International Trumpet Guild Journal

Reprints from the International Trumpet Guild ® Journal to promote communications among trumpet players around the world and to improve the artistic level of performance, teaching, and literature associated with the trumpet

FORGING NEW PATHS : A CONVER SA TION WITH ALISON BALSOM BY PETER WOOD

June 2014 • Page 6

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FORGING NEW PATHS : A CONVER SA TION WITH ALISON BALSOM BY PETER WOOD

lison Balsom is one of the most highly and she released her debut album, Music for Trumpet and sought-after trumpet soloists alive today. Organ, with EMI Classics in 2002. In 2005 , she released her Last fall, she was named Gramophone second recording, Bach Works for Trumpet, on the EMI Clas - Awards Artist of the Year 2013 , an amazing accomplishment sics label. In 2006 , she won “Young British Classical Per - for any musician, but especially noteworthy as a trumpet former” at the 2006 Classical BRIT Awards and was awarded player. She has performed as soloist with orchestras all over the “Classic FM Listeners’ Choice Award” at the Classic FM the world and recently completed a highly acclaimed series of Gramophone Awards. She won “Female Artist of the Year” at performances of Gabriel, a play using the music of The Fairy the 2009 and 2011 Classical BRIT Awards. Her third album Queen and other works by Henry Purcell, in which she per - with EMI , entitled Caprice, was released in September 2006 formed on period instruments with The English Concert as and was awarded “Solo CD of the Year 2006 ” by Brass Band part of the 2013 summer season at Shakespeare’s Globe The - World magazine. She was a soloist at the 2009 Last Night of atre in London. the Proms, performing, among other pieces, Haydn’s Trum - Balsom was born in 1978 in Royston, Hertfordshire, Eng - pet Concerto with the BBC Symphony Orchestra and an land, and played in the Royston Town Band as a young stu - arrangement of George Gershwin’s “They Can’t Take That dent. Early on, she was inspired by a concert she attended by Away from Me” with mezzo-soprano Sarah Connolly. Håkan Hardenberger; and she later attended the Guildhall Balsom has served as principal trumpet of the London School of Music and Drama, the Royal Scottish Academy of Chamber Orchestra, and she is currently a Visiting Professor Music and Drama, and the Conservatoire de Paris. She also of Trumpet at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. It studied with Hardenberger from 2001 to 2004 . was a rare treat to have the opportunity to talk with her in Balsom is a former BBC Radio 3 New Generation Artist, October.

Wood: Thank you so much for agreeing to take time out of your your technique, your repertoire, your stage performance, or busy schedule to speak with me and the members of the Interna - whatever; but I never, ever questioned doing it. So I am very tional Trumpet Guild! We really appreciate it. Congratulations on privileged and very lucky to have been able to make it into a your many awards and accomplishments, especially your most profession. recent Gramophone Artist of the Year Award! Your fans in the Wood: You have spoken often about how supportive your par - trumpet world are extremely proud of and excited for you. ents were when you were growing up. Could you talk about them Balsom: Thank you so much! It’s a great honor, and I feel and their influence on you as a musician and person? like the most important thing about it is that it’s a real vote of Balsom: My parents aren’t musicians themselves. They were confidence for the trumpet, which is great. supportive in that they drove me to my rehearsals all the time Wood: At what point in your life did you realize that trumpet and that kind of thing, but they didn’t make me do it. They and music making were going to become your career, your liveli - didn’t tell me to play an instrument, and they didn’t push me hood? to practice. The driving force of my playing never came from Balsom: It was a really gradual thing. I started the trumpet them. It always came from me, and I think that’s really impor - at age seven, and it was something I immediately fell in love tant—especially with young kids—because I think it has to with. I’ve always just absolutely loved come from within you . Otherwise it’s the instrument and the sound, and I just not fun, it’s not authentic, and had great teaching right from the start. “I didn’t know if I could make a you don’t really mean it as much. So, I I never really knew until I was actually think it’s fantastic that my parents right in the thick of it—doing it and living at it, but I knew I would exposed me to opportunities where I making a living at it—whether or not it never do anything else.” found how to take it to the next stage. could be my living. You never really I played in some great bands and or - know—it’s a tough industry, of course, chestras that had great teaching. My to be a performer—but it was definitely something I never parents certainly sacrificed a lot to send me to my music les - questioned. I didn’t know if I could make a living at it, but I sons, which were in London on Saturdays, and that was expen - knew I would never do anything else. I knew the trumpet was sive for them. So they supported me in that way, but they also always the instrument that was for me, and I never, ever ques - took a back-seat role, knowing that it was my thing—some - tioned that I should maybe play another instrument or that I thing they couldn’t actually practically help with, but just sup - should stop playing, even when it got really hard. You know, port the fact that I loved it. And I think that was why I carried sometimes it’s really hard, and you hit a brick wall with maybe on, really, because they were just there in the background, pay - ing for all the expensive things about it. Background photo © Mat Hennek Wood: What was it like studying with Håkan Hardenberger?

