Hello Trumpet Warmup community!
We have an exciting and insightful interview to share with you today! Alex Freund—trumpet player from the M5 Mexican Brass, The Atlanta Opera, and Professor of Trumpet at Georgia State University—answered some questions for us about his journey as a musician.
One of the most valuable things we can do as aspiring trumpet players is listen to the journeys and experiences of successful musicians like Alex. His trumpet playing has taken him all over the world, and his students can be found in the U.S., Europe, Latin America, and Asia.
Let’s get into it! Check out the end of the article for some recordings too!
Interview with Alex
Q: Where are you from and when did you start to play the trumpet? Who are some of your teachers?
A: I am from East Germany—specifically the town of Weimar. I started playing trumpet when I was twelve years old. Music was very celebrated in my house as my father was a pianist and my mother was an opera singer. The town of Weimar—as well as the culture in Germany—greatly valued the German tradition of classical music, so I was immersed in it from a very young age.
My trumpet teachers include Bettina Fabiunke, Hans Liebmann, Rