studioHFL

Deanna is a brilliant musician and entrepreneur. You'll hear a bit about what she's done over her career with developing educational programs to now teaching at Arizona State University. Enjoy our interview from May 6, 2020.

Phil Snedecor reflects on the state of trumpet during the pandemic, his group the Washington Brass, teaching at the Hartt School of Music, and some great pedagogy! Enjoy this interview from May 8, 2020

Captain Bryan Sherlock, USMC, Assistant Director of The President's Own! Bryan and I go way back to Star of Indiana, Butler University, and he was in my wedding. Now, he's slightly more famous than me and that's ok! Enjoy this short interview with Bryan.

My May 5, 2020 interview with Metropolitan Opera Orchestra trumpeter Peter Bond. Peter retired shortly after this interview. Some amazing insight into the workings of the Met pit, and some really great pedagogy shared here. Please enjoy!

Conn-Selmer Artist Morris Northcutt in an interview with studioHFL host Larry Powell, May 2020.

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Byron Stripling reveals why the future of music belongs to artists who can connect, adapt, and lead - onstage, online, and in life.If you care about trumpet, jazz, or simply making people feel something in a concert hall, this conversation is packed with the kind of hard-won wisdom you only get from a performer who has lived it. Stripling shares how he stays sharp through changing routines, why “routine” can become the enemy of growth, and what decades on the road with the Count Basie Orchestra, Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie, and the Boston Pops taught him about sound, showmanship, and service.You’ll discover:

The practice philosophy he uses to keep his playing evolving, from flow studies and etudes to rebuilding his warmup so it never goes stale

The Vinny Di Martino lessons that changed how he thinks about time, accountability, leadership, and actually delivering on stage

Why great musicians must meet audiences where they are, whether that means a concert hall, a living room, Facebook Live, or a livestreamed season

The unforgettable stories behind playing with legends like Miles Davis, Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong tributes, and John Williams

Stripling also opens up about the cultural weight of music, the power of forgiveness, and why artists have a responsibility to lift people up when the world feels fractured. It is a wide-ranging conversation that moves from trumpet technique to race, tradition, audience connection, and the future of orchestras in a post-COVID world.Byron Stripling is the artistic director and conductor of the Columbus Jazz Orchestra and the newly appointed principal pops conductor of the Pittsburgh Symphony. He is known for his electrifying trumpet playing, deep jazz lineage, and acclaimed tributes to Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald.Essential listening if you want inspiration, practical musicianship, and a masterclass in how great artists turn talent into impact.

Timestamps

00:00 - Opening banter and the Fred Powell resemblance joke

03:06 - Columbus, Ohio, home life, and cleaning out the basement

05:44 - Driving to Connecticut to bring his daughter home during quarantine

08:23 - Why he leads the Columbus Jazz Orchestra

09:20 - Making jazz and classical music more welcoming to audiences

12:48 - COVID 19, Zoom, and the move toward virtual concerts

17:26 - Current practice routine and keeping warmups fresh

18:41 - Lessons from Vinny Di Martino on etudes and credibility

22:06 - Leadership means going first and setting the example

24:37 - Staying motivated while gigs are on pause

26:15 - Reading habits and books on travel and history

27:00 - Touring the world with major jazz bands

29:38 - Time with Count Basie, Mike Williams, and the lead trumpet chair

32:11 - Touring with Ella Fitzgerald and the lesson of showing warmth

33:08 - Meeting Miles Davis and sitting on stage with him

36:57 - Dizzy Gillespie stories and the importance of showmanship

39:15 - Auditioning for Satchmo, America's Musical Legend

41:37 - Working with the Boston Pops, John Williams, and Manny Album arrangements

44:38 - How he portrayed Louis Armstrong vocally and theatrically

50:03 - Louis Armstrong archives, the house, and the emotional power of his legacy

52:14 - Race, suffering, and turning pain into art

55:19 - Speaking honestly about empathy and Black experience

57:05 - Personal stories about police stops and perspective

61:15 - Maurice André, Herbert L. Clarke, and early trumpet heroes

63:08 - Doc Severinsen and being present for young players

64:21 - Clark Terry as a model for race relations through music

65:49 - Conducting the Pittsburgh Symphony and the concert hall as a spiritual space

68:04 - Closing reflections on service, music, and the next conversation

Mr. Chopsaver himself, Dan Gosling gives great insight into the creation of Chopsaver. He tells it like it is with the marketing challenges he's encountered and the perseverance it takes to get a product to today's mass market.

Paul Mergen is a terrific tuba player living in Indianapolis and a colleague of mine at the University of Indianapolis. In this interview Paul talks about his training, his time in The President's Own, and now his transition to the midwest.

An absolute icon in the brass world, Joe Alessi joined me for an interview and it may be one of the few times I've felt really nervous! I may sometimes ask awkward or stupid questions, but Joe gives great answers to everything I threw at him. Enjoy!

Abbie is a legend beyond a doubt. An amazing talent and the kind of persistence I think a lot of people would like to have. Her story goes way beyond Munich and you'll enjoy hearing about it.