A Comparative Examination of Six American Master Trumpet Teachers and the Regional Schools of Playing That They Represent

• Main Author: Bloss, Laura L.
• Other Authors: Johnson, Keith
• Format: Others
• Language: English
• Published: University of North Texas 2014
• Subjects: Trumpet; pedagogy; brass
• Online Access: https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc700006/

Jet travel and the widespread availability of recordings are factors that have led to an increasingly homogenous sound concept in American trumpet playing; this is a stark contrast to the unique regional sounds that existed in the United States in the middle of the twentieth century. Despite the growing dissipation of these regional sound concepts from the mid-century, it is important to understand the styles and pedagogy associated with these schools. In this paper, six player/teachers are associated with specific regional playing styles: Vincent Cichowicz in Chicago, Louis Davidson in Cleveland, Armando Ghitalla in Boston, John Haynie in the Southwest, James Stamp on the West Coast, and William Vacchiano in New York City. Each of these players made a notable impact on the trumpet world through their performances, recordings, and unprecedented legacy of students. It would be difficult for many modern American trumpet players to trace their “trumpet lineage” without one of these individuals in the picture. Not only are these players an important part of the modern trumpeter’s heritage, but the vast success of their students warrants that their pedagogical methods are still relevant today. This study is unique due to this comprehensive and categorical comparison of pedagogical techniques, and this paper additionally examines the distinct sounds of each player’s regional style through the use of spectrograms. Ultimately this paper provides a myriad of teaching strategies from some of the most influential American trumpet players, which will aid trumpet teachers in negotiating the diverse needs of their students.