2018 South Texas Trumpet Workshop

Dr. Kyle Millsap and the Texas A&M University-Kingsville Trumpet Studio hosted the 2018 South Texas Trumpet Workshop May 3-5, 2018. This year's guest artist was Vince DiMartino, who has held teaching positions at the University of Kentucky and Centre College, as well as having performed with many notable big bands and orchestras.

Conference attendees included middle and high school students, college students, and trumpet-playing band directors.

The workshop opened on Thursday with a clinic for TAMUK’s Jazz Combo I and master class for the students in the TAMUK trumpet studio by Mr. DiMartino. During the clinic, DiMartino led the students through ideas for improving their solos and how to listen better within the group. The trumpet class began with DiMartino performing an improvisation and discussing what made music interesting to listeners. Students were able to perform prepared works, including Kent Kennan’s Sonata for Trumpet and Piano and Eric Ewazen's Sonata for Trumpet and Piano.

On Friday, the workshop continued with a clinic for TAMUK’s Jazz Band I. That evening, an second trumpet masterclass was held with more student performers. Pieces included Henri Tomasi’s Triptyque, Anthony Plog’s Postcards, and the Concertino by Paul Vidal.


Guest artist Vince DiMartino works with a participant

Saturday featured a morning warm-up session led by Dr. Kyle Millsap, emphasizing getting the body ready for “trumpet air” versus “everyday air,” as well as utilizing the warm-up to ensure notes are always played in the center of the pitch to make playing simpler. This was followed by a master class by DiMartino where he discussed the importance of consistent, daily practice and essential exercises to ensure improvement. The morning concluded with arehearsal for the mass trumpet ensemble, led by Millsap, on Richard Byrd’s Great American Fanfare. DiMartino gave another master class in the afternoon where he worked with students wanting to perform. The final class was a question-and-answer session for the participants where Millsap elaborated on topics from earlier classes.

Throughout the day, there were performances by the TAMUK Trumpet Ensemble, Jazz Trumpet Ensemble, and Jazz Combo I. The workshop concluded with a recital featuring DiMartino. It began with the mass ensemble, then followed by Walter Piston’s quartet Salute, featuring DiMartino, Millsap, and TAMUK trumpet lecturers Dr. Lance Witty and Mrs. Melissa Millsap. DiMartino continued with Théodore DuBois’s Fantaisie before being joined by the TAMUK Trumpet Ensemble Bluefor La Virgin de la Macarena. The program concluded with a jazz set, with DiMartino and Millsap performing with Combo I.


STTW participants

The STTW, having now completed its fourth year, was created to bring together trumpeters of all ages and abilities from the South Texas region with the mission of furthering study of trumpet performance and pedagogy.It was funded in part through a grant from the International Trumpet Guild. 

(Source: Dr. Kyle Millsap, assistant professor of trumpet, Texas A&M University-Kingsville, Kingsville, TX)

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