Let's Talk Trumpet

High notes are exciting, impressive, and sometimes the thing young trumpet players chase more than anything else.

But are they really the point?

In this episode, James Newcomb welcomes Dave Norman back to talk about the trumpet’s upper register, not as a circus trick, but as one part of a larger musical vocabulary.

Dave discusses the physical demands of playing high, the danger of brute force, the importance of recovery, and why sound, time, pitch, rhythm, and musical taste matter far more than range alone.

High notes have their place, but they are not the whole story.

Episode Highlights:

• Why young trumpet players often become obsessed with the upper register
• The physical cost of forcing high notes through pressure and tension
• How compression, coordination, air, and embouchure work together
• Why high notes should grow out of solid fundamentals, not replace them
• Dave Norman’s reminder that most real trumpet work happens between low C and high C

Let's Talk Trumpet is a production of Arete Brass. Learn more about Arete Brass at aretebrass.com.

In this episode, we explore what happens when musicians stop accepting the limitations of their tools and begin asking better questions.

Segment one tells the story of a cabinetmaker who creates a specialized tool because the work itself demands it.

Then David Hickman explains the development of a remarkable five-valve trumpet capable of functioning in multiple keys, allowing a player to solve practical orchestral problems with one highly specialized instrument. Hickman traces the idea through C/D trumpets, D-flat trumpet experiments, and his collaboration with Cliff Blackburn.

We close with William Vacchiano, an orchestral master who understood that the right horn is never a gimmick when it serves the music.

Episode Highlights:

• Why specialized tools are often born from real musical problems, not novelty
• How trumpet players use different keyed instruments to solve orchestral challenges
• David Hickman’s path from C/D trumpet to D-flat trumpet to a five-valve multi-key design
• The role of Cliff Blackburn in turning Hickman’s concept into a playable instrument
• William Vacchiano’s legacy as a practical orchestral craftsman and problem-solver

Today's trumpeter you should know more about: William Vacchiano

Let's Talk Trumpet is a production of Arete Brass. Learn more about Arete Brass at aretebrass.com.

Most musicians are taught to keep their options open. Be versatile, be adaptable, be ready for anything. But what if that approach keeps you from ever becoming truly indispensable?

This episode explores the power of specialization through a story of a cartographer who chooses to map what others ignore. In doing so, he doesn’t just refine his craft, he creates demand where none existed before.

We then hear from David Hickman, who reflects on how players like Rafael Méndez found opportunities not by doing everything, but by going deeper than anyone else into one path.

Episode Highlights:

• Why being “well-rounded” can quietly limit your career ceiling
• The hidden cost of keeping every door open
• How depth creates opportunities that didn’t previously exist
• The difference between being useful and being indispensable
• What specialization actually looks like in practice

Today's trumpeter you should know more about:

Sergei Nakariakov

__________

Let's Talk Trumpet is a production of Arete Brass. Learn more about Arete Brass at aretebrass.com.

A single moment of recognition can change the direction of a life. In this episode, we explore how identity is often shaped not by ability alone, but by whether someone takes the time to truly see us. Through a story of a young grocery store worker who rises beyond low expectations, we examine how attention—given rightly—can transform behavior, confidence, and purpose. We then hear David Hickman reflect on his own formative experience, followed by a look at Rafael Méndez, whose playing continues to define what’s possible on the trumpet.

Episode Highlights:

• Why recognition—not just instruction—shapes identity
• The difference between being noticed and being seen
• How small moments of affirmation can redirect behavior
• The long-term impact of early mentorship in music

Today's trumpeter you should know more about:

Rafael Mendez

Let's Talk Trumpet is a production of Arete Brass. Learn more about Arete Brass at aretebrass.com.

A single teacher can change the direction of a life. This episode centers on a powerful story of mentorship, where a small-town band director saw more than just a student—he saw potential.

What began as a kid joining band for the wrong reasons became something much deeper: discipline, identity, and purpose.

In this episode, we explore how music education goes beyond technique. It's about shaping character through structure, accountability, and care.

Because at its core, learning an instrument isn’t about performance; it’s about formation.

Episode Highlights

• Why the right teacher matters more than the right method
• How competition can elevate rather than discourage
• The hidden value of private lessons in early development
• Music education as a pathway to discipline and identity

Trumpeter you should know more about: Vincent Cichowicz

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Dave Norman didn’t follow the typical path. After years of frustration with inconsistency, rigid pedagogy, and the realities of freelance life, he stepped away from the trumpet entirely. What brought him back wasn’t a gig or a paycheck, but a decision to invest in himself—on his own terms.

