CHRIS IMHOFF
Trumpet
Teaching Philosophy
I have studied with many teachers, with many different ideas on how to play the trumpet. The approach that was common to all of them was, “What can I do to make you sound fantastic?” I was very fortunate to have the chance to study with Mr. William "Bill" Adam and have also studied with many of his students. I have found success in his ideas and believe them to be applicable to students of all levels. His concepts and philosophy are the foundation of how I teach. However, as each student is different, I have multiple approaches of addressing the needs my trumpet students.
Our optimal performance comes when our musicianship is supported by the skills required to execute it. We develop our fundamental skills and our musicianship together. As they grow, we reach new heights as players. Because of this approach, every exercise, etude, solo, and excerpt must be played with intense musical thought and conviction. When the technique is lacking to achieve this, we can acknowledge our shortcomings and develop a plan to make those areas stronger. Everything on the trumpet can be taught, if we are willing to be honest with ourselves, open to instruction, and willing to do the work.
Key points to my approach:
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Sound - If you cannot produce a beautiful sound, nothing else matters. Having all the technique in the world, a superior high range, or lightning quick articulation cannot cover a poor, thin sound. We are required to give the listener a full, rich sound to and enjoy!
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Fundamentals - The faster we try to hurry our playing the more we get in our own way. A daily reminder of simple fundamentals will keep your playing rooted and set you up for success. This includes scales, arpeggios, lip slurs, flow studies, and pronunciation exercises all done with a fantastic sound. These are the skills and building blocks of successful playing. If you have really great musical ideas but can't get them to your audience, you're only half way there and need to develop your fundamental skills.
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Music - This is the reason why we do fundamentals to make the music making easier. Every student will constantly be working on a solo, etude, or transcription to develop their musical instincts. If you have all the technique, but no story or meaning behind it, you've only got half the picture. Make a statement with your playing and have fun playing music!
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Listening - Each student will be responsible for listening to great musicians: trumpeters, vocalists, violinists, cellists, anyone. The point is to build an aural library, get the sound, style, and musical conviction in your mind. With resources like Youtube, Spotify, and Apple Music, there is so much music available right at your fingertips. Be discerning in your listening, but envelop yourself great musicianship!