very proud and excited to present the 2008 "Rafael Méndez Brass Institute" featuring the highly acclaimed SUMMIT BRASS, the DU Brass Faculty and the RMBI Jazz Faculty. The Institute will take place in the state of the art facilities of DU's Newman Center for the Performing Arts from July 12-18, 2009. Please visit www.MendezBrassInstitute.com for regular updates!

About the Studio

The University of Denver’s trumpet studio has a singular motto - camaraderie! Our studio is small, with about 10-14 majors, and each and every member is dedicated to supporting and helping their peers succeed and develop. Healthy competition does take place for ensemble chair placements, chamber groups, solo and chamber competitions and for paid professional work, but the biggest (and most important) competition is the one that exists within each studio member. A high level of playing is expected and a minimum of two hours of focused daily practice is required in order to succeed. A beautiful, effortless, efficient sound and expert musicianship and storytelling are the goals!

Performance opportunities abound for DU trumpet players. You may audition for either the award-winning Lamont Symphony Orchestra or Wind Ensemble, the Colorado Youth Symphony Orchestra, one of three large jazz ensembles and ten jazz combos, a brass quintet or trumpet ensemble, large brass ensemble (3^rd quarter), pep band, and a multitude of student-initiated groups and recital performances. A weekly brass forum is held every Friday in which each brass student is expected to play a solo or etude for the faculty and their peers. Both verbal and written reflective comments are received back from everyone. In addition, a weekly trumpet studio class is held for more group and solo playing experience, pedagogy discussions, listening, and for visiting guests and clinicians (see below). Juries (playing exams) are held each winter and spring quarter and a successful sophomore proficiency is required to continue in the performance program. A recital is performed in both the junior and senior years, though everyone is encouraged to play additional recitals if they wish!

Each studio member is treated as an individual. Lesson material is geared toward the needs of each studio member with an emphasis on standard literature by Arban, Clarke, Schlossberg, Colin, Haynie, Hering, Brandt, Sachse, Gates, Charlíer, Broiles and Concone and including newer materials by Vizzutti, Collins, Snedecor, Thompson, Dokshizer, Plog and Hickman, among others. Standard orchestral excerpts (played behind a screen) are required for each quarter’s large ensemble auditions. Lessons may include work on jazz improvisation and commercial playing concepts if that is your major and/or desire. Emphases on efficient playing, beauty of tone, breathing, transposition, all manners of articulation, dynamics, intonation, endurance and musical interpretation are hallmarks of our lessons.

It is also desirable for each student to start investigating the performance idiosyncrasies of the higher trumpets as soon as possible. For the student who does not yet own their own, DU has a multitude of new & used trumpets in B^b, C, D/E^b, E, F/G as well as piccolos and flugelhorns for check-out, thanks to the overwhelming success of our trumpet conference!

We hope you consider joining our trumpet “family!”

Please visit the link for entrance audition information to the Lamont Trumpet Studio: www.du.edu/lamont/aud_trumpet.html

Studio Members – Bio, Pictures, Sound Clips and E-mails

Please feel free to e-mail any trumpet studio member in order to find out more about the program and the Lamont school.

Melody Vander Stoep

Kerry Webb

Eric Whalen

du trumpet studio Photo Gallery

Click the image above to view the gallery.

Studio Guest Artists

In addition to the plethora of artists that were part of our stellar lineup for the 2004 International Trumpet Guild conference, recent trumpet guests at DU have included:

Dr. David Champouillon - Professor, East Tennessee State University

Dr. Richard Cox - Expert on performance anxiety

Billy Ray Hunter - Principal, Metropolitan Opera Orchestra

Bobby Shew - International Jazz Artist

Conte Bennett - KC & the Sunshine Band, Virginia freelancer

Vince DiMartino - Professor, Centre College, International Soloist

Jon Faddis - International Jazz Artist

Phil Smith - Principal, New York Philharmonic Orchestra

Dan Kuehn - Second Trumpet, Colorado Symphony Orchestra

Judith Saxton - Professor, Wichita State University

Ron Modell - Principal, Dallas Symphony, Professor Emeritus, Northern Illinois University

Dr. Robert Murray - Professor, University of Northern Colorado

Doc Severinsen - World Renown Trumpet Artist

Pete Olstad - Lead Trumpet, Tom Jones

Nate Wooley - New York City jazz freelancer, Lamont alum

Stuart Smith - Baltimore / Washington, DC freelancer

Eric Berlin - Professor, University of Massachusetts - Amherst, Principal, Albany Symphony

United States Air Force Stellar Brass, Colorado Springs, CO

United States Air Force Falconaires Jazz Band, Colorado Springs, CO

American Brass Quintet

West Point Brass Quintet

Orenunn Trio

John Hagstrom, Second trumpet with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra

Tom Booth, Second trumpet with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra

Dr. Todd Hastings, Professor of Trumpet, Pittsburg State University

Msgt. Tim Allums, USAF Academy Band

Achievements of Students

Brynn Rector, ITG Jazz Competition, Bangkok, Thailand, tied for second place, 2005

Arturo Rocha, tour with the Glenn Miller Orchestra, 2004

Veigar Margeirsson, trumpeter for TV’s Chicago Hope series, 2000

Michael Rodriguez, IAJE-Stan Getz/Clifford Brown fellowship recipient – top prize, 1998; Winner, ITG Jazz Competition, 1999

Joel Behrman, 2nd place, University of Central Florida International Trumpet Guild chapter Collegiate Jazz Trumpet Competition, 1997

Brian MacDonald, lead trumpet with Maynard Ferguson Orchestra, 1997

International Trumpet Guild

Al Hood and the DU trumpet studio were very proud to have hosted the highly-acclaimed 29^th annual 2004 International Trumpet Guild conference at the Lamont School of Music!

We currently hold the honor of having the largest conference attendance in the guild’s history with over 1,350 participants! It’s still talked about to this day. We had over five dozen exhibitors, including the great Doc Severinsen who graced our stairwells with his glorious trumpet tone for four days!

The wonderful Lamont facilities were admired by all! To see the facilities, click here: www.du.edu/lamont/facilities.html

For a complete roster of guests, a PDF file of the program and photos/reviews of each event, please visit this link: www.trumpetguild.org/2004conference/conferencecoverage.html

Be sure to view the 2004 ITG photos on this page!