From The President
Ryan Gardner
June 2024
Greetings and Happy June! I want to thank everyone planning to join us in Anaheim for what looks to be a most incredible 48th Annual Conference. I cannot wait to be inspired by our superb lineup of artists who are known for their artistry, beauty, and passion. I look forward to the variety of sessions that will be both informative and educational. Plus, I’m excited to peak into a window to the future when we get to hear the next generation of trumpeters participate in our competitions and Youth Day. And please don’t forget to check out our New Works recitals as well as the Festival of Trumpets at Downtown Disney. I just have to again thank our Interim Conference Director Rebecca Wilt and her team for what looks to be a conference to remember.
While at the conference, I imagine you’ll find yourself in awe thinking about how lucky we are to have such an incredibly warm, welcoming, and caring community. Whether we are reuniting with old friends or making new ones, we will get to share our very special bond and love for both trumpet and music. Thank you all for participating in this special event as it’s the people that make ITG!
Believe it or not, it’s not too early to start thinking about our 49th Annual Conference in Salt Lake City at the University of Utah from May 27-31, 2025. This marks a return to our college model, which will allow artists to perform in the university’s gorgeous concert halls. Salt Lake City is a mountainous city with a rich history, and we are looking forward to it already!
Another event we’re currently working on is the Ellsworth Smith Competition, which is held every 4 years and is the largest classical trumpet music competition of the ITG. We will award $15,000 in prizes and the event will occur from October 1-4, 2024, at Western Michigan University hosted by Scott Thornburg and Robert White. Please consider attending this event as we will witness some remarkable trumpet playing and musicianship. Our panel of judges will include Tine Thing Helselth, Terry Everson, and Pasi Parinen.
The International Trumpet Guild is a service organization that is here to uplift the trumpet world. There are too many people to thank that are working on all our behalf but for all of you involved, please know we’re grateful. And to those who would like to get involved and help promote our valuable work, we would love to have you and your new ideas. Please feel free to contact me or anyone on the Board of Directors.
March 2024
To all of my trumpet friends across the globe, greetings from Colorado! We are just a few months away from celebrating our 48th Annual International Trumpet Guild Conference, from May 28-June 1, 2024 in magical Anaheim, California. Get ready for some palm trees, beautiful weather, proximity to beautiful beaches, and of course, we are right next to Disneyland.
Equally inspiring as the location, is the lineup of artists we have performing. Håkan Hardenberger returns to the United States for a special recital in the immaculate Christ Cathedral in addition to spectacular performances by Eric Aubier, Wayne Bergeron, The Big Phat Band, Boston Brass, Adán Delgado, Sean Jones, Jens Lindemann, Kana Madarame, Huw Morgan, Selina Ott, Marco Pierobon, Christian Scott, Bria Skonberg and many more. I am also eagerly anticipating the incredible sessions, presentations, and masterclasses. For those of you who have never attended, don’t forget to check out the exhibits where you will be able to find instruments, music, mutes, and other accessories – it’s a one-stop shop!
This year, we will honor both Barbara Butler and Vince DiMartino with the Honorary Award, which is a distinguished award given to those who have made extraordinary contributions to the art of trumpet playing. We cannot wait to celebrate them and their storied careers. Additionally, Vince DiMartino will kick the conference off as he leads our opening fanfare. No matter your experience or expertise, there is a place for you to play from warm-up sessions to jam sessions to the Festival of Trumpets. Please check out the conference website (https://www.itgconference.org).
The International Trumpet Guild is committed to nurturing the next generation and ensuring the future of our organization. We are so proud of the commitment and work being done by the ITG Pre-Professionals and their leadership is just inspiring to see. We continue this year with our expanded multiple round student competitions and will hear many student prelude performances as well. This year, we are offering specific youth clinics and experiences at the Conference from May 31-June 1, 2024.
I’m also excited to share our newest recording project, the Military Band Excerpts Album. The album features Master Sgt. Amy McCabe, “The President’s Own” Marine Band, MUCS Chris Sala, US Navy Band, Gunnery Sgt. Anthony Bellino, “The President’s Own” Marine Band, Tech. Sgt. Christian Pagnard, US Air Force Band (ret.), SFC Kevin Gebo, “Pershing’s Own” US Army Band, SFC Kevin Paul “Pershing’s Own” US Army Band, and SSG Ryan Brewer “Pershing’s Own” US Army Band performing excerpts specific to the wind band literature. We thank them for their beautiful playing and for their service. This project would not have been possible without the help of the Recording Committee chaired by Marc Reed.
