At the Mason Summer Trumpet Academy, young trumpet players ages 13-18 will gain insight into the working world of music from building a solid foundation in basic fundamentals, to developing a practice routine, help in audition preparation, and more.
“I find that many young trumpeters often don’t have a solid routine or goal in mind,” explained Program Director and Mason School of Music professor Dr. Kevin Gebo. “This is something that I think is imperative for success in this field, and we want to address that and other important musicianship skills at the Trumpet Academy.”
Several standard questions that many students are unsure about will be addressed, including:
- How do I warm up properly?
- How much should I be practicing daily?
- How many days can I take off from practicing?
- What musical selections work best for my school auditions?
These topics and many more will be discussed and worked through comprehensively throughout the week. Along with this, music rehearsals and applied lessons will prepare students for a Friday final performance.
Dr. Kevin Gebo has performed with musicians and ensembles such as Andrea Bocelli, Idina Menzel and the Brass Band of Battle Creek, and can be seen frequently performing with the Washington Symphonic Brass, Harrisburg Symphony Orchestra, National Symphony Orchestra and the Kennedy Center Opera House Orchestra. Learn more at www.kevingebo.com .
Several guest artists will also be joining Dr. Gebo, including internationally renowned jazz trumpeter Graham Breedlove. Mr. Breedlove (pictured below) is a trumpet soloist with the Army Blues jazz ensemble, part of The United States Army Band, “Pershing’s Own” in Washington, DC and he has appeared as a soloist, composer/arranger or lead player on seven CDs with the Army Blues. Learn more at www.grahambreedlove.com .
The Trumpet program takes place during the “Mason Summer Music Intensive Week” on July 31 – August 4, 2017 (9am-4pm) in the de Laski Performing Arts Building on the Mason Fairfax campus in northern Virginia. A special Residential option which includes on-campus housing, meals and evening activities is also available for the full university experience. If you’re a young percussionist age 13 to 18, this is the place to be this summer!