23 Years and Still Going Strong!

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Twenty-three years may not seem like a long time to remain in the same job or be married to the same person but when speaking of  the longevity of a band, this is incredible. The History and Future of Grand Marquis The Grand Marquis band started in 1998 with a Guitar/Singer, Drummer, and Bass player. Soon a Saxophonist was added to this mostly rockabilly blues group. In October of 2001 Trumpeter Chad  Boydston moved to Kansas City and joined the group in February of 2002. At that time, most of their performances were in restaurants and bars. By 2003 the…

Things to Consider After You Get the Job

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Don’t complain about your leader/conductor- at least where he/she can hear you. Don’t give advice unless you are asked. Never hire a sub better than yourself. If play a second part in an ensemble, never criticize the first chair player. When warming up, never try to see how high you can play. Never change the music to “the way it should have been written”. Never out blow the lead player under any circumstance. Never play a note at the end of a number which is higher than the lead player unless he/she has requested it. Be sure to cash all…

What Does it Take to Become a Professional Musician?

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What Constitutes a Professional Musician? A professional musician is one who plays an instrument or several instruments proficiently; performing is their primary source of income. What Constitutes an Amateur Musician? An amateur musician is one who loves playing music or one who cultivates something as a pastime. If you happen to be described by the second definition (amateur musician) and would like to upgrade to the next level, you might find the following information interesting. Recently I was asked, “How do you become a professional musician”?… and my response was, “Why would you ever want to become a professional musician”? It isn’t that I didn’t or don’t enjoy playing…

Comeback Player Questions

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I received this message this past week and because of the house full of family I am a little behind on my posts. I would like to thank this gentleman for his questions and due to the fact that many have indicated that they were also “comeback” players, I thought I would share with you my thoughts on this big move. As always, my comments are in BOLD type and our reader’s comments are in regular type. Went social security in 2010, and part time on my job. Within a couple months, decided it was time to get back to…

You Raise Me Up – Trumpet Ensemble

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  From time to time we have readers send in recordings of our music and this young man was kind enough to take the time to prepare our arrangement of “You Raised Me Up”. We would like to thank Javed for his recording and it looks as if we have a very talented and industrious young trumpet player out there. From Javed; Arranged by Branson Trumpet Ensemble – Chidester Played & Recorded by Javed Hassan This is me messing with my webcam and trying to get 4 vids at once. not good quality, I know, But the music was ok…

Grand Reopening a Success !

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  Trumpet Ensemble Music Celebrates 2021  We would like to thank our supporters for visiting our new and improved  Trumpet Ensemble Music site. From the time we reopened on January 8th till this morning, we have sent out over 500 orders to our  visitors from 83 different countries. “You are invited to visit our new and improved store and we will continue to offer the best material at the most reasonable prices” Same name/Improved service

Why Were the Early Brass Quintets Important in the Spread of Quality Brass Chamber Music? Part 1

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the University of Northern Iowa Faculty Brass Quintet Until the formation and concertizing of Brass Quintets in the 1950s, most brass performers could only be heard as part of an Orchestra / Band or Jazz ensemble. All this changed when Mr. Robert Negal decided to form a quartet known as the New York Brass Quintet. It was through his, and his colleagues efforts, that brass musicians gain their rightful position in the Chamber Music world. In the following series of posts, I will share with my readers a short history of these dedicated musicians as they blazed their way to…

When I Grow Up I Want To Play Like Bobby Shew

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That is a strange statement coming from a nearly eighty years old trumpet player, but that is how I would have liked to have played. Bobby has had a tremendous impact on the trumpet world, not only because of his beautiful sound, range and very gifted improvisational skills, but his contribution to trumpet education and equipment advances have also been important. Before I continue with his many accolades, let me first tell you of the first time I met this giant of the horn. I first met Mr. Shew when I picked him up at a high school in the…