I continue to be grateful for the trumpet world that has given me so much. As we are all busy, I thank you all for your efforts to help each other, the trumpet community, and the world. Please continue to spread the word about the International Trumpet Guild and encourage your friends to join. We are all in this together. I can’t wait to see you in a few short months!
January 2024
I want to wish all of you and your families a very Happy New Year! I hope it is a year filled with happiness, health, and of course, lots of great music. We are already getting excited about the 48th Annual Conference being held in Anaheim, California from May 28-June 1, 2024. It is not too early to start making plans to attend this special event and please remember our early bird registration discount deadline is February 1, 2024. It will be a beautiful time to be in Southern California! I would also like to extend a huge thanks to Interim Conference Director Rebecca Wilt, and Marisa Youngs, our Conference Artist Committee Chair, and her team, for putting such a spectacular lineup of performers and clinicians together. For those who have not attended a conference before, I can attest to what a special time it is to gather with all of our trumpet friends and to have the opportunity to learn from and hear world-class artists. I can’t wait!
In recent news, the Carmine Caruso International Jazz Trumpet Solo Competition was held this past October in Namur, Belgium, where we witnessed an astonishing array of talent. It was an exceptional event and we have to thank the incredible Herb Alpert Foundation for their continued generosity and support, which allows these young musicians the opportunity to compete in this prestigious competition as well as our wonderful host, Dominque Bodart, for his terrific planning and organization of the competition. The judging panel included world-renowned artists Airelle Besson, Stephane Bellmondo, and Paulo Fresu, and we awarded $15,000 in prizes.
As you probably have noticed, we are now thrilled to be offering the International Trumpet Guild Journal in color print. This move would not have been possible without the hard work of our Journal Editor, Peter Wood and our Treasurer, TJ Tesh. We have been listening to your feedback and are so excited about this update. Additionally, please be on the lookout for our upcoming release of the Military Excerpts album associated with your membership. It is a beautiful album that will be a resource for us all, and we can’t wait to share it with you.
In this new year, we look to you, our members, to continue the legacy of the International Trumpet Guild. Our mission is to provide service and support to the global community and while we are making enormous strides, we can always do better. Please consider finding a way to contribute to our amazing community in any way you can. If we can all pitch in to help, just think how that strengthens our bond and our guild. Your leadership team is continuing to find new ways to incentivize membership, which we are hoping will include more small events throughout year. We plan to share more details in the forthcoming months.
Again, a very Happy New Year to you all and my very best wishes!
October 2023
My fellow members of the ITG, I am truly honored to serve as your new president and I look forward to ushering the ITG into a new era. I want to first and foremost thank Jason Bergman for his hard work, fantastic leadership, and guidance over the last two years as well as outgoing Past-President, Grant Peters, who sustained this organization through maybe some of the biggest challenges ITG has ever faced as a result of the global pandemic. I must also recognize outgoing board members Alexis Morales Barrientos, Jennifer Dearden, Christopher Moore, Chen Rui, and Mary Thornton. They have been an invaluable part of the leadership team and I’m very grateful. I hope to continue all of the wonderful work you started and to make the organization proud.
We welcome incoming vice-president/president-elect Jason Dovel to the executive committee, who brings a wealth of experience to the organization. Marc Reed and T.J. Tesh will continue in their roles as secretary and treasurer respectively, serving on the executive committee, and I am very appreciative of the excellence they bring. I’m also excited to work with incoming board members Carrie Blosser, Nadje Noordhuis, Raquel Samayoa, and Brian Walker, who I know will contribute greatly to the ITG. I’m proud of the diversity of our leadership team and we want to make sure that all voices are heard and represented.
I would like to thank JC Dobrzelewski for his service organizing inspirational conferences as Conference Director for the past eight years. I also welcome Interim Conference Director Rebecca Wilt and look forward to working with her.
