Liz Plays the Trumpet

As many of my friends know, I took a 6 week job as a substitute music teacher in April and May. Whereas I had been a general music teacher in elementary school during my working life, this job was for half time instrumental music and half time general music. I had never taught instrumental music, but I knew that I could fake it well, because I have a little knowledge about winds and brass.

One day, my little trumpet students were having a problem blowing their instruments. After they left the room, I picked up a spare trumpet and blew into it to see if I could teach them better next time. I found out I could still remember how to play it a little, though badly!! I would need a LOT more practice. But, anyway, the next day I brought my video camera to school and my colleague taped it. I started laughing when I missed notes and then I could hardly play at all!






When I was in college, Class Trumpet was required for all music education majors. I also had Class Clarinet and Class Percussion. Since I graduated in 1963, it had been quite some time since I had tried to play, although I may have picked up a brass instrument several times in the intervening years because those instruments were around in the schools.

As for playing a trumpet, all you have to know is the fingering for each note. Then you have to imagine the sound of the note. If it's a higher note, you must press your lips closer together. For lower notes, you let your lips become looser. Before you play at all, you must know how to "buzz" your lips. That means you press your lips together very tightly, and force the air through your lips, making them vibrate. You should be able to make a kind of a note with just your lips. It really helps to be familiar with overtones of notes. For example, the lowest note is the fundamental note, next is an octave, next a fifth above that, next is two octaves above the fundamental, next a third above that. All brass instruments are played this way. With the trombone, instead of valves and keys you have to know the position of the slide for each note.

I really enjoyed my instrumental music students. They were all nice and they were motivated to learn. Also, I could use my abilities and skills. For example, since I can read a musical score, with many parts in the notation, this helped me when I worked with the ensemble groups that had 4 or more parts and with the band, which had many more parts. I rehearsed the band only two or three times, however. It was ironic that string instruments were not part of my assignment, since I can play the violin. Another teacher came to the school for the string students.

I enjoyed the students and all my general music classes at the school. It was a particular pleasure to prepare the fifth graders for their big performance for their "graduation". I accompanied them as they sang three pop songs. The teachers and students at the school were all so friendly and welcoming! But, I was happy to end my working, finally, and return to my leisure at home!