[TPIN] [Excerpt from Trumpeting By Nature]

[Tim Phillips]

I have been staying out of this one for many reasons, but this last post 
reminded me of something I feel is worth saying.  This is meant in NO 
way to accuse or attack Jeanne or her book - which I know nothing about 
other than what I read here.  This thread happens to be the catalyst.

When I was in high school, I took lessons from a guy who claimed to be a 
student of Arnold Jacobs and to teach his principles.  Since he was 
closer and cheaper than another I knew of (John Sizemore), so I went to 
him.  After 3 months, my stomach was rigid, my sound suffered, my 
flexibility was all but gone, and I was becoming a wreck.  So I went to 
Sizemore and found out just how incorrect this first teacher was in his 
digestion of Mr. Jacobs principles.  And, of course, finally getting the 
privilege of studying with Mr. Jacobs myself to reinforce what Sizemore 
had taught.  By the way... It wasn't until I heard the theories directly 
from Mr. Jacobs that I "got it" - that everything Sizemore had been 
saying finally clicked.  Sizemore said later he often wondered if I 
would ever "get it".

There is another idea I'd like to throw out - that I've run into many 
times in my life.  Often times, students will think very highly of their 
teachers - when they have nothing to compare the quality of instruction 
they are receiving with.  They will also dismiss out of hand other 
teachers with whom the current teacher disagrees with - again without 
any first hand knowledge.  Then there's the honeymoon phase of 
instruction.  Where a student will get a piece of the puzzle, think it's 
the answer to all their woes - rave about it - then be no better off in 
3 months.  This whole thing of teachers and instruction is way too 
complex to boil down - which is why I've kinda made it my life quest to 
get lessons with a bunch of different people.  I still find the 
differing perspectives to be helpful.   I wish I could say I have all 
the answers - but I am glad to say I still have lots of questions.

You can learn what not to do from bad teachers...  So they are an 
influence - but not people/ideas I would necessarily want to list in my 
"resume".  It at some point has to be decided if a student has profited 
because of what they are taught or in spite of it.

Bad apples can fall from any tree, regardless how much good fruit it has 
produced... oops... I am comparing apples to trumpet teachers - a poor 
analogy.

Tim Phillips
iplatrpt at unifourbrass.org
http://www.unifourbrass.org

Jeanne G Pocius wrote:
> Hi, Jim, et al:
>    
>   I think the point is that it IS a *trumpet family tree*
>    
>   We all have teachers (immediate teachers with whom we have studied, in person, over a length of time).
>   
> We all have *grand-teachers* (those who taught OUR teachers).
>    
>   But I think  we also have *aunts/uncles*, extended family, as it were, who would include those with whom we've worked in master classes, single meeting lessons, and even, perhaps, *cousins* or those with whom we've performed on a regular basis (from whom we have learned, whether we realize it or not!).
>    
>   Those who wind up reading and working through *Trumpeting By Nature* will, indeed, be *taught* concepts, approaches and principles which I learned at the side of my teachers.
>   
> But they will also learn things which I have developed through dozens of years of teaching and decades of performing.
>    
>   Corollary to the book will be the establishment of  a website with soundfiles and video clips to supplement the book itself (eventually I hope to produce a companion DVD for the same purpose).
>    
>   Each of us is the product of input by MANY other trumpeters (and I include the many years of interaction here on TPIN in that group!).
>    
>   I hope I never find myself in a place where I believe myself incapable of learning from others.
>    
>   Take Care!
> Jeanne
>   
>   
> {BIG SNIP}