International Trumpet Guild Conference 2013

Story time, folks! It's time for a freestyle informal blog post. I'm not even going to spell check or edit this one, or make any attempt to sound "professional"... I'm going to speak from the heart because it represents my incredible heartwarming first-ever ITG experience. Care to read on? :) GO! Just kidding. Stop for a moment... because the ITG experience for VCU doesn't actually start at ITG...

Before the Conference...

So we're headed to the Richmond Airport, right? My alarm went off at 4:25am on Tuesday the 11th... early flight to prepare for, and I know I'm going to be exhausted by the time we perform at 9pm in Michigan. But it's cool because VCU's entire trumpet ensemble got funding to attend the ITG conference. The vast majority of our expenses and logistical organizing were taken care of by our Professor Rex Richardson and the college of VCU. What happened when we got there, though, was an unprecedented experience for us -- 5 minutes before boarding our plane, the guards and police evacuate the ENTIRE airport and - over the course of maybe 30 minutes - push us all completely off site towards the parking lot area. Hundreds of people stand around frustrated, trying to figure out what happened and why we're all out here... Turns out the airport received a bomb threat by phone serious enough for them to kick us all outside for about 3 hours. Guess we're not making our flight...

Photo Credit: Caitlin Costello

But the experience ended up putting VCU's Trumpet Ensemble on the news! After an hour or so, ensemble members got restless and decided to warm up in their practice mutes. Meanwhile, WRIC 8 and NBC 12 news stations show up on site to get live coverage of the bomb threat situation, they see the trumpets out, and they decide to come talk to us. They asked us if we had anything to play for them, that they might put us up on live television... So we did. "Marcus wrote this piece!!" the ensemble members said, pointing at me after we played a movement from the Grant Suite for Six Trumpets. Haha, thanks guys :) before we left the airport, we got some great coverage on the news as an ensemble, and a couple of us were interviewed individually to be included on the news story. Very cool.

Meanwhile, VCU's Music Office gets our flights get re-routed to split the ensemble onto two different flights... and then RE-re-routed because one of the flights was scheduled to take us to a connection at the Atlanta Airport, where we learned the power was out, and we'd have to find a different flight. (Good grief!) Between it all, we arrive at the Grand Rapids Airport in Michigan for the ITG Conference at 4:28pm... after originally planning to arrive at 10:57am!

At the Conference!

Once we got there, it was quite an amazing experience! VCU performed before two big audiences, and probably the most intelligent audiences our trumpet ensemble could ever perform for. On Tuesday at 9pm, we premiered our trumpet ensemble arrangement of Beethoven's 5th Symphony, Mvt. I (audio recording above).On Wednesday at 4pm, we performed the Grant Suite for Six Trumpets. Both our performances were received well! So well that an anonymous spectator who saw our performance on Wednesday saw us at a restaurant eating together and paid for all of our drinks "because [we] played so well", our waiter said. How incredibly nice!

I got to speak with a few of my heroes at the conference. Allen Vizzutti gave me a hug, Vince DiMartino complimented our ensemble on our performance, Adam Rapa gave me great composing advice, even Natalie Dungey talked for a little while, and so many others shared their time with me. I learned a long time ago that "famous" people are people just like us, and most of them are as kind and as humble as can be. But if there's anything I learned by going to this conference, it's that this fact goes even a step further: internationally known musicians - trumpet players, in particular - treat each other like family, and the trumpet community functions as a brotherhood of extremely intelligent, caring, talented, and supportive musicians who love what they do and love to share it with each other. I can't wait to return to the conference next year!


http://msgrantmusic.com

Summer 2013 Update

As summer continues to unfold, my website has been updated, my career continues to expand, and a blog update is necessary! Here's what I've been up to lately!


2013 International Trumpet Guild (ITG) Conference (June 11th-15th):

Those of you who have been following closely are already aware of the unfortunate occurrence regarding the intended premiere at the National Trumpet Competition this past March. Virginia Commonwealth University's Trumpet Ensemble was accepted into NTC Semifinals to perform my arrangement of "Beethoven's 5th Symphony for 8 trumpets, Mvt. I"; however, an unavoidable schedule conflict forced the ensemble to cancel their plans to compete in the competition, and the arrangement remains un-premiered outside of VCU's campus. After a change in personnel and the re-visiting of the arrangement, Beethoven's 5th is now scheduled for an ITG premiere THIS TUESDAY NIGHT, JUNE 11TH  as a prelude to Rex Richardson's 9pm concert with the Grand Rapids Symphonic Band and the Grand Rapids Jazz Orchestra.

