[TPIN] DILEMMA - Playing lead parts?

[William Graham]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Jeff Briddle" <jbriddle at hotmail.com>
To: "tpin tpin" <tpin at tpin.okcu.edu>
Sent: Friday, May 04, 2007 4:49 AM
Subject: [TPIN] DILEMMA - Playing lead parts?


All,

I have quite the dilemma which causes me a little confusion and need some 
advice that I know I will get great responses.  A little long but I feel 
there needs to be some clarification.

I just started to play the trumpet Feb of this year after a 25 year break. 
I decided to get a private trumpet teacher who just so happened to recruit 
me for his community band on my first lesson.  I started to in the band at 
the end of Feb.  He put me in the third trumpet section and I have been 
pretty happy there, we have 6 of us and I am 5th chair basically.

My trumpet teacher has been really working on building my chops and my speed 
and now I am hitting a high c pretty easily and consistently we do the 
Arbans and he also gives me hand written exercises to work on during the 
week.  BTW he is an amazing trumpet player himself.  He has a beautiful Mt 
Vernon Bach Strad... Anyways.

So here is the dilemma:

At my lesson yesterday he told me that I am doing very well and he thinks I 
sound better than the lead trumpet player and he would like to start to give 
me some of his pieces.  I feel I can play them but have a problem with the 
"new" guy taking the lead.  I really told myself that I am pretty happy 
being in the third trumpet section because this is just for fun but I also 
want to do what the director says.

How do I deal with this?  I don't think he wants me to be the lead but, to 
play his lead parts can I do that?  I don't want to be hated or not accepted 
in the first trumpet section.  I also don't want the other thirds or seconds 
to look at me in a bad light either.

I have never had to deal with this since I was first trumpet first chair 
from 4th grade until I graduated from high school which was 26 years ago. 
Every one of the trumpet players have been very nice to me and accepting 
except for the lead.  He is a bit of a primadona, we say "hi" but that's it. 
He can play but his tone and phrasing leave a little to be desired.  I think 
he has been in the Band for a very long time as with most of the trumpet 
players.

Am I making too much out of it and I should just let the band director do 
what he things is best and just go for it?

Thanks in advance,

Jeff the comback player_______________________________________________

In my opinion, it is always a good idea for someone to be able to play 
first, even though he/she usually plays second or third chair.....The guy 
who usually plays first might get sick, or not be able to show up for some 
reason, or on a particularly tough program, he/she might need someone else 
to stand in on one of the easier pieces while they rest....Our band has 
several people who are good enough to play first chair, and do so from time 
to time.....You can never have too many good trumpet players on tap........