Peyden Shelton is currently an active freelancer and educator in the Baltimore area, and newly appointed professor of trumpet at the University of Utah.

JN: Peyden, get us up to speed. What’s going on in your world?

PS: The past month has been super busy with travelling, doing gigs in the local area. I’m part of a new chamber ensemble. I can’t release too much info about it at the moment, but it’s going to be amazing. And of course getting ready for the big move to Salt Lake City later this summer.

JN: So this new ensemble is going to be in Utah?

PS: No, it will be comprised of teachers on the East Coast, from various universities. I’m going to be the furthest away, but we’re hoping my move will open more doors to opportunities all over the country. We’re really looking to take our performances into new doors that have not been explored yet.

JN: So you’ve been around the block a few times, you’ve got a lot of amazing things ahead in your future. But I want to start with what you consider to be one of your worst moments as a performer.

PS: I went to the University of Miami for my master’s degree and studied with Craig Morris. I can’t recommend that highly enough. But an academic environment is a place to learn. And trust me, I learned a lesson. I was part of the Henry Mancini orchestra, kind of a hybrid of jazz and classical. It was comprised of students at the U. So lo and behold I ended up being the principal trumpeter on the classical side. We had one particular gig where we were doing a hodge podge of Mancini medley’s.

As a student, you have moments where you don’t take your practice sessions as seriously as you should. You think, “I’ve played harder stuff before; I’ll be fine.” Well, this certain piece had a really nice piccolo trumpet featured right at the beginning of the piece.

Being the cocky young trumpet player I was, I decided, “I’ve got this.” I didn’t practice it all that much. But on the day of the performance, let’s just say I dropped the ball. This was in concert, in front of many huge donors of the school. It was a good learning experience for me to never take anything for granted. Always make sure you’re practicing things like you’re going to perform them.

JN: So this wasn’t one of those mistakes where you know it’s off and can play it off. It was pretty evident you had screwed it up.

PS: Yes. The looks from people in the orchestra, the terrified looks in the audience. It was a heavy learning experience. So since that time, you could say I’ve got my act together. Sometimes it’s good to fall on your face in situations like that. It puts things in perspective and is a good swift kick in the butt to make sure you’re taking care of your business.

JN: It’s a learning environment. So you can make a mistake and you’re not going to lose your job.

PS: Yes. Something I heard Bob Sullivan say is that even in an academic environment, if you’re getting paid in any regard, you must treat them like a job. If you’re getting a scholarship of some kind, you’re really getting paid to do the job. If you don’t do the job, in the real world you could be fired.

JN: You know, no one likes to tell these stories, but it’s important. I’ve had moments like that, every guest has had moments like that.

So let’s talk about a time when things go great. You feel on fire, as if nothing can go wrong.

PS: The most uplifting moment I can remember is stepping on stage during the national trumpet competition finals in 2014. It was a long road to get to that point, but it was the one moment I can remember thinking, “It doesn’t matter what happens.” It was a no-stress environment, really uplifting. I try to channel that into every situation as a performer.

Johan de Meij is originally from Holland and now lives in upstate New York. He is famous for his Symphony No. 1, The Lord of the Rings and enjoys a busy career as a composer and conductor. He recently commissioned a piece titled, Felini.

JN: Johan, get us up to speed. What’s going on in your world?

JDM: I’ve been home for 9 weeks now because of a skiing accident where I broke my leg. So I’m just now recovering. It gives me a lot of time to write music, but no travelling, no guest conducting. I had to cancel some events to my regret, but it’s just bad luck.

The piece Felini you mentioned was written for alto sax, wind orchestra and circus band. It’s based off of the Italian filmmaker Felini. A lot of his movies have circus and clowns as a very important element to them. So the piece has a circus band is separate from the wind band so that they souhnd like they’re in a different world, and it really works quite well. It’s surprising for the audience as well. The circus band plays something very rowdy and loud, but the orchestra just keeps playing on stage. The alto sax soloist is not standing on the front of the stage as traditional. They’re more like an actor, moving around quite a bit. You have a chance to be really creative with it depending on the venue it’s being performed.

JN: So sobriety is not your goal with this piece.

JDM: No. (laughing)

JN: This podcast is about peak musical performance. And to get to the peak, you have to go through a few valleys. So let’s start out with what you consider to be one of your worst moments as a performer.