© 2014 International Trumpet Guild June 2014 / ITG Journal 7 Balsom: It was a life-changing experience. It was a magical I knew, as I was saying them, had come straight from Håkan. experience, because he intellectually understands very chal - So he has influenced me in many, many ways, and I owe him lenging contemporary music and understands what makes a so much. But he also taught me how to teach myself and how really great trumpet player and a really great musician. He’s to find my own voice. He taught me not to copy other great able to articulate that and explain trumpet players—because, of it, and I just clicked with him. course, then it becomes a pale He was someone I looked up to “Håkan has influenced me in many, imitation of them—but just to from a very early age—just his many ways, and I owe him so much. find my own voice. It doesn’t sound, the way he made music, really work unless you find and the way he made the trum - But he also taught me how to teach something that sounds authen - pet seem to me. So when I even - tic and unique to you. tually had lessons with him, I felt myself and how to find my own voice.” Wood: While you don’t be- like I knew where he came from lieve in copying other players, do already, and that helped enormously. I felt a real connection you have your idols of the trumpet world who have served as role with where he came from as a musician, and I just learned so models to you? much from him about many things: discipline, sound produc - Balsom: Absolutely. There are too many to name, really, but tion, and sound quality. In fact, I was just teaching a master - Dizzy Gillespie was one of the very first. And then it was class at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester Håkan, because I heard him when I was really young. Later, I last night, and so many of the things I was saying to students discovered Maurice André and Wynton Marsalis, whom I love both very deeply, but for very different reasons. Clifford Brown and Lee Morgan are trumpet players whom I have learned so much from—not really about trumpet playing, per se, but just about using the instrument as a vehicle for expres - sion. Also, many of my teachers who are also trumpet players, like John Wallace and Crispian Steele-Perkins and people like this. They are all really important to me in different ways. Wood: You mentioned a lot of jazz players. Did you have much experience with and exposure to jazz? Balsom: Yes! I did, and I still do. I love jazz, but I didn’t have jazz training. I didn’t actually have a jazz trumpet teacher. So I’m not a jazz musician, but I have a great, deep love for jazz. It has affected me, but not in a way that I actually put [into practice]. I play classical music. I think it’s just more about the way they make the trumpet sing. That’s really it—using the trumpet like a voice. Wood: You have said many times that it is important to make the trumpet sing. Are there any particular singers to whom you especially like to listen and emulate? Balsom: There are so many opera singers that I love, like Cecilia Bartoli, Andreas Scholl, and Natalie Dessay. Also, you can just look at people like Billie Holiday and others like that and then go all over the spectrum really. It’s not a direct influ - ence on the way you play, but everything influences you really as a musician. I think every instrumentalist has to treat their instrument in some respects like a voice. And then, obviously, sometimes it’s less vocal in the way some things are written. I have very broad tastes in singers. I even love Freddy Mercury, which is taking it quite broad. Wood: Could you tell us about your daily practice routine and how it might change on the day of a performance? Balsom: My daily practice routine is pretty simple. It’s more like some yoga or meditation at the beginning, for the first good hour and a half. It’s just a case of finding where the instrument really resonates and finding where the sound really works. This is a case of finding your concentration, your self- discipline, your breathing techniques—just making sure every - thing’s really working. I don’t do anything too complicated to start with. But then, once you find that things are really work - ing across the entire range, then you can start building up a bit more, making things a bit more complicated, and eventually Alison Balsom then going to your repertoire. I’m a massive fan of the James Photo © Chris Dunlop under license to EMI Classics