The following evening, Wednesday, June 12th, VCU's Trumpet Ensemble will also perform the ITG premiere of my original composition "Suite for Six Trumpets" as a prelude to the 4pm Crossover Concert featuring Vincent DiMartino, Jens Lindemann, Bill Lucas, Adam Rapa, Rex Richardson, and Allen Vizzutti. Suite For Six Trumpets as been performed in various parts of the world by various ensembles - including the United States Army Band "Pershing's Own" Celebratory Trumpet Ensemble - but this marks the first ITG performance of the colorful composition.

The 2013 ITG Conference will be held at Grand Valley State University in Grand Rapids, Michigan.


Some Marching-Arts-Related Updates:

1) For the past three seasons, I have assisted on staff with my alma mater's marching band, the Thomas Dale High School Marching Knights in Chester, VA. For this upcoming season, I was named the winds arranger for the marching band. This is a very exciting experience that I'm very much looking forward to, and I will try my best to get some pictures and videos of the band during band camp and throughout the season for those interested in watching the band's progress through the season.

2) To anyone who missed the big announcement and transition, my organization's Facebook page "Enlightened Productions: Youth Marching Arts Composers" NO LONGER EXISTS! We have replaced that page with "Enlightened Productions" <---- Click to head to the page and support us with a "like". Click here to hear about why we made the change.

3) Part of the marching band show that Jesse Stevens and I co-composed entitled "A Love Story: Featuring Selections by Gustav Mahler" was purchased this summer by a marching band on the East Coast. This serves as the first show music that has been purchased directly through Enlightened Productions and brings great excitement to the organization as we continue to grow and develop.

4) The final marching arts related news involves a step into the drum corps world but shall be left off the table for now. If you're clever, you can figure it out as it continues to unfold, and a future announcement is highly likely once the details have been ironed out.

"I LOVE PEOPLE, I LOVE SERVICE, AND I LOVE MUSIC, SO SERVICE TO PEOPLE THROUGH MUSIC? IT'S A DREAM COME TRUE!!"

Junior Recital - Reflection

I just completed my Junior Recital last Wednesday, April 3rd, 2013 at Virginia Commonwealth University, and it was an experience I will never forget. Being a Music Education Major at VCU, it was the only recital I would give as a student in partial fulfillment of the degree requirements. It was a very special recital, involving more than 20 different people in order to make the recital a success. Each and every person involved did so voluntarily, offering up their time - many of them offering up hours and hours of it - to make sure that they did their part to making my recital a meaningful experience. I never imagined that so many people would come together on my behalf.

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Two years ago - my freshman year in college - international composer James M. Stephenson visited VCU and spoke in our trumpet studio masterclass. In this masterclass, Stephenson talked about connections and the importance of developing healthy connections with your friends and colleagues, particularly in college. He then proceeded to draw a tree depicting connections between people he met in college and earlier, and how his career has thrived based off of those connections, all the way to how he ended up composing the "Rextreme" trumpet concerto for our trumpet professor, International Yamaha Performing Artist Rex Richardson, who reiterated all of Stephenson's points as he made them.

To me, it made perfect sense; music is about community and contribution, and the relationships we make through music are easily the most incredible relationships ever made. So of course those relationships would foster special opportunities beyond our wildest dreams if we simply let them grow. What I did not know was how soon it would happen.

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A little under an hour before the recital, I walk into the recital hall with my accompanist Roderick. Jon and David arrive shortly after, setting up cameras and microphones and taping down cables. The string sextet and part of the trumpet ensemble comes in one by one as my accompanist warms up on the piano, and my friend John walks in, who flew all the way from Texas to visit VCU and to see my recital. My good friend Kelly - knowing that she could not attend the recital - peeps in for the sole purpose of wishing me good luck. The rest of the trumpet ensemble files in, and the ensemble finds their places in the balcony. Audience members are entering, and brothers of Kappa Kappa Psi are ushering, passing out programs for the recital. Across the street, other brothers are ensuring that everything is ready for the reception following my recital.

Low brass professor Dr. Walter enters about 5 minutes before the recital looking for a program. "We're all out," says the ushers. "All out," I thought? As I stood ready to begin my first piece of the recital, I looked out into the crowd, shocked. People from all walks of my life - whose paths crossed mine as early as 1992 on the day I was born - were in attendance for this event, ranging in age from as young as 6 to as wise as the 60's. The audience bustled with life as I played the first few notes of the recital. Even after the first piece, more people continued to enter the hall to see me perform.

"Marcus! How'd your recital go?"

