How Musicians “Make Rain” (even on cloudless days) with Phil Snedecor

Phil Snedecor is the author of Making Rain and Other Adventures on the Trumpet, a highly personable and oftentimes entertaining glimpse into the career of a musician who’s “done it right”. Of course, there have been some pitfalls and mistakes along the way, and Phil doesn’t pull any punches about those. But at the end of the day, the short book delivers a ton of value and sage advice for anyone who is looking to “make rain”, be it as a musician or in any field.

I’ve featured Phil several times on my Trumpet Dynamics podcast, and now I’m thrilled to be able to share this brand new interview with you!

In this interview with Phil Snedecor, you’ll discover:

-What is a “rainmaker” pertaining to musicians?…03:35

-How Phil cut his teeth as a rainmaker by founding the Washington Symphonic Brass…06:10

-You won’t have a great connection with your audience unless you have a connection among the personnel…11:00

-Phil explains the mantra, “The only gig you own, is the gig you own”…16:20

-“Mental choreography” and tips on succeeding in high-stress performance situations…21:10

-Finish what you start, even when everyone around you thinks you’re nuts to do so!…25:30

-And much more!

• Resources mentioned:Hart School Trumpet StudioPhil’s websiteWashington Symphonic BrassAll-American Moving CompanyMaking Rain
• Hard copy
• Apple Books

About the guest:

Phil Snedecor attended the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York, where he received the prestigious Performers Certificate and was a member of the premiere brass quintet, the Canterbury Brass. While earning his degrees in trumpet performance and literature, he also studied arranging and composition with Professor Rayburn Wright, formerly arranger for Radio City Music Hall. Mr. Snedecor is a former member of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and has held one-year positions with the National Symphony, the Kennedy Center Opera House Orchestra and the Baltimore Opera. Mr. Snedecor has performed and toured throughout the United States, Europe and Asia, and has appeared as guest principal trumpet with the St. Petersburg (Russia) “Tschaikowski” Orchestra, joining them on their 2012 US Tour. Recently Mr. Snedecor has been in demand as a guest principal with the Pittsburgh Ballet Orchestra and the Louisville Orchestra, and as guest trumpeter for the Boston Pops and Boston Symphony, both at Symphony Hall in Boston and at Tanglewood in Lenox, MA.

As a show player, he has performed in the touring productions of Guys & Dolls, Phantom of the Opera, Beauty and the Beast, Peter Pan, Evita and West Side Story. He has recorded under the RCA, CBS, Gothic, Koss, and Summit labels. Phil’s solo CDs, The Lyrical Trumpet I and II are also available on the Summit Label.

In 1993 Mr. Snedecor and National Symphony Principal Trombonist Milton Stevens co- founded The Washington Symphonic Brass, a 17-piece professional brass ensemble. They perform regularly for the Washington National Cathedral, St. Matthew’s Cathedral, the Basilica at the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, and with the Washington Choral Arts Society at the Kennedy Center. They were the official instrumental ensemble for the Papals visit of 2008 and 2015 in Washington DC and are heard regularly in their own concert series in DC, Maryland and Virginia. Their critically acclaimed CDs are available on the Summit and Warner Classics labels. Phil’s innovative programming and arranging for the WSB has led to several guest conductor appearances, including the Hawaii Symphony Orchestra, the River City Brass Band (Pittsburgh) and the Breckenridge (CO) Brass.

In 2012, Mr. Snedecor founded the DC Pops Orchestra, a 30-piece ensemble featuring some of the best Jazz and crossover artists in the region. This group has provided music for the elite of Washington in prestigious venues such at the National Building Museum and Mellon Auditorium.

Mr. Snedecor is the Associate Professor of Trumpet at the Hartt School of Music (University of Hartford) in Hartford Connecticut, and a former faculty member at George Mason University, The Peabody Institute (Johns Hopkins University) and Towson University. Phil is well known by trumpetsers and tuba players alike for has series of brass etude books that are required repertoire at many colleges and conservatories. His arrangements and compositions have been performed throughout the United States, Europe, Asia and Australia. Please visit his websites (www.wsbrass.com,www.philsnedecor.com and www.pasmusic.com) for more information.