8 ITG Journal / June 2014 © 2014 International Trumpet Guild Stamp method. I feel like it can solve almost all of your prob - for others in dealing with performance anxiety? lems. Balsom: Well, as you said, preparation is key, and I think, in On a performance day, I would your head, you must separate prepa - definitely do less of that, because, ration from performance. Once obviously, you have to pace your - “I’m a massive fan of the James you’re on the stage, you mustn’t self for whatever you are doing— Stamp method. I feel like it can think anything about what you were especially if it’s a big, physically thinking about in the practice room, challenging program. So I would solve almost all of your problems.” which is cool and calculated. On the still touch on the Stamp material stage, you have to let everything go, just to make sure that everything is really working, that the air take a lot of risks, and just really go for it. You must have a very is really flowing. I do a lot of stretching and breathing exercises deep and detailed knowledge of the material so you can just be away from the trumpet too. Wood: What types of things do you do to maintain your practicing and fundamentals while traveling? Is that more of a challenge? Balsom: Absolutely. It’s a great challenge when you’re on the road. You just have to take your practice wherever you can get it and be very, very self-disciplined. Sometimes it’s a case of practicing after a concert. In- stead of going to a party, that’s when you might need to just shut yourself away on your own and really work out what’s going on with your sound and what’s going to happen the next day. It’s also important to stay calm. If it doesn’t work out how you wanted it to work out, your flight’s delayed, and you have to go straight in with the orchestra, you just have to rely on [the fact] that you’ve done the prepa - ration and [trust] that it will kick in when you need it to. You just have to stay cool, even when that’s not the most natural thing to do. Wood: At some point before a per - formance, surely you finish practicing and say, “There, that’s it. I am ready.” What is the best preparation advice you could offer to lead to a successful per - formance? Balsom: That’s interesting. I don’t know if I ever do get to that point where I go, “That’s it, I’m ready,” be - cause it’s so subjective. It’s like learn - ing a language—you’re never quite perfect. It’s an art form; you get it as good as you can get it. You find your - self in front of the orchestra or in a different country playing the piece, and suddenly it doesn’t feel so familiar. It’s just a case of being really strict with yourself, covering all bases and eventualities, and being flexible as well. Wood: In a New York Times inter - view, you mentioned that you still get nervous when performing. What steps Alison Balsom do you take that you might recommend Photo © Chris Dunlop under license to EMI Classics

