2023 ITG Conference Report - Day 1 - Tuesday, May 30
The 47th Annual International Trumpet Guild Conference - Minneapolis, Minnesota (USA)
Special Daily Report • Compiled by Peter Wood
Photos by Steven Garcia, Benjamin Lowe, Josh Rzepka, and Michael Anderson
Tuesday, May 30, 2023
The vibrant city of Minneapolis is abuzz with anticipation as we open the doors to the 47th annual International Trumpet Guild Conference. Trumpet players and friends from around the world are arriving throughout the day, and the air is filled with smiles, handshakes, hugs, and laughter in a warm, reunion-like atmosphere. For the next four days and five nights, they will immerse themselves in a week of trumpet-related events that promise to entertain, educate, and inspire. Located in the heart of downtown Minneapolis, the Hyatt Regency hotel hosts an incredible array of state-of-the-art facilities that are sure to meet and exceed the extensive needs of this annual gathering. Just steps away, the Nicollet Mall area also has a lively atmosphere and an array of attractive restaurants of all sorts. As the trumpet enthusiasts pour in, expectations are high for yet another memorable conference, filled with music, camaraderie, and a shared love for this magnificent instrument.
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ITG Golf Scramble
Overnight storms cleared for a beautiful day on which to hold the second annual ITG Golf Scramble at Theodore Wirth Golf Club. Three teams squared off on the hilly, picturesque course to raise money for ITG Conference Scholarships. The day began with a putting contest (won by Jason Crafton, Virginia Tech) before proceeding with eighteen holes in the “best ball” format. The winning team at six under par included Spencer Barham (Louisville, Kentucky), Austin Efflandt (Luther College), Michael Le, and Steve Leisring (University of Kansas). Special thanks to ITG board member Brian Walker for organizing the event. Look for details about the next scramble in Anaheim next year. It is fun and for a great cause! (Grant Peters)
Bria Skonberg - Female & Non-Binary Trumpet Players Summit
Bria Skonberg led a thoughtful, open discussion regarding the cross-generational experiences and challenges faced by female and non-binary trumpet players. Through community-building exercises, attendees explored resources and ideas that can be used to support and uplift this group of trumpet players. The group looks forward to the continuation and expansion of these summits at future Conferences. (Nathalie Crissela Mejia)
Opening Mass Trumpet Fanfare with David Hickman
The Great Lakes Ballroom was filled with an eclectic trumpet ensemble consisting of hundreds of conference attendees. Leading this impressive gathering was renowned artist and teacher David Hickman. Hickman admitted that the chosen repertoire this year was more complex than other iterations of the opening fanfare, but he encouraged the performers to embrace the “adventure.” During rehearsal, Hickman called on audience attendee Charlie Schlueter, former principal trumpet of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, to give guidance on quick timbre changes. Schlueter advised that the ensemble should “use [their] imagination.” Exploring a short program of varied pacing, sentiments, and styles, Douglas Hedwig’s Brooklyn Fanfare, Jemetris Brown’s The Sound of Colors, and Jennifer Fletcher’s Fanfare of the Bells delivered a captivating and evocative start to the 47th ITG Conference. (Joe Cooper)
Opening Concert - The 30 Years Show with Les Trompettes de Lyon
Opening for the featured Les Trompettes de Lyon was The Wrecking Crew Trumpet Ensemble from Ball State University. Under the direction of Dr. Stephen Campbell, they performed La Forza del Destino with conviction and energy while showcasing a wide range of instruments. Following this strong introduction was the presentation of the 2023 ITG Award of Merit to former ITG President Brian Evans. After an emotional “thank you” speech from Evans, the lights dimmed, and Les Trompettes de Lyon took the stage. They began the concert with JS Bach’s Toccata and Fugue. The quintet incorporated a plethora of instruments that included piccolo trumpet, B-flat trumpets, flugelhorns, and bass trumpet, captivating the audience with their brilliant tone and wide timbre palette. This particular arrangement began with a virtuosic interpretation of the toccata, but it took a surprising turn as it was followed with a jazzy rendition of the fugue. The unexpected style change foreshadowed the humorous nature of the concert. Les Trompettes de Lyon enjoy combining their love for music and theater, which was evident in works such as Sylvia. This piece displayed their humor when one of the members put his trumpet down in order to perform an interpretive dance accompanied by the other four musicians. Once he picked up his horn and rejoined the group, all members collaborated in dancing together while simultaneously performing. Some works, such as Albeatles, elicited moments of roaring laughter from the audience as the players navigated back and forth from lush, beautiful ballads directly into upbeat pop songs. The eclectic repertoire with modern twists engaged all in attendance.
Other notable moments included the use of extended techniques such as the cymbal crashes in Stars and Stripes Forever by hitting their trumpet with a mouthpiece and performing the infamous percussion part to Bolero by unscrewing the valve caps to allow the clicking to imitate the snare drum. Bolero was a crowd favorite as the wide array of instruments and mutes created a lush beginning and allowed for distinct timbre changes to intrigue the listener until the powerful ending. Dancing and nonsensical theatrics added to the entertainment as they stood on chairs, pointed their bells at each other, and galloped around the stage. Additionally, they did a wonderful job imitating the minimalistic approach to this work by creating a gradual crescendo from the first note to the last. Les Trompettes de Lyon transitioned seamlessly from classical works to pop tunes, marches, and more, always adding their own flair along the way. They even sang several times in French, changing the lyrics of such well-known tunes as What a Wonderful World and Colonel Bogey to be about their ensemble! Entertaining on-stage antics partnered with brilliant musicianship created a memorable performance to kick-off the ITG Conference. Bravo to Les Trompettes de Lyon! (Steven Siegel)
Open Jam Session - Bria Skonberg
Bria Skonberg led a great jam session to cap off the opening day of the conference. Joined by Mike Frank (piano), Peter Paulson (bass) and Christopher Hanning (drums), the group kicked off the session with the Cole Porter classic “What is This Thing Called Love.” Skonberg quickly began to involve the crowd in the session, inviting two to three trumpeters at a time to play on other standards like “It Could Happen to You,” “Besamé Mucho,” “How High the Moon,” and “In Walked Love.” Throughout the evening, both Skonberg and the trio encouraged players to “learn by doing,” asking them to play tunes with which they might not be as familiar or to play standards in different keys from what they might be accustomed. This approach created a fun environment that culminated in great solos and performances by the participating trumpeters. (Flint Angeroth Franks)
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