JDM: My worst moment as a player was as a member of the Amsterdam Wind Orchestra. We were doing a live radio broadcast for the Holland Festival. The composer was present and she wrote a piece for brass quartet. I was playing 2nd trombone. It was so difficult, there were a few things I just couldn’t play. So the performance arrived and I was so nervous. The piece started and my chops just weren’t working. There’s this big cadenza where I went to a high E. I didn’t make it because I wasn’t playing well so I just made something up. The conductor was looking over at me like, what are you doing? The composer comes up after the performance and actually didn’t notice that I screwed up.

Fortunately I have had very few really bad moments as a performer.

 

JN: Was Lord of the Rings your first major work?

JDM: Yes.

JN: Had you composed anything before that?

JDM: I had done some arrangements and one short original work for brass sextet, but it was my first one. A lot of people don’t believe me when I say that because it sounds pretty mature. It took me 4 years to write, and believe it or not, next year 2018 will be the 30th anniversary of its premier. It really changed my life in a profound way. It put me on the map as a composer. A year later I won a major award in the United States, which was crucial for the popularity of the piece.

As time goes on, it gets played more and more. It used to be that people would play just a movement or two, but a lot of bands are playing the entire piece.

JN: Was there a spike in popularity when the movies came out?

JDM: Not really a spike, but a bit of growth. But it’s incredible how it grows in popularity after all these years.

JN: I’m sure you’ve conducted it hundreds of times.

JDM: Yes, but I never get tired of it. Sometimes when people ask me to conduct it, I’ll suggest something else as an alternative that’s more recent. But if they want to do it, I don’t try to stop them.

JN: Do you still play trombone?

JDM: No. I stopped playing professionally when I moved to the U.S. in 2008.

Wayne du Maine is a New York based freelance trumpet player. He performs on Broadway, with the Metropolitan Opera and the Manhattan Brass Quintet.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

James Pandolfi's method of playing: keeping the air in the lungs, chest out, readily accessible to make short breaths.

Focusing on other things than practicing: family, house, conducting. Created a system to be able to take time off the trumpet and still perform at a high level.

WAYNE'S WORST MOMENT AS A PERFORMER

Went through a period of time (around 1995) where I had problems with endurance. I wasn't able to make it through gigs. I was a freelance player in NYC, so it was nerve wracking wondering whether or not I'd be able to play the gig.

Using Pandolfi's method, I can just focus on making a beautiful sound when I play.

PANDOLFI'S METHOD

Not breathing from the diaphragm.

Keeping it in the top of the lungs.

Breathing through the nose can be beneficial.

QUOTABLE QUOTES

"Every time I play the instrument, I focus on making a beautiful sound."

"Suddenly, playing music was effortless again. It gave me a lot of peace in my mind when performing."

"Even after all these years, people don't hire me because of that period where I struggled."

THE HOT SEAT

Q: It’s 5 minutes before you go on stage for an important performance… What are you doing?

A: Visualizing (a la Chris Gekker.) Have the music going on in your mind before you go on stage.

Q: What’s the best performance-related advice you've ever received?

A: Listen to as many recordings as possible. If you're playing an audition, have all the music going on in your brain while you play.

Q: Can you share one tip for our listeners to help deal with stage fright? (Physical, mental, etc.)

A: Be as prepared as possible. Stage fright comes from not having confidence in your preparation. Understand every note that everyone else has and everything going on around you.

 

Q: Imagine you’re on stage. It’s the end of the performance and the audience is on its feet, applauding. They don’t want any more and they don’t want any less. Everything is perfect. What have you just done?

A: I performed at Tanglewood when Leonard Bernstein conducted his second to last concert. The orchestra went all out and the audience applauded for a good 20 minutes afterwards.

It reminded me that I'm doing the right thing, and that the audience deserves a top-n0tch performance every time.

I'd also like to perform Shostakovich's 7th Symphony!

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When his four-year-old ears heard the hammered dulcimer for the first time, Joshua Messick turned to his mom and said, “I promise I will learn to play the hammered dulcimer before I am thirty.”

At nine, when he got ahold of a pair of dulcimer hammers and coaxed sound from the strings for the first time, a music teacher asked how long he had been taking lessons. “I haven’t,” he said, still going at it. It’s as if Joshua came into this world equipped with a pre-existing relationship with the hammered dulcimer.