For those of you who were able to join us in person or virtually for the 2023 ITG Conference, I hope you were able to enjoy the incredible lineup. From the opportunities to play in the golf scramble, perform at and watch the Twins game, attend fantastic presentations, watch student competitions, hang with friends and colleagues, and hear inspiring concerts by a diverse array of artists, I can’t help but think how lucky we are to share these experiences together as a community. Please consider joining us in Anaheim, California for the 48th annual ITG Conference from May 28-June 1, 2024.
We are hosting the Carmine Caruso competition on October 20th and 21st, 2023 in cooperation with the Herb Alpert Foundation in Namur, Belgium. Known as one of the most prestigious competitions for jazz trumpet players, I can’t wait to experience and celebrate the incredible talent of these young artists. We are also looking forward to hosting the Ellsworth Smith competition in the fall of 2024 at Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo, Michigan.
One of my favorite aspects of being a part of the trumpet world is our generous community. As we look toward the future, my hope is to find more opportunities to spend time together, to share stories, to learn more about our craft, to promote artistry, to encourage those who are struggling, and to uplift the next generation. Even with growing membership, my goal is to continue to incentivize and entice others to join this trumpet family. I look forward to working with our leadership team and with you all, to continue to move ITG forward.
Jason Bergman
March 2022
In the mid-1990s, I attended my very first master class. My trumpet teacher, Woody Yenne, organized a special class for his students with the great Stacy Blair. Stacy was a trumpet virtuoso and internationally renowned soloist. He was also blind. He learned everything by ear and memorized more than 140 trumpet concertos. In 1979, he won a Fulbright scholarship and studied in Paris. Mr. Blair made history and was the first American trumpet player to win the Maurice Andre Trumpet Competition. He gave classes around the world at places like Tanglewood, Juilliard, and the Aspen Music Festival. He performed as soloist with orchestras throughout the world. He was a legend. More accurately, he was the most unassuming, humble, quiet, and underrated legend. I loved hearing Stacy Blair play.
I had only been playing the trumpet for a year or two, yet, Mr. Yenne invited me to attend this exciting class with this incredible trumpet player. I remember that I played one of Sigmund Hering’s Progressive Etudes and Mr. Blair gave me feedback, instruction, and a lot of encouragement. I loved every minute of it.
After the class, I wanted to know more about Stacy Blair and other trumpet players like him. I asked my teacher to help me find more information. That’s when he gave me my very first ITG Journal. I was immediately hooked! I devoured that ITG Journal. I read it, re-read it, and even read it some more. I looked at each of the ads. I started to learn about prominent trumpet players, various instrument brands, and even trumpet mouthpieces. I couldn’t get enough. I asked Mr. Yenne for more journals. My parents helped me join the ITG as a young man and I felt so proud to belong to a real community of trumpet players. I didn’t really understand what that meant at the time, after all, I was thirteen or fourteen years old. However, I knew I wanted to be an ITG member for life.
What was your first interaction with the ITG like? Do you have a story that’s like mine? Was there a mentor or teacher who introduced you to it? Did it come at an ITG Conference? Was it in one of our competitions?
I hope your first experiences were great ones. It’s my hope that we can build our community, make space for all who want to participate, and help you feel like you belong. I hope those of us who have been around the ITG for some time can consider sharing the ITG with others. Maybe you can find a young player, give them a journal, and change their experience with the trumpet. Invite someone to watch one of our videos on our YouTube Channel. Bring someone to our next conference in San Antonio. Help a young player like I was.
I have so many wonderful memories in this great organization. It is my hope that we can enjoy many more together. Please let me know if you have any ideas, suggestions, or ways in which we can do better. I’d love to hear from you. Shoot me an email at [email protected]. I look forward to seeing you in San Antonio. I hope you can reflect on your special ITG memories. Let’s commit to make more of them together!
October 2020
By Grant Peters
More than ever before, it is my sincere wish that you are all staying well during the current health challenge facing the world. Hopefully, by the time you are reading this, there will be significant progress toward mitigating this illness, advancing us toward safer times when we can gather, share music in person, and enjoy the collegiality that defines membership in ITG.