© 2014 International Trumpet Guild June 2014 / ITG Journal 9 thinking about the music and nothing do with the trumpet, and that’s what else, because it is so easy to have this “On the stage, you have to let I’ve done. I love Maurice André, voice on your shoulder, talking you when he started taking over concer - out of something difficult. It’s just a everything go, take a lot of tos from other instruments and play - case of having a great knowledge of the risks, and just really go for it.” ing them on the piccolo trumpet; material so you can really immerse and that’s something I enjoy very yourself in the music. For me, that’s much, because you can really get quite important. I love the music I’m playing, or I just learn to your teeth into them on the instrument. The piccolo trumpet love aspects of it while I’m playing it, because that gives me is a fabulous instrument—obviously a modern invention— something to focus on and not be too nervous. and it’s really good fun to take these pieces and put them Wood: Your performances of well-known tradi - on that instrument. I still tional music and especially the Classical and Bar - can’t choose a certain piece, oque repertoire captivates audiences, primarily be - “I love the fourth, fifth, and sixth but I do love playing Pur - cause you are able to present them with new vibran - Brandenburg Concertos; they cell and Handel at the mo - cy and life. How would you advise aspiring young ment very much. So I’m in players to practice to develop this same skill? are the pieces that I would want kind of an English phase Balsom: First, go to as many concerts as possi - played at my funeral—and they right now. ble. Keep finding things that inspire you as a Wood: It really shows. musician and things that make you think, “Wow, don’t have any trumpet!” Your natural trumpet play - I’d love to be able to say that myself and use my ing is so beautiful. We all instrument to say those things.” Just keep finding music that loved your performance with Crispian Steele-Perkins back at the you love. Baroque and Classical music is probably the music I " " ITG Conference in Manchester. love the most, and so that’s probably why I’m more known for Balsom: Thank you! That’s the hall I was just in last night, it. Because of my love for it, it is something that is easier for and I was just saying to John Miller that the last time I had me to communicate, maybe, than something else that I don’t been in the hall was the 2002 ITG Conference, when I had like as much. It’s just a matter of being inspired and finding just started playing the natural trumpet. ways to communicate that in your playing. Wood: When were you first introduced to the natural trumpet, Wood: You just said you feel most at home with Baroque music. and how did you go about learning to play it? What are some of your favorite pieces to play within that genre? Balsom: I didn’t start the instrument until I was in the third Balsom: That’s a tricky one, because the thing I love most year at the Guildhall, because that’s how it works at the Guild - about it is not necessarily the trumpet. So, even though I’ve hall—that’s when you get to start that instrument. I immedi - kind of created some actual repertoire of new works and a ately loved it, and it made sense with the whole Baroque peri - range of things from other instruments’ repertoire, the pieces I od for me. My teacher was Steve Keavy—he’s also a renowned love the most from that era are the big pieces by Bach. I love trumpet maker—and he was a great teacher for me. I really the St. Matthew Passion . I love the B Minor Mass . I love the enjoyed my lessons with him so much, just for the fact that I fourth, fifth, and sixth Brandenburg Concertos; they are the felt like it revealed the whole Baroque era so clearly, in terms pieces that I would want played at my funeral—and they don’t of style; because it’s all about style and your interpretation of have any trumpet! But you can translate them into what you the style. That’s when I started, when I was about twenty; so I came to it relatively late. Wood: How has the study of period in - struments influenced your interpretation of the Baroque repertoire? Balsom: It’s influenced me enormously, because there is just such an amazing ren - aissance of an understanding now of how to play this music in a stylistic way, or in the style that we do at the moment. Trevor Pinnock, the harpsichordist and music director, has been a huge influence on me in that respect. Yes, of course on the pic - colo, although it’s not an authentic instru - ment, it has definitely influenced me as a musician. And not just on Baroque reper - toire, but on everything; because the phrase, the line, is really, really paramount to making sense of this stuff and keeping it sounding sort of present and alive. Wood: What kind of mouthpiece do you use with the natural trumpet? From pictures, it looks like a standard Bach mouthpiece of Alison Balsom • Photo © Alison Balsom some sort.