Joshua began arranging music at ten and composing in high school. By the time he was eighteen, he became the 2003 National Hammered Dulcimer Champion.

Joshua is first and foremost a composer, crafting original compositions drawing from Celtic, Classical, and World styles. For those who love more traditional music, he breathes new life into Folk, Hymns, Classical, and traditional favorites.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Josh was the featured performer for a Japanese movie called Mary and the Witch's Flower.

It's hard to identify what's causing the nerves, but preparing is key to mitigating them.

Know the difference between being eager and being anxious.

Mimic your performance conditions prior to the performance.

Performing on Facebook Live adds an element of performance when you're practicing.

Transparency is key to getting people to know, like and trust you.

Have freedom to make mistakes.

JOSH'S WORST MOMENT AS A PERFORMER

No specific moment where I felt on my face. But I have been disappointed with my performance. I was way too hard on myself and just didn't enjoy myself. If you're not enjoying yourself, why do it? Nerves often contribute to me simply "surviving" on stage, rather than sharing my gift with others.

QUOTABLE QUOTES

People want to see passion and confidence, not perfection.

Knowing the difference between nerves and anticipation can change your life.

THE HOT SEAT

Q: It’s 5 minutes before you go on stage for an important performance… What are you doing?

A: Stretching. A lot of negative emotions are stored in our muscles.

Q: What’s the best performance-related advice you've ever received?

A: Just enjoy yourself.

Q: Can you share one tip for our listeners to help deal with stage fright? (Physical, mental, etc.)

A: Breathe.

Q: What’s a non-musical activity that contributes to your success as a musician?

A: Exercise. Music isn't just an exercise of the mind, it's of the entire body.

Q: Imagine you’re on stage. It’s the end of the performance and the audience is on its feet, applauding. They don’t want any more and they don’t want any less. Everything is perfect. What have you just done?

A: My first concert in Asheville, the place was packed. I had worked so hard to promote it and people loved it. It was so gratifying to see that people enjoyed the music and walk away with a smile!

Hear Nicole tell her story about using beta blockers in her performance on tonight's LIVE webinar. It will be streamed from the musicpreneur.com Facebook page!

Find it at Facebook.com/musicpreneurdotcom

If you're listening to this after August 3, the replay will be available at musicpreneur.com/nicole.

Welcome to Secrets of the Musical Mind, presented by MusicPreneurDotCom!

Today I welcome back to the show Mr. John Beder, the director of the documentary "Composed," about the problem of performance anxiety.

If you missed our interview about John's entrepreneurial journey, you missed a good one. Make a point to have a listen after this!

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Aaron Romm has performed throughout the United States, Mexico, and Europe as a soloist and chamber music specialist. He is the trumpet instructor at State College of Florida, and of course, is a Warburton Performing Artist and Clinician.

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Bria Skonberg is a New York based jazz trumpeter, singer and songwriter. She recently released With a Twist, a collection of songs arranged in her own unique style!

Recognized as one of “25 for the Future” by DownBeat magazine (Summer 2016), Skonberg is newly signed to Sony Music Masterworks’ OKeh Records, and released her debut LP, simply titled BRIA in September 2016 which won a Canadian JUNO award and made it to the top 5 on Billboard.  Her second Sony album WITH A TWIST shows another collaboration with producer Matt Pierson as well as multiple Grammy award winner Gil Goldstein.

Noted as a Millennial “Shaking Up the Jazz World,” according to Vanity Fair, Skonberg is a self-described “small town girl” from Chilliwack, British Columbia. She left for Vancouver straight out of high school and earned a degree in Jazz Trumpet Performance from Capilano University. But even as she absorbed the deep knowledge and disciplined work habits needed for a jazz career, she was also hustling hard to book her two bands. While in university she juggled working every weekend, traveling to festivals and shows, plus cramming in schoolwork - all while on the road.

When not traveling for her own gigs, she was building up her stage-show chops with Dal Richards, Vancouver’s King of Swing. Playing at the 2010 Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver capped off this exciting period, with Bria featured at the Paralympics opening ceremony.

 In 2012 Bria released So Is The Day (Random Act Records); her first album on a US-based label. That collection showcased a developing flair for original songs with just the right amount of standards mixed in, and also featured a duet with the legendary John Pizzarelli, So Is The Day received rave reviews from critics, drawing comparisons to Norah Jones in The New York Daily News. In 2015, a year after her second album, Into Your Own, was released, Skonberg received the Jazz At Lincoln Center Swing! Award.