These uncertain times are unprecedented, causing the cancellation of the 2020 ITG Conference in Columbus, Ohio, and the postponement of the Ellsworth Smith International Solo Trumpet Competition to September 2021. I am glad to report, however, that all those serving ITG in planning our 2021 Conference in Garden Grove, California, and the Ellsworth Competition at Brigham Young University have not missed a step in their desire to bring our members the memorable and inspiring experiences they will be craving when the pandemic has ended. Be assured that our Conference Director, JC Dobrzelewski, is prioritizing a safe environment where attendees can relax and enjoy everything this special conference will have to offer.
As lifelong students of the trumpet, you already know the benefits of membership in the Guild. The global need for physical distancing has and likely will continue to create the need for alternative sources for continued learning. Since many of us have significantly more time available, there will never be a more opportune time to encourage your friends and students to experience the benefits of membership in the International Trumpet Guild and the pedagogical value in reading the content in the ITG Journal and on the ITG Website (http://trumpetguild.org).
I take great pleasure in the fact that accessing this information will never be easier now that an initiative to make the entire archive of the ITG Journal (as well as the early ITG Newsletter, itg journal jr., and Recent Programs publications) available to members online is a reality. This long-overdue feature can be found on the ITG Website in an easy-to-use flip-book format, making accessibility to every volume simple on your computer, tablet, or smartphone. The DVD format for the archive has become obsolete, with most new computers no longer being manufactured with disc drives. I am sure that members will not only find this archive an additional, valuable benefit of membership, but those new to the electronic version will enjoy the full-color experience and easy-to-use format likely to be the standard for publications in the near future.
2020 has been a year full of challenges, both for our world and within the profession. In June, ITG released a Statement on Diversity, but I want to make it very clear that ITG stands with the #blacklivesmatter movement and against the systemic racism that exists in America and throughout the world. We also lost two giants in our profession—Edward Tarr, performer, pedagogue, and historian of international acclaim, and world-class performing artist Ryan Anthony. Both were longtime supporters of ITG and will be greatly missed. Countless other trumpeters representing every aspect of our profession have been adversely affected by the shutdown and continue to work toward a return to normalcy in their lives. The community of trumpeters in ITG and all over the globe is strong and well connected. Help your colleagues when you can and support the many creative artistic endeavors bridging the gap for our friends!
June 2020
As you read this, our 45th annual ITG Conference should have been underway or just wrapping up. Unfortunately, the Covid-19 outbreak made it impossible to proceed with our plans to gather in Columbus, Ohio. The ITG Board of Directors made this decision with the safety of all attendees in mind, and I am thankful for all the people who helped in this very difficult time. We are confident that we will emerge strong after this crisis and have begun planning for an exciting conference in Anaheim, California, June 1 – 5, 2021. Save those dates!
Our annual free recording, Military Band Excerpts for Trumpet, which was scheduled to be recorded in March and released on May 15, was also delayed due to Covid-19. Our ITG Recordings committee, chaired by Brian Walker, acted quickly to provide a solution, switching the 2020 and 2021 offerings. The 2019 – 2020 ITG membership will now receive the previously unreleased 1970 New York Brass Quintet recording featuring works by Jack Atherton, Edward Gregson, Alun Hoddinott, Elgar Howarth, Richard Rodney Bennett, and Malcom Arnold. Included is Arnold’s historically important Quintet, a work that was written for and premiered by the NYBQ in 1962. The Military Band Excerpts for Trumpet recording will follow in 2021.
Whenever I am in a position to talk to trumpeters about the value of ITG membership, the question I am most commonly asked is “What do I get for the cost of membership?” Although this is a good question, it is consumer driven and reveals that we too often view all transactions in terms of tangible goods. Perhaps this is merely a way of thinking that has become far too common in society. Unfortunately, it is a deterrent in the ability of many to understand the value in supporting a philosophy and the like-minded colleagues that make up our membership.
When someone joins the International Trumpet Guild, they support our mission that has provided for 45 years not only the programs, but also the personnel that make those programs possible. Most would be surprised at how many people work hard throughout the year—many as volunteers—so that ITG members can enjoy such opportunities as international conferences; competitions; member-only recordings and sheet music; new-music commissions; quarterly scholarly journals; affiliate chapter grants; conference scholarships; an informative website; and professional service, performance, and research opportunities—to name a few.
