[TPIN] Allen Vizzutti & WCU Trumpet Festival

[Bob Wright]

TPIN'ers,
 
This past weekend I had the pleasure of attending the West Carolina
University Trumpet Festival.  Allen Vizzutti was the featured artist.  Dr.
Brad Ulrich and his staff conducted an incredible Festival.  There were a
dozen or so vendors in attendance which gave all of us considering the
purchase of a new trumpet a chance to compare horns side by side.  Yamaha,
Bach, Blackburn, Miles, Warburton, Calicchio, etc,  were all there as was
ITG and more.  The festival featured trumpet Ensembles from all over the
Country.  All levels of performance from Middle School to Professional. But
the most incredible part was listening to Allen Vizzutti perform a Classical
Concert on Friday night and a Jazz Concert on Saturday night..  Allen is not
only a phenomenal performer but a very good clinician.  His personality and
demeanor brought , for many of us, a perspective on being a High-in-demand
studio recording artist to traveling worldwide to perform.  The performances
were flawless demonstrations of Trumpet ability at the Top of the skill set.
Rage, tone, style, and heart stopping technique brought on, for many of us,
the desire to just dig a hole and bury my horns in the back yard and take up
bird watching or something less physically and mentally demanding.  But
Allen made a statement during the Masters Class that brought everything back
to reality for me and I am sure many others.. He said (paraphrasing)
"Remember, that regardless of how well you play, or think you play, there
will always be someone out there that CAN do it better.  So Relax.  Always
play the best that you can and above all, HAVE FUN.  Enjoy playing
trumpet!!"  At one point in the Classical Concert, Allen made the comment
that some people assume a weird posture or horn position while playing.
Then he played "Carnival of Venice" while rotating his horn 180 degrees
without missing a note at break neck speed while the valves were inverted
then rotated back to normal.   Great shtick!!
 
Again kudos to Dr. Brad Ulrich and West Carolina University for putting on a
Great Trumpet Festival and all my brothers and sisters  in Phi Mu Alpha and
Kappa Kappa Psi. 
 
Bob Wright
 
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