10 ITG Journal / June 2014 © 2014 International Trumpet Guild Balsom: Yes, it is. It’s controversial. I know some people really disapprove; but because I swap between the modern and the natural trumpet so often—like on a daily basis sometimes—I just whack my 1¼C mod - ern trumpet mouthpiece in there. And then the trum - pet sounds so very beautiful. Mr. Egger has made me a mouthpiece that is in the Baroque style, but is essen - tially the same as the 1¼C rim. That’s something that I just didn’t have with me for that photo shoot. So it’s controversial, but that’s my way of doing it. Wood: How do you balance your natural and modern trumpet practicing? Is it a challenge going back and forth? Balsom: It’s not a challenge; it’s just deadline-led and depends on what’s coming up. Like this week, I’m learning a new concerto by Bramwell Tovey, called Songs from the Paradise Saloon . It’s on several different modern instruments, and just before I go to play that piece with him in LA , I’m playing two concerts with the English Concert on the natural trumpet. So it’s a case of just making sure the repertoire is covered. And, as I said, because I use the same mouthpiece, I don’t find it physically strange to change. It’s just the life of putting on a different hat and playing in a different style. It’s more of a different way of thinking. When you first do this kind of change from one trumpet to the other, it requires an intensive period of practice. For instance, I only played the B-flat trumpet until I went to Paris to study, which was when I was twenty. And then I took to the C trumpet, and it took me nine months of intensive practice to feel comfortable about swapping from one to the other. But now I don’t really think about that; I just pick one up and put on the other hat. Alison Balsom • Photo © Chris Dunlop under license to EMI Classics Wood: Do you have that one very special piece, or maybe a seg - ments were in the time of Brahms, Beethoven, Rachmaninoff, ment within a particular piece, that always gives you a unique or all these people. But, at the same time, I think there’s a huge thrill when you perform it to your complete level of satisfaction? renaissance for the instrument now; and I think composers of Balsom: Yeah, probably just off the top of my head—there’s today are realizing just how extraordinary the instrument is obviously a lot of music that does that—I love playing the sec - and how it really is one of the best instruments on which to ond movement of the Hummel. It’s play a concerto with a symphony like the closest we’ll ever come as orchestra. I think we’re playing trumpet players to having a piece of “I love playing the second movement “catch-up” now, which is incredi - Mozart. It’s very similar to Mozart of the Hummel. It’s like the closest bly exciting. I’m very, very proud in so many ways. In fact, it’s almost that I get to play this instrument, plagiarized in some ways. When we’ll ever come as trumpet players and I wouldn’t even imagine play - that goes well—and it’s with a great ing something else. So it’s a case of orchestra and in a nice hall—it to having a piece of Mozart.” really just continuing to reach feels good. When that feels good, it rep ertoire out. There’s a lot of feels like a great, great privilege to be so immersed in music of repertoire out there; we just have to find what connects. I have that quality. It’s really something special. to find what resonates with me, and all trumpet players have Wood: In an article about you in The Guardian in October of to find what they love and can really bring something to. " ! , the author wrote, “The lack of much in the way of classical Wood: All that you’re currently doing —in your solo work and music to play is the problem with classical trumpet —and the rea - your other creative projects —is well appreciated among the trum - son why, as a classical soloist, Balsom is one of a relatively rare pet community, as you really are opening so many different kinds breed.” How do you feel about the overall depth and breadth of the of doors for trumpet players. Do you see yourself as a trailblazer? trumpet repertoire? Balsom: No, not really. It’s not as wonderful as people think Balsom: It’s actually not as bad as people think. Obviously, that that’s what I am, but I’m just trying to find things that I as a soloist, you’re always being booked against either a violin - love to play. As a musician, I just want to find things that can ist or a pianist—so that’s automatically the repertoire. My be immediately satisfying. Some of the things I do are contro - repertoire as a trumpet player gets compared directly with the versial, because some people don’t think you should do repertoire of a pianist or a violinist, for instance, which obvi - arrangements of certain things; and to make a pure natural ously leaves me on the back foot. We obviously have less, trumpet, you shouldn’t have holes in the trumpet—you should because the instrument wasn’t so developed as those instru - be doing it hole-less. There’s always going to be an element