In the coming year, as you interact with your friends, colleagues, and students who also love the trumpet, share my words and encourage them to support the ideals that are ITG.
Unfortunately, circumstances require that we postpone the Ellsworth Smith International Trumpet Solo Competition originally scheduled for September 23 – 26, 2020, at Brigham Young University, hosted by Jason Bergman. This premier competition takes place every four years and features the finest young trumpet artists in the world. Please watch the competition website (https://www.2020ellsworthsmith.com) for details and a new competition date in the fall of 2021
I have enjoyed the opportunity to work for ITG members during the first year of my term as your president. We continue to explore new ideas and have a number of projects in progress to improve the way ITG serves its members. Please do not hesitate to contact me directly ([email protected]) if you have questions, concerns, or suggestions about how we can improve.
March 2020
Greetings to my colleagues around the world! In just a few months, Columbus, Ohio (USA), will be center of all things trumpeting for five exhilarating days, May 26 – 30, as we celebrate our 45th anniversary ITG Conference. If you are like me, you always look forward to this opportunity to learn and be inspired to improve as a player and teacher. Perhaps the most rewarding aspect of the conference is the reconnection with longtime friends and colleagues, many of whom you first met and collaborated with because of your affiliation with ITG.
In addition to all of the inspiring performances by world-class artists—including the Belgian Brass, Pasi Pirinen, Monarch Brass, Byron Stripling, Ashlin Parker, Les Trompettes de Lyon, and Dominique Bodart, to name a few—you will experience informative presentations on a wide variety of topics and have access to all of our industry’s instruments, accessories, and printed music in the spacious venues at the Hyatt Regency Columbus. Regardless of playing experience, all attendees will have the opportunity to be actively involved in the conference experience with warm-up classes, student competitions, masterclasses, the Festival of Trumpets, and the very popular opening fanfare for everyone with a trumpet! Check the conference website (https://www.itgconference.org) for all the details!
Our 45th anniversary gathering will also feature a special event honoring important figures in our organization’s history. Former ITG presidents David Hickman, Richard Burkart, Vince DiMartino, Leonard Candelaria, Joyce Davis, Kim Dunnick, James Olcott, Stephen Chenette, Jeff Piper, Bill Pfund, Kevin Eisensmith, Alan Siebert, Brian Evans, and Cathy Leach are deserving of our gratitude and will be honored on Friday, May 29, at the Legacy Endowment Reception. These individuals played vital roles in developing the Guild we enjoy today, and having them at the conference will allow the next generation of trumpeters to meet them and learn more about their service to the trumpet world. Spread the word to your friends and colleagues to join us in tribute to these colleagues, teachers, and friends. Everyone is welcome.
In an effort to demonstrate our commitment to making ITG more relevant and valuable to our youngest demographic, the Facebook ITG Student Group was established in September as a means for younger members to communicate among themselves, report any ideas or concerns to the Board of Directors, and disseminate relevant and helpful information about ITG and the trumpet to college students. Students Madison Barton from Texas A&M – Commerce and Abby Temple from the University of Kentucky are the administrators/moderators of this group and have grown the membership to approximately 500 students. The group is planning to meet at the conference, so if you know a young person who would benefit from knowing more about ITG from their peers, please have them join the group (https://www.facebook.com/groups/1110501332481832).
Please add it to your calendar now to join us in person or via live stream September 23 – 26 for the 2020 Ellsworth Smith International Trumpet Competition, hosted by Jason Bergman at Brigham Young University. In this year’s event, ITG and the Columbus Foundation will again collaborate to produce what has become one of the most prestigious solo competitions in the world. Supporting the careers of young trumpeters is certainly part of our ITG mission, and sharing the experience of hearing these fine soloists with the world via streaming video is certainly an extension of that effort. Edward Carroll, Pacho Flores, and Giuliano Sommerhalder will be the judges, and first prize is US$10,000 and a solo recital at the 2021 ITG Conference in Anaheim, California. Further details can be found on the competition website (https://www.2020ellsworthsmith.com).
I am inspired every day by the efforts of those entrusted with leading ITG through their selfless service and with the many people who have contributed for the last 45 years to the vision of supporting, improving, and sustaining the many ways in which we enjoy the trumpet. Tell a fellow trumpet enthusiast today about why you enjoy being a member of ITG, and help them find out how to join. See you in Columbus!
