Trumpet
The wind faculty seeks to train students to become all-round musicians capable of functioning in all areas of the professional practice: from musical orchestras to big bands through to jazz, fusion, pop and Latin ensembles, both live and recorded. Students gain experience in a variety of musical situations, with ensemble playing, solo performance and improvisation as focal points. Separate courses are offered for lead trumpet and lead alto, these are unique in Europe.
Teachers
Erik Veldkamp coordinator, lead trumpet; technique
Robbert Scherpenisse coordinator, methodology
Ruud Breuls
Jarmo Hoogendijk
Jan Wessels
Terell Stafford Artist in Residence
Alex Sipiagin Artist in Residence
Jacco Groenendijk technique
The teaching staff of the trumpet section consists of Ruud Breuls, Jan Wessels, Jarmo Hoogendijk (principal subject), Erik Veldkamp en Jacco Groenendijk (technique) en Robbert Scherpenisse (methodology). Terell Stafford and Alex Sipiagin are regular guest teachers/Artists in Residence. Bobby Shew, Ambrose Akinmusire, and Avishai Cohen were guest teachers in the past years.
Coordinators: Erik Veldkamp, Robbert Scherpenisse
Admission
Admission requirements
A pre-selection will take place for the entrance exam by means of recordings of two pieces from the jazz idiom and one piece of the candidate's choice, to be uploaded by the candidate in the application form. If the candidate's level of playing does not match the requirements, he/she will not be invited to take the entrance exam.
During the entrance examination, the candidate is tested on:
1. Playing skill
The committee will choose from three pieces from the standard jazz repertoire (theme and improvisation) of different character, tempo and key, prepared by the candidate, in which he/she shows the committee both command of the instrument and a reasonable rhythmic, harmonic and melodic understanding. In playing these pieces improvisation must be an important factor. For candidates who give priority to playing in an orchestra there are also possibilities. In this case improvisatorial skills are less important.
b. The candidate must also play written material, e.g. jazz solos, jazz etudes and/or classical etudes (bring four copies of sheet music for the examination committee).
c. Being able to play:
- all major and minor scales
- all major and minor triads and dominant seventh chords
2. Hearing, tempo/timing and reading skills
This may consist of:
- repeating by ear a sung or played line
- filling in (playing solo) of a harmonic progression of given chord symbols
- playing of a written melody a prima vista
The committee supplements the examination with some exercises which must show the candidate's skills which have not been sufficiently disclosed up till then.
3. Assessment
The possibilities to follow a principal subject study will be discussed by the committee. Important issues for the assessment are:
- musicality, hearing and melodic understanding
- feeling for rhythm and tempo
- affinity with jazz or derived forms is supposed to be present
- harmonic understanding, reading chords
- technique and tone quality
- sight reading
Preselection
The candidate must submit via the application form three links (YouTube, Soundlink etc). to audio or video recordings of their performances. On the basis of these materials, the committee will assess the candidate's level. If the candidate's level meets the requirements for the master's degree programme, the candidate may be invited to do a practical audition. In this audition, the candidate will play three songs, including:
- one original composition
- one jazz standard
Originality and a high level of improvising are required.
Candidates may bring their own accompaniment. It is also possible to make use of a conservatory trio; if you wish to do so, please state this on the application form.