Brass Mastery James D. Newcomb

Welcome to the show. Today we’re tackling a topic that sends chills down the spines of many: mastering auditions. Whether you’re aiming for a spot in an orchestra, prepping for a college jury, or even gearing up for that pivotal job interview, the anxiety and fear of auditions is a universal experience.
Auditions can feel like stepping into the unknown, a daunting challenge that tests not only your skills but also your nerves. But here's the good news: just like any other challenge, the more you familiarize yourself with the process, the less intimidating it becomes. Remember the first time you rode a bike or spoke in public? The fear melted away with practice and preparation, and auditions are no different.
Our guest on this episode is Micah Wilkinson, principal trumpet with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. Micah has been on both sides of the audition table and understands the nuances that can make or break a performance.
Our hope is that by the end of this episode, you’ll feel more confident and equipped to tackle your next big opportunity with ease. Let’s turn those audition fears into triumphs!
Episode Highlights:
-Micah shares his musical background in the Atlanta area...02:25
-"You have what it takes to be a principal player"; a mentor spurs on a promising career...06:06
-Micah's personal experience with auditions (what worked, what didn't)...12:05
-Success in certain roles requires a certain amount of "healthy arrogance"...17:25
-Focus on the music vs. YOU and no one hardly notices the mistakes...23:19
-How do you play "consistently"; and what does "consistency" even mean?...28:35
-How a giant whiteboard and recording device can help you track progress on audition prep...32:00
-"There's no doubt in my mind the person who won [the recent PSO audition] was more prepared than anyone else"...35:00
-View articulation more as properly expressing the language of the music vs. tonguing or fingering with a certain technique...43:00
-Plus whatever your discerning ears deem worthy of your time and interest...
Episode Sponsor:
MF Lip Grip
About the Guest:
Micah Wilkinson has enjoyed a varied career as an orchestral musician, soloist, chamber artist, and teacher. He was appointed Principal Trumpet of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra by Music Director Manfred Honeck in September 2017. Wilkinson came to the Pittsburgh Symphony from the San Diego Symphony, where he served as Principal Trumpet for three years. He previously held positions with the Houston Symphony, the San Francisco Symphony, the Oregon Symphony, and the Tucson Symphony. He recently performed in subscription programs as Guest Principal Trumpet with the New York Philharmonic, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, St. Louis Symphony, and the Seoul Philharmonic. In the summers, he performs as Principal Trumpet of the Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra.
As an educator, he strives to help the next generation of brass players to find their own unique voices as musical artists. He is quickly becoming one of the most sought-after instructors for trumpet in the United States and enjoys working privately with students at his home studio in Pittsburgh and online through virtual platforms. He is currently on the faculty at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh and at the Chautauqua Institution School of Music. He has also taught at the Aspen Music Festival, Eastman Summer Music Institute, Round Top Festival Hill Institute, and the Brevard Music Center. He previously served on the faculties of the University of Houston and Portland State University, and has presented master classes and clinics for colleges and universities all over the United States, as well as Europe and Asia.
Wilkinson grew up in Norcross, Georgia. A...

We welcome to the podcast Marcus Reynolds, who with his Stratos Brass device has provided a beacon of hope for the thousands of brass players across the globe who struggle with embouchure issues.
Like many great triumphs in life, Marcus' journey to becoming a tireless promoter of safer and healthier brass playing began with a tragedy. A major lip injury completely derailed Marcus' successful playing career. In an instant his sole source of income and personal identity was gone.
In this episode, Marcus shares in-depth the painful - both physical and psychological - road to recovery, and how a mysterious "nocturnal hieroglyphic" ultimately became the inspiration for a device that is changing lives for the better. Indeed it is no exaggeration to say that Marcus' tireless efforts have even extended playing careers that once appeared to have reached their end.
Enjoy the episode!
Episode highlights:
-Belief in the mission compels a tireless promotion of the solution for the problem...01:55
-A catastrophic lip injury set Marcus through the extreme depths and heights of human emotion...03:50
-The psychological damage was just as profound as the physical...09:35
-A "nocturnal hieroglyphic" circa 2008 is ultimately the genesis of the Stratos Brass device....11:05
-You become a self-psychologist when your identity is taken away from you...18:10
-Clarifying the "upstream" and "downstream" of air flow...24:40
-Success stories from high-profile musicians who've worked with Marcus and his invention...27:30
-The basic physiology of what's going on with your body when you use the Stratos device...33:00
-How Marcus' personality and self-perception has changed after becoming a quasi-celebrity in the brass world...45:05
-"It's very possible that you've had a greater impact in light of that accident than you ever would have had you stayed perfectly healthy"... 54:50
-Plus whatever your discerning ears deem worthy of your time and interest...
Resources mentioned:Stratos BrassBrass Mastery podcast w/ Larry Meregillano
About the Guest:"
I am a brass instrument tutor of over 40 years experience in both the private and local government sectors. As well as general brass teaching, I also specialise in embouchure development and rescue for brass players. Building on my experience as a teacher and professional musician I am also the creator of the unique STRATOS Embouchure System. I am also an author of ‘Range without Resistance’. Stratos Encore Pro is an adaptable and adjustable embouchure system that can be fitted to virtually all brass instruments to help players adapt and improve their embouchure. I have also written a series of articles on the brass embouchure which have been published in Brass Band World, Brass Herald and British Trombone Society Magazine.
As a professional musician I have over 30 years experience of recording music and performing live, both as a lead trombonist and a solo artist. I also have many years experience in the role of musical director for several big bands and brass ensembles. I currently play a Rath R12 trombone which I co-developed with Michael Rath Trombones."
Body + Mind + Spirit = Mastery. Now available is a collection of excerpts from some of the most popular episodes of the Trumpet Dynamics podcast featuring the likes of Chris Coletti, Sergei Nakariakov, Manny Laureano, and more.
It's a FREE download available right now on brassmastery.com!
Mentioned in this...

