In this episode, Paul Merkelo, principal trumpet of the Montreal Symphony Orchestra, discusses his involvement in premiering Wynton Marsalis’ new trumpet concerto. Paul talks about the inception of the project,…
Recorded at the 2024 ITG conference in Anaheim, Greg Spence and Julie Baxes discuss their experiences with focal dystonia, a neurological condition that affects musicians. Julie shares her “near-recovery” journey…
From his early days attempting to join a symphony orchestra to his serendipitous entry into instrument modification, to the present day of crafting high-quality, customized instruments tailor-made to the individual’s…
In this episode, we speak with Jason Harrelson, founder of Harrelson Trumpets, about his controversial yet innovative approach to trumpet making, focusing on personalization and client-specific designs. Jason shares his…
In this episode, host James interviews Nikolay Ilyev, a trumpet player and entrepreneur from Vidin, Bulgaria, who operates Iliev Brass Music. Nikolay shares his musical journey beginning in the sixth…
In this episode, James shares his personal experiences with buying and selling trumpets, including the emotional connection one forms with an instrument. He recounts the story of parting with his…
**Matt is not a sponsor of the podcast. We simply want to use this platform to highlight people who are doing cool things to improve our lives.** In this engaging…
**This interview was recorded in 2021 while host James Newcomb resided in Vietnam.** The great Sergei Nakariakov discusses his early interest in the trumpet, inspired by Timofei Dokshitzer’s recordings. Sergei…
**This is a replay of an interview recorded in the summer of 2021.** In this episode, James interviews Chris Gekker, prolific publisher of method books, professor of trumpet at the…
In this special in-person episode, host James Newcomb sits down with Manny Laureano, principal trumpeter with the Minnesota Orchestra. They dive deep into Manny’s musical journey – from his early…