In this episode, Dave shares how experimentation reshaped his playing, why success has nothing to do with appearances, and what it really means to commit to your craft. Sometimes the turning point comes when you stop waiting for opportunity and start creating it yourself.

Highlights:

• The breaking point that led Dave to walk away from the music industry
• How unconventional experimentation solved long-standing playing issues
• The difference between external success and internal fulfillment
• Why investing your own time and money can accelerate growth
• Building a lasting musical legacy through recording

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Why do top trumpet players talk less about routines and more about people? This episode explores how being in the right rooms, hearing great playing up close, and sitting next to the right musicians can reset your internal standard in ways no system or warmup can. It's about sharpening what you listen for and changing how you approach the horn.

Guest Manny Laureano reflects on feeling incredibly fortunate for the mentors, colleagues, and encounters that shaped his life, from growing up in East Harlem and finding music through public school to scholarships, Music & Art High School, Juilliard, and experiences with major artists.

Manny also shares how he passed those lessons on through decades with the Minnesota Youth Symphonies, and the episode highlights his long tenure as principal trumpet of the Minnesota Orchestra, his influence, and continued work after retiring in summer 2025, including leading the Bloomington Symphony Orchestra.

00:00 Why Real Pros Talk With and About People (in a good way)

00:59 Exposure Resets Standards

03:06 Passing It Along

04:06 Manny Laureano on Gratitude and Connections

07:22 About Manny Laureano

10:48 Sponsor And Sign Off

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Trumpet pedagogy and audition culture have increasingly standardized measurable fundamentals (intonation, rhythm, articulation, even tone) to the point of producing interchangeable-sounding players, rewarding safety and predictability over risk and individuality.

Manny Laureano laments that expressive traits like vibrato would be penalized today and cites William Vacchiano’s legacy of training players who did not sound like him.

The episode spotlights Roger Voisin: longtime Boston Symphony principal trumpet known for vocal, vibrato-rich, flexible playing and teaching that fostered individual voices, highlighting the tension between modern uniform excellence and recognizable artistry.

00:53 How Standardization Took Over

01:38 Auditions Reward Safety

02:17 What Great Players Share

03:04 Teaching Without Cloning

03:30 Making Space For Risk

04:41 Manny Laureano On Identity

07:06 Who Was Roger Voisin

08:24 Voisin Sound And Vibrato

09:51 Legacy For Players Today

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Today we explore one of the most important and often overlooked aspects of trumpet playing: musical identity.

What makes one player's sound instantly recognizable while another, equally accurate player blends into the background? We examine how the homogenization of orchestral playing in the modern era has made it harder to distinguish individuals, sections, and even entire orchestras.

We'll also hear from Manny Laureano, who shares a memorable story about not being able to identify a French orchestra playing French music — and what that says about where classical music is headed.

The episode closes with a profile of Roger Delmotte, one of the clearest examples of the French trumpet tradition in the 20th century.

In This Episode:

• Why "checking all the boxes" isn't the same as making an impact
• How global access to information and teachers has raised the standard — but narrowed the spread of individual identity
• Manny Laureano on how orchestral sound has changed over the past 50–60 years and why orchestras no longer sound as distinct as they once did
• The era when you could immediately identify the Philadelphia, Boston, or Chicago sound — and why that's harder today
• Manny's story of driving and failing to recognize a French orchestra playing French repertoire

Trumpeter You Should Know: Roger Delmotte — a defining voice of the French trumpet tradition, his training at the Paris Conservatoire, his career with the Orchestre de la Société des Concerts du Conservatoire, and his legacy as a teacher and recording artist

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You can rarely do both.

What happens the moment you become aware of what’s possible? In this episode, we explore the thin line between playing it safe and truly going for it.

What begins as a reflection on risk in trumpet playing expands into a deeper look at leadership, mindset, and the role of awareness in shaping performance.

You’ll hear Manny Laureano describe a powerful moment from a final concert for a colleague, and why choosing not to hold back matters.

We close by highlighting the late, great Timofei Dokshizer, a true trumpet master who's playing embodied expression at the edge of control.

Highlights:

• The split-second decision: go for it or play it safe
• Why “don’t miss” thinking limits musical impact
• How leadership from the podium shapes risk-taking
• Performing at the edge of your comfort zone

Trumpeter You Should Know More About:

Timofei Dokshizer

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