Malcolm McNab is quite possibly the greatest trumpeter in the world that you've never heard of. I recall a friend of mine back in 2008-09 timeframe putting in Malcolm's CD Exquisite, and being unable to believe what I was hearing. The range, the accuracy, the musicality.
My friend said something along the lines of, "This is the guy who played the lead part on Jurassic Park."
"Oh," was my reply.
Why is it I've never heard of this guy?!
One of this life's great injustices is that the musicians on those movies we've grown up with do not get proper credit for their work. The music makes or breaks the movie. Any director or producer will tell you that.
The Hollywood scene is not one with which I have any familiarity, so I'll keep further judgment to myself. But suffice it to say I'm grateful to be able to share some of Malcolm's thoughts with y'all listening into the podcast.
We began talking about the great Raphael Mendez, including an incredible story from his childhood that very well could have contributed to him being such a kind and generous person on and off the stage.
And talking with a great master of his craft, the conversation naturally drifted into pedagogy, as well as some cool stories of Malcolm's interactions with some of the elite Hollywood directors and producers, including Steven Spielberg making a cameo appearance playing clarinet on Jaws.
Yes, it's that kind of episode.
Enjoy!
BTW, I have an extremely limited number of Malcolm's CD's available FOR FREE. Yes, no cost. Malcolm had some of his CD's with him at the conference, and he told me to just give them out to people.
So tune in to the very end of the episode to learn how you can get a copy of one of Malcolm's CD's for free (if you can pay for shipping, it's appreciated but not required.)
Episode highlights:
-The incredible story of Raphael Mendez being conscripted into Pancho Villa's army as a child...04:20
-Raphael's firing from a studio gig became the catalyst for his great solo career...08:30
-Raphael's story as told in an opera has sadly been lost to posterity...13:36
-How Malcolm continues his legacy by passing on his knowledge to others with lessons and camps...21:22
-Looking for the "sweet spot" with the tone and pitch...28:52
-If you can master the physical side of playing, it naturally has a positive effect on your mental and spiritual wellbeing...32:30
-Breaking into the Hollywood music scene and making connections with some of the great filmmakers...45:51
-The future of "Camp McNab" in wake of the pandemic's devastating effects...57:38
-Suffering in life comes full circle years later...1:05:48
-Plus whatever your discerning ears deem worthy of your time and interest...
Body + Mind + Spirit = Mastery. Now available is a collection of excerpts from some of the most popular episodes of the Trumpet Dynamics podcast featuring the likes of Chris Coletti, Sergei Nakariakov, Manny Laureano, and more.
It's a FREE download available right now on brassmastery.com!
About the Guest:
Malcolm Boyd McNab was born in Cleveland, Ohio on March 25th 1943. That summer, his family moved out to California where he was raised in the San Gabriel Valley. He began studying the trumpet at the age of nine, with his father Boyd McNab as his first teacher. Later, he studied with Pasadena trumpet teacher Walter Laursen, and performed with the Pasadena Symphony at the age of fourteen while still a student at Mark Keppel High School in Alhambra.
In 1958 at the age of 15, Malcolm began playing with the Young Musicians Foundation Debut Orchestra under conductors Dr. Miklos Rosza, Lawrence Foster, Gerhard Samuel and Henry Lewis. He soon became...

Body + Mind + Spirit = Mastery. Now available is a collection of excerpts from some of the most popular episodes of the Trumpet Dynamics podcast featuring the likes of Chris Coletti, Sergei Nakariakov, Manny Laureano, and more.
It's a FREE download available right now on brassmastery.com!
Mentioned in this episode:
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Look us up on the web at brassmastery.com, and connect with us on Instagram! The handle is @brassmastery.