To date, Bria has performed at some 100 festivals worldwide. She is the co-founder of the New York Hot Jazz Camp and New York Hot Jazz Festival. Further accolades include Best Vocal and Best Trumpet awards from Hot House Jazz Magazine (2014-15), Outstanding Jazz Artist at the New York Bistro Awards (2014), a DownBeat Rising Star (2013-15), and a nominee for Jazz Journalists' Association Up and Coming Artist (2013).

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Jonas Haltia has been a member of Oslo Philharmonic since 1990. He also work as associate trumpet professor at the Norwegian Academy of Music.

Between 1999 and 2008 he was main trumpet teacher at the Ingesund Music Academy. Jonas is born in Karlstad, Sweden. He studied at the music academy in Gothenburg with professor Bengt Eklund, and after receiving a scholarship from the Royal Music Academy in Stockholm he studied privately in both London, Chicago and New York.

Before Jonas got his position in Oslo he held a position as Co-Principal Trumpet in Norrköping Symphony Orchestra. Jonas have been soloist with several symphony orchestras and has held numerous solo recitals. As a trumpet & organ duo together with professor Inger-Lise Ulsrud he has toured Scandinavia and also made the recording "Pebbles".

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Chris Davis is a trumpeter in the Chicago area. He’s the leader of the Chris Davis Jazztet, performs with the Chicago Jazz Philharmonic, and is the host of a podcast titled, Behind the Note.

JN: Chris, get us up to speed, what’s going on in your world?

CD: I’m performing a lot. Working Broadway in Chicago right now, which I’m really excited about. It’s been a long term goal for me to do that. I’m playing with the Jazztet a lot, playing Andy’s Jazz Club. I teach primarily brass, which I love, in the neighborhood where I grew up. Plus, we have a new baby on the way.

JN: So what exactly is a jazztet?

CD: It’s a jazz group. I used the word “jazztet” because I wanted to be flexible. I didn’t want to be limited to a certain number of people I can use. My band in full is 7 pieces, but it varies on how the personnel is used.

JN: We’re talking peak musical performance. And sometimes to talk about the peak, we need to go through the valleys. So take us to what you consider to be one of your worst moments as a performer.

CD: This is very early in my career, but it’s important because there are a lot of cool things that came out of it. When I was in 7th grade, I was in a very competitive environment. Under one roof, we had 4th graders and 8th graders in the summer program. We were all working together to become better musicians.

When the school year started, we separated according to our age. When I finally made it to 7thgrade, I was able to play a jazz solo in the jazz ensemble. This was a big deal, because ever since I started playing, I had always wanted to do that. We grew up in grade school watching the band come through, and we all thought it was cool.

So I finally had my chance. The 8th graders are always looking down on the 7th graders. They thought they were better, and we wanted to prove we could play too. I finally had my moment. As 7th graders, we performed a lot at various competitions and we had a really good reputation.

So I had worked up my solo. The moment of truth arrived. I stepped out of the section, to the microphone, and I played the first 6 notes or so and froze up. I forgot what I was playing. This is a big competition so there were a few hundred people in the audience. It was a short solo, maybe 16 bars, but I couldn’t remember the rest. I ended up playing the last few notes. I walk back to the section, and the band is still playing. But I felt pretty bad about it.

JN: So you just got nervous.

CD: Yes. It was my first time soloing in front of people and I had never experienced being nervous before.

JN: You’re not the first person who has told a very similar story on this podcast. But those people have not only overcome those unpleasant moments, they’ve gone on to do some real cool things. So let’s talk about some of the takeaways, how it led to good things happening for you.

CD: The reason I share this particular experience is because I think the lessons learned from it apply to everything today. I froze up because there were a lot of people looking at me. We get concerned with what other people think but we don’t know them, and we don’t really know what they’re thinking. What I discovered on the bus on the way home is that the majority of people were really supportive of me. They asked me what had happened, that I had sounded great all week.

The great thing about this group is that we performed a lot, so I had another crack at it a week or two later. This time it was the total opposite. I nailed the solo. It was because I had discovered the people around me didn’t want me to fail. They wanted me to nail the solo.

So I went back to the practice room, and put even more time into the solo.