Folks, the truth of the matter is that I don't even remember how the recital went; all I could think of during the entire event was how I could not believe the love and support that was in the room during the entire course of the recital, before the recital, and after the recital had ended. It was because of the connections, relationships, and opportunities that occurred in my life that this recital was an unforgettable one. No one will ever understand how much it means to me. If anyone at the recital ever needed any confirmation of the power of music and its community, they saw it that night. I know that I certainly did. Tears of joy trickle down my face as I write this. Thank you.

The sharing of media from this recital is highly likely. Check back on this blog over the next few days for edits to include audio and/or video clips from the recital.

Opening Fanfare (audio): https://soundcloud.com/msgrantmusic/imperial-intrada-and-fanfare

Closing Selection (video):

They Deserve the Best in Education... Give it to Them

This will be unlike any "blog" I've ever written. This is a huge vent of frustration and struggle based on my experiences in certain places with certain people both in my state and all over the nation. If you're someone who gets easily offended, stop reading now, as this is not for you. If you continue to read, you acknowledge that you are responsible for your own reactions to the content of this blog :) this was a direct copy and paste from a post that was about to be made on a Facebook. Thus, attention to grammar may have been disregarded in places. This is the result of free-writing about feelings and emotions. Still reading? Alright then, here we go...

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Facebook asked me how I'm feeling... How am I feeling? How am I feeling!? Quite frankly, I'm thoroughly and passionately angry. Angry at the people, places, and situations in my profession that cause growing children and adolescents to not receive the best opportunities available to them. I'm talking about some of the lazy, arrogant, ignorant adults who consider themselves musicians or teachers. I'm talking about people who insist that they get the glory for their mediocre programs, and people who set low standards for their students and themselves and proceed to fail to hold themselves to those already low standards. No doubt, every profession has people like these. The difference in music education? You negatively affect thousands of innocent people with your attitude through no fault of their own.

These "educators"... they look at some of the strongest programs in the nation and - instead of exploring advice from the educators in those programs - they develop excuses as to why that program is so strong. They have money, or their community just supports them more, or their kids are smarter and more passionate. Really? Have you seen how the eyes light up on these kids faces? The kids RIGHT HERE in the very programs for which you work? I dare say it's predominately the passion and intelligence of the kids that make these programs continue to stand stable, DESPITE some of the terrible practices that certain educators follow. Did anyone ever consider that the reason these other programs became so strong was because - over time - someone had to BUILD these programs? Did it ever occur that the money or the community support could possibly stem from... oh, I don't know... the QUALITY of the education from these music educators?

They dumbfound me, these music programs do..... it's not like anybody's teaching on an island... not with the golden gyms of the modern day internet. Every music educator with access to the internet has access to the greatest tips and tools available from some of the best people in the business. There's really no excuse to not be providing your students with the best resources in the world every time you engage in an encounter with them. That's just plain laziness, selfishness, and/or arrogance. Before the students can be held at a high standard, they must be given the tools to achieve that standard by an educator who holds himself or herself to those same high standards, if not even higher standards.

Oh, and here's a good one: I can't tell you how many times I've heard conversations between directors that go something like this: "How's your band been doing?" "Man it's rough, I just don't have good kids this year." Excuse me? EVERY kid is a good kid. I get SO TIRED of hearing this, yet it pops up again and again in the mouths of ignorant teachers in the area. Playing the victim card? Really? You very well may be the most powerful person in some of these kids lives. You are NEVER the victim. Instead of complaining about the kids you've got, shouldn't you be looking in the mirror and asking yourself "Who am I being that these kids are not excited, engaged, and actively learning in my classroom"? I know, it's a totally different perspective. One that would cause self-reflection, and maybe even personal growth. Almost as if the teacher is learning just like the students are, because the teacher, like the student, does not know everything there is to know in order to be successful. Wow! What a concept!

I get so passionate about educators who choose - because it is always a choice - not to be the best they can be, because not only are they dis-servicing themselves, but they are also being a disservice to hundreds and hundreds of innocent children every year. Children who could have had their lives changed through music. Children who perhaps grew up in a broken household and needed a community to grow in.... a community which could have been fostered through their music activity. Children who wanted nothing more in the world than to be the best they could be. Children who need an avenue to free their hearts of the burdens of the world.

This is a plea to any and all past, present, and future music educators, performers, other teachers, administration, parents, families, and communities all over the world. These children are our future. Don't ever settle for giving them any less than what they need to be the best they can be. If they fail to achieve that goal, let it be by their own personal choice. If the opportunity was never available in the first place, you are completely and whole-heartedly at fault. Don't let that happen. Show the kids we CARE. Because - whether or not we can or want to admit it - we do care. We always will.