Body + Mind + Spirit = Mastery. Now available is a collection of excerpts from some of the most popular episodes of the Trumpet Dynamics podcast featuring the likes of Chris Coletti, Sergei Nakariakov, Manny Laureano, and more.
It's a FREE download available right now on brassmastery.com!
brassmastery.com/bergman
When I first approached Jason Bergman about appearing on the Brass Mastery™ podcast, the first thing I asked him was, "What do you want to talk about?"
It's always best to play to the strengths of your guests when one is doing a creative endeavor such as this.
Jason replied he'd like to delve into the realm of self-care as it pertains to teaching brass instrumentalists.
As professor of trumpet at the prestigious Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University, Jason has learned a thing or two on this topic (or one would assume), so I agreed to discuss this on the show, eager to hear what he has to say on the topic.
The thing we ended up talking about the most is how shame affects our self-perception as musicians, hindering our musical output and progression - to the point some even get discouraged and leave music as a serious pursuit altogether.
What is the root cause of this shame and deleterious effects it has on us?
Jason opens up on some of his own setbacks as a performer and teacher, and shares some of the innovative teaching techniques he employs at IU to confront the many barriers we put up that inhibit our progress as musicians and play to the best of our ability.
Episode highlights:
-Brief rundown of Jason's academic career...03:00
-Giving credit to impactful figures who don't seek the spotlight...05:15
-One seemingly insignificant thing we say today may make a massive impact in the future...07:45
-Jason's founding origins on trumpet and music...11:20
-The students became the mentor...17:35
-Self-awareness, and the need to care for one's self in order to best help those charged to our care...22:50
-An examination of shame and how it affects our mindset and overall wellbeing as musicians...29:00
-We get ourselves tied up in knots when we're thinking about the notes vs. the musical product...36:00
-When you're "okay with being unokay" the mistakes magically dissipate...38:40
-"A rising tide lifts all ships" i.e. when one succeeds, all succeed...41:40
-Meat therapy, and how Jason decompresses during down time...46:10
Resources mentioned:
Brene Brown videos
About the Guest:
American trumpeter Jason Bergman was appointed Associate Professor of Music in Trumpet at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music in 2022. 
He has performed throughout the United States, South America, Europe, and China. In 2008, Bergman was named Associate Principal Trumpet of the Santiago Philharmonic in Chile and more recently has been Principal Trumpet of the Mobile Symphony Orchestra and Mobile Opera. He has also performed with the Utah Symphony, Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra, Dallas Symphony, Dallas Opera, Fort Worth Symphony, and the Dallas Winds, including on their Grammy-nominated album featuring the music of John Williams. Additionally, Bergman has performed in concert with the Canadian Brass, Rhythm & Brass and with conductor David Robertson at Carnegie Hall as part of the Weill Music Institute. He also performed as a fellow at the Music Academy of the West. 
Bergman has given recitals and master classes at numerous institutions worldwide and has performed and presented at the Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic, College Music Society, International Tuba and Euphonium...

Our esteemed guest, Jim Olcott, is someone whose work I've long admired. He's the retired professor of trumpet at Miami University of Ohio, the founder of Triplo Press, and the musical director of the Twin Cities Trumpet Ensemble. His extensive background in trumpet music promised an enriching conversation.
In this episode, we touched on several fascinating topics:
The Intersection of Music and Life: Jim provided his balanced and insightful views on how music should weave into our lives.Changing Perspectives with Age: We discussed how our viewpoints and priorities evolve as we grow older.The Essence of Performance: I was curious about Jim's thoughts on the purpose behind performing - whether it's to inspire, to enrich, or something else entirely.
For those interested in diving deeper into Jim's world, our show notes at trumpetdynamics.com/olcott, which contain links to some of his recent recordings.
Jim candidly admitted that he might not be at the peak of his playing abilities compared to his younger years. However, I assured you, dear listener, that his performance remains outstanding, reflecting the nuanced reality of aging in the arts.
This episode is a beautiful blend of personal stories, professional insights, and even some music for you listening pleasure at the very end. With my wife Sana adding adding a few of her thoughts in the middle, it's the perfect way to get your mind focused on making some great music!
This is more than just a podcast episode; it's a journey through the realms of trumpet music, teaching, and the art of living a life deeply intertwined with music.
A few highlights from this episode:
Twin Cities' Musical Opportunities: The episode begins with a discussion at 05:00 about the benefits of moving to the Twin Cities, highlighting the abundant playing opportunities and the community's generous spirit in music.Passion for Playing and Teaching: At 09:50, there's a reflection on the joy of playing, teaching, and the aspiration to inspire others, as well as the importance of camaraderie among musicians.Age and Its Effects on Musicians: At 15:00, the conversation turns to how aging inevitably affects musicians differently, impacting their physical abilities.The Orchestra as an Instrument: A unique perspective is shared at 16:45, where the orchestra is described as an instrument in itself, offering a collective musical experience.Visualizing Music: At 19:45, the technique of visualizing dramatic scenes to enhance musical performance is discussed.Inspiring vs. Enriching Audiences: Ronald Romm's teachings on the profound difference between inspiring and enriching audiences are explored at 22:15.Self-Concept in Musicians: A deep dive into the complex nature of self-concept among musicians occurs at 28:40, emphasizing how it's shaped by perceptions rather than reality.Maurice Andre's Lessons on Trumpet Playing: At 34:35, lessons from Maurice Andre highlight the distinction between impressive and elegant trumpet playing.Triplo Press's Founding and Publication Process: The founding of Triplo Press and the criteria for vetting new pieces for publication are discussed at 39:30.The Book of Life: At 47:45, there's a philosophical exploration of the four essential actions to be included in the 'Book of Life.'Learning from William Vacchiano:...