January 2020
As we start 2020, it is my hope that each of our members around the world is enjoying a happy and healthy start to the new year. Although it is only January, the planning is in full swing for our 45th annual ITG Conference this May 26 – 30, when we will return to the Hyatt Regency in Columbus, Ohio. The Conference Artist Committee has compiled a fantastic slate of world-class solo artists, ensembles, and presenters in a location easily accessible to many by driving. For those who have never attended an ITG Conference, there is so much to hear, learn, and experience for trumpeters of all ages and abilities. Make plans now to attend and take advantage of the discounted registration by registering before the February 1 early-bird deadline.I look forward to seeing many of you in May. Until then, blow smooth and strive for tone!
October 2019
Greetings! As your new president, I am pleased to have the opportunity to lead our organization with the help of many talented and hard-working colleagues. As I prepared to assume this responsibility, I had wonderful examples to follow in Past-Presidents Cathy Leach and Brian Evans, outgoing Secretary (and former President) Kevin Eisensmith, and Treasurer Dixie Burress. I thank them for their vision, patience, and persistence in delivering the quality service our members expect and deserve.
As a result of our recent election, Jason Bergman will be joining us as vice-president/president-elect and Elisa Koehler as secretary. Jason and Elisa have been valuable contributors as board members, and I look forward to working with them. New board members Jennifer Dearden, Jason Dovel, John Foster, Christopher Moore, Nadje Noordhuis, Amy Schendel, Mary Thornton, and Brian Walker are welcome additions with impressive backgrounds. A quick glance at these names reveals an addition of five women and five men as new directors to our executive committee and board. I am proud to be associated with an organization that values gender equality, and I promise to continue working to ensure that the ITG’s leadership resembles the demographic of the membership we represent.
As the premiere professional organization for the trumpet, it is now more important than ever to be clear that we intend to continue to serve our membership with an international focus and spirit of inclusivity. The planning and administration of our annual conferences and the ITG Journal and Website content are dedicated to providing a diverse slate of contributors for the benefit of our members. Nowhere was this more evident than at our 44th annual conference this summer in Miami, where I am pleased to report that attendees were treated to performers and presenters from seventeen countries and five continents! The ITG Journal provides further affirmation that we are successfully fulfilling this global outreach mission, with 27 articles from the 2018 – 2019 season by non-US authors or about non-US subjects.
I hope members have visited the ITG Website during 2019, where, in addition to great resources for all trumpeters, you were able to download our annual recording. This past year, members enjoyed the The Thirty-Four Orchestral Etudes of Vassily Brandt, featuring beautiful interpretations by five fantastic young orchestral principal trumpeters. Performers and teachers alike are finding the advantage of having access to fine recorded examples of etudes being used daily in trumpet studios and practice rooms throughout the world. 2020 will feature another must-have reference recording, Military Band Excerpts for Trumpet, performed by leading musicians from all five branches of the US military. Tell your colleagues now to join or renew to avoid missing out on this great membership perk!
None of these three critical aspects of what we do would be possible without the tireless work of our Conference Coordinator JC Dobrzelewski, Journal Editor Peter Wood, and Website Director Michael Anderson. They deserve our sincere gratitude.
As you can see, ITG contributes in many ways to its members’ enjoyment of the trumpet, and as your president, I am dedicated to continuing and improving that membership experience. Because we are a collection of lifelong learners, I also understand the importance of growing the profession by reaching others who love the trumpet. In the coming year, I would like every member to consider donating their time or talent just once—as a gesture of who we are as an organization and the ability we have to enrich lives through our collective talent. Many of you already do this. It could be as simple as providing Taps for the funeral of a veteran, giving thirty minutes of instruction to a promising young person who does not have the means to be able to take trumpet lessons, or volunteering to play at a worship service for a congregation that does not have a budget for musicians. We all know the impact our instrument had on us the first time we heard it played! Just once a year—what a simple way to pay it forward and have a meaningful impact on our respective communities and future members.
Please make plans now to attend our 45th annual ITG Conference in Columbus, Ohio, May 26 – 30, 2020. I wish you a prosperous year—full of beautiful trumpet sounds!