by Marty Schlenker
Dear Fellow Ambitious Amateurs,
We begin column #4 with an introduction to Richard Davis of Franklin, TN. He originally contacted me so that I could put him in touch with Marilyn Bone Kloss to receive Cornucopia, then graciously agreed to be profiled here. Elements of his journey as an amateur are similar to my own and can serve as inspiration to anyone.
Richard grew up in Mason City, Iowa, USA, hometown of Meredith Willson of The Music Man fame. His father was the band director in town, and that set Richard on a course toward a music degree until he encountered 18th century counterpoint and changed majors. Nevertheless, his dedication to horn continued.
Richard is well into retirement but practices at least an hour each day. He notes, “People begin to lose muscle mass in their 50s, but you never need to lose much at all if you keep using it. You don’t need to stop challenging yourself.” He believes practicing is good and necessary, but also that one must play with a group. It’s a way to exercise the “performance gene,” challenge oneself on repertoire, and manage sound.
Richard is a member of the Brass Band of Nashville (https://brassbandofnashville.org/) and the Franklin Brass Quintet whose members all come from the Brass Band. He observes, “As we age, we can become generationally isolated. Music is a way around that.” He enjoys working with younger players. The youngest member of his quintet is 29.
Like me, Richard resumed lessons in middle age, with Dr. Jeff Snedeker of Central Washington University. Richard felt he needed to mix things up after doing too much of the same thing, and embarked on a study of jazz horn. He met his match in studying improvisation, gaining the appreciation that it is every bit as challenging as older forms of composition.
I’ll be happy to be going as strong on horn as Richard when I reach his age, and happy if the lessons I recently embarked on bear as much fruit as they have for Richard.
Now a quick note on my lesson saga. Last month, I mentioned the advice I got to quit tonguing so hard. I still don’t feel like I am at habit-strength with my new tongue position (farther back, more vertical), but it’s definitely heading me in the right direction.
I wrote last month that the new tongue position changed the shape of my oral cavity. The most obvious effect of this has been an improvement in my upper register. Within a couple of weeks of settling my tongue in on the first ridge of my palate, B-flat and C were coming out with the ease (a relative term, of course) that I used to experience for G and A. Hooray! At all dynamic levels? No, not yet. Whenever I might want them? Also no. But there’s hope!
Next month, I hope to have another profile for you of an ambitious amateur, plus the next bits of direction that I’ve received in my lessons, one of which has had immediate, unmitigated positive impact, and one of which has put me squarely in “get worse to get better” territory.
Ambitious amateurs, get in touch and share your stories. This column will be much more with your contributions.
Until next month,
Marty Schlenker, Amateur Hornist
