Hamamatsu International Wind and Brass Academy and Festival

I spent a wonderful 9 days in Hamamatsu at the 22nd Annual Hamamatsu International Wind Academy and Festival. It was a chance to meet up with some old friends -- both from the Yamaha staff and performers. The festival started with a faculty concert which featured a new arrangement that I made for 4 trumpets with Carnival of Venice movements taken from both the Clarke and Arban versions, as well as 3 Phillip Jones Brass Ensemble favorites for large brass ensemble. I was joined by faculty members Peter Sullivan on trombone and Jens Plucker on horn. The group was filled out with members of the top orchestras in Tokyo.

The 3rd day of the festival was a concert aptly entitled "Trumpet Night." The audience got to hear a first half performed by the always amazing Jeroen Berwaerts (with Midori Nagahara on piano). His performances were a stunning balance of technical precision and gorgeous music making. On the second half I was joined by the amazing Hiroko Hayashi on the piano for Pennequin's Morceau de Concert and the Charles Reskin Sonata. Jeroen and I closed the program with a couple of flashy duets.

The week was filled out with a LOT of teaching - 28 lessons, to be exact, 4 each for the 7 students in my studio. The students were wonderful -- attentive, reactive, thoughtful, and of course, very talented. I can't thank Yamaha and the staff of the festival for making my visit memorable!