© 2014 International Trumpet Guild June 2014 / ITG Journal 11 that criticizes what I do; and I think that’s absolutely valid, people have fallen in love with what he did, even though, at because if they were doing it, they would do something differ - the time it must have seemed quite bonkers. For instance, tak - ent—choose different repertoire, leave some things alone, or ing the Rodrigo piece and making Sketches of Spain, it must just play other music. But I just love to find music that res - have seemed crazy at the time. onates with me and I have something to say about; and then, Wood: As you mentioned, this summer you completed what was, if that communicates with people and people enjoy it, then by all accounts, a highly successful series of performances of Gab - that’s really what I want. riel . Do you see yourself doing more of Also, with the “female “There’s a lot of repertoire out there; we that type of production in the future? thing,” as you know, it’s Balsom: Yeah, maybe. The fact that not a sport; it doesn’t just have to find what connects. I have Gabriel exists now—it just exists and mat ter whether you’re fe - is out there, forever—which is to me male or male. There are a to find what resonates with me, and all something I’m so, so proud of—prob - lot more female trumpet trumpet players have to find what they ably prouder than anything else I’ve players now. Obviously done in my career. But it was really the I’ve been very lucky to love and can really bring something to.” making of it that was the biggest thrill. have a record label, so the So I might do it again, and I might records just are out there and readily available. It has meant make something else like it. But, of course, it was unique. It that more girls are playing the trumpet and not just seeing it was really designed for Shakespeare’s Globe. It was about the as a male instrument. Of course we have to see it as a male and time of Purcell, his life, and what was happening around Lon - a female instrument, depending on how you play it. That, to don at that time; and the music from the trumpet just seemed me, is really a great thing. to suit it perfectly. I wanted to bring the natural trumpet to the Wood: You mentioned in your interview at the Gramophone stage of the Globe, which is a wonderful acoustic—outside, of Awards that you’ve only “just started” and that you have many course. The trumpet can manage outside, unlike most classical more places you want to take the trumpet. That’s really exciting! instruments. And so, if I do something again, it’s not going to Could you give your trumpet player fans a sneak peek into what be anything like it, and yet, it might be cross-genre, as in going sorts of things you plan to do with the instrument in the future? to the theatre. It’s kind of repertoire-led. If the repertoire Balsom: Oh yeah, it’s not a secret, the fact that I’m going to doesn’t make sense, then it won’t fly. So the repertoire has to be vague with you. It’s just because I’m still vague myself. I work, to stand alone musically, before everything else is added. think if you imagine the trumpet as a voice, and you really do Wood: Did you have to do any acting in the Gabriel produc - explore in a kind of risk-taking left-field kind of way, and you tion? really see how far you can go outside the boundaries of what’s kind of seen as “con - ventional,” then you can go as far as you like across other genres. I’m just sort of focusing on the trumpet being this voice and how it can collaborate with others. Recently, I’ve come into contact with some really great artists—for instance, this rock producer named Ethan Johns. He is quite “folky,” and his records are very, very different and contrasting to mine; but I’ve clicked with him, on a musical level, so well that I think we’re going to collaborate on something. But it’s vague, so I really don’t know what it’s going to sound like. After doing my project at the Globe, Gabriel, which is all on the natural trum - pet, I feel like it’s as good a time as any to take a big risk and just see where it goes. Because as long as I love what I am doing, I think that’s the most I can hope for in terms of something working. Wood: One of the great things that you are doing is just being creative and doing new and different kinds of things that expose all of us to different ideas and thinking out - side the box. Like Miles Davis, in blazing new trails. Balsom: Well, he also is a great influ - ence. Because he just wanted to do what Alison Balsom performing in the Globe Theatre’s production of Gabriel, June 2013 he wanted to do, so authentically, so many Photo © Mat Hennek

12 ITG Journal / June 2014 © 2014 International Trumpet Guild Balsom: I didn’t have to do any speaking; there were loads of real - ly great actors in the show, so luckily, the more they did, the more I realized I’m so happy I wasn’t speaking. But I was acting; I was sort of an important part in the play, and it was almost like a concert—a solo concert’s worth of music to play. And yet it was just kind of contextualized by the play, and we did manage to make a DVD of it, which was very last- minute. We only found out the day before that we were able to do that. So it does exist in DVD form, and they’re just working on that now to get it mixed and edited so it can have a longer life, so people can at least see what it was all about. Wood: Can you talk about your most recent #$ recording, The Sound of Alison Balsom? Balsom: This is really just a col - lection we made with the label of all the music I’ve recorded over the last eleven years that I love the most. So, it was really just the things that I personally felt had Alison Balsom • Photo © BVMI Markus Nass/Monique Wuestenhagen gone best and all that I had great personal memories of when we were in the recording studio. I what’s going on in my head when I prepare or when I perform, did put in something from each one of the discs and just put I think it’s nice to share that. So I really do enjoy doing mas - them all together. It is, as you can see, very Baroque-heavy; but terclasses, although it’s really hard for me to make a long-term it’s the CD I’m, for sure, most proud of, because it kind of cov - commitment to individual students at the moment. I’m sure, ers it. Even though it’s from a relatively short time span in his - in the years to come, that I’ll probably have more time to do tory, in terms of the music, for me, it’s as broad as you can get that. At the moment, though, I just try to drop in and reiterate within that. what people’s teachers are saying to them anyway—and also, Wood: What will be your next recording project we should look with much younger children, just kind of inspire them and forward to seeing? make them realize that it’s not about the genre, it’s not about Balsom: The next recording project will be with Ethan classical music or any other kind of music. It’s about making Johns, the producer I was talking about; and it’s a case of get - good music and being moved by music. ting the ingredients together in the studio and getting the play - Wood: What are some of the most common weaknesses that you ers together and getting some raw material of repertoire tend to see in younger players today? together, and then just putting it into the Balsom: I think it’s mainly a kind of melting pot and seeing what happens. So fear: fear of going wrong, fear of being I’m afraid I can’t tell you any titles, but it’s a “I feel like it’s as good a time on stage. I see a lot of students who are case of just getting everyone together in the as any to take a big risk and obviously fantastic, but then they get room and hopefully being inspired. in front of an audience or, obviously, Wood: I understand you are the visiting just see where it goes.” the worst audience possible, their pro f essor of trumpet at the Guildhall School. peers. You know, it’s a really hard audi - Do you like to teach? Can you tell us about your teaching? ence to play to when you’re playing for lots of trumpet players. Balsom: I do. I don’t have any students of my own, because But you see that the nerves kick in, and then it gets really hard. I travel too much; but, as well as visiting at the Guildhall, I do Or, even if people are nervous, it’s not about nerves, it’s about go to many music schools around the world and just kind of playing it safe. Because the trumpet is such a risky instrument, do a “drop in” service of doing masterclasses. I know I’ve had people automatically stop taking risks when they’re under pres - great teaching in lots of different ways—I’ve been very lucky in sure, which obviously deadens the impression of the music. So that respect—and so, some of the great nuggets I’ve gotten that’s something that I do tend to focus on a lot, taking the from my teachers I really want to pass on. When I listen to stu - risks and not worrying about the splits; because if you’re focus - dents, I can hear straight-away what my teachers would have ing on the actual music and you’ve done the preparation, the said about it, and I feel a bit of a duty to pass that on. Also, just splits won’t happen anyway. Also, I spend an awful lot of time

© 2014 International Trumpet Guild June 2014 / ITG Journal 13 finding different ways to talk about breathing techniques and music industry is much more coming around to the performer how breathing can solve all of your problems—your stamina, and the live show. You just have to find a big aura and charisma the quality of your sound, your coordination—and explaining up on stage, and I think the trumpet is one of the best instru - in detail how I approach my breathing in order to solve many ments of all to do that. So I think it’s an incredibly exciting typical problems that we have with this tricky, but wonderful, time for our trumpeters. instrument. Wood: What do you like to listen Wood: If you could go back in to on your iPod or the radio in your time and pay a visit to the sixteen- “The age of the record label is over, personal time? year-old Alison Balsom, what ad - and the music industry is much more Balsom: Well, I’ve spent a lot of vice would you give her? What time in the car recently, and while would you tell her to watch out for coming around to the performer and I’m sitting in traffic, I do tend to in life? the live show. You just have to find a listen to a lot of early music. I find Balsom: That’s a really hard it very calming for the nerves. So I question! I suppose I would tell big aura and charisma up on stage, am a real classical music geek—I her, “Just know that everything and I think the trumpet is one of the listen to tons of it. Not necessarily you do is enough and don’t be trumpet music, but whatever scared of what you can’t do; just best instruments of all to do that.” comes up. I do have an awful lot of embrace what you can do and en- classical music and jazz in there too. joy the journey.” It’s so easy, when you’re trying to aspire to Wood: Thank you so much for speaking with me. It’s been an things and achieve things in your career for the time to just honor and a true pleasure, and I’m sure the members of the Inter - whiz by and for you not to appreciate it. From sixteen, it was national Trumpet Guild will appreciate it as well. We hope you’ll a very exciting time for me, because I had great teachers and come play for us! I was playing a lot in London; but Balsom: Absolutely. Thank you for very soon after that I was going to go including me! A pleasure! to study at Music College. I think “Don’t be scared of what you my advice would be just to enjoy it can’t do; just embrace what you About the author: Dr. Peter Wood is for the sake of making music and not associate professor of music at the Uni - have the fear that can take over when can do and enjoy the journey.” versity of South Alabama, where he you’re a performer. Just enjoy the teaches applied trumpet and coaches journey. brass chamber music. A two-time teaching award winner at Wood: Where do you see the trumpet profession headed in the USA , he also serves as publications editor for the International future? Trumpet Guild and as a member of the ITG Board of Direc - Balsom: I think it’s a very exciting time for the trumpet pro - tors. He is a faculty member at the International Trumpet fession, but not just for the trumpet profession—it’s really the Symposium in Ronzo-Chienis, Italy and performs with the age of the artist. The age of the record label is over, and the Mobile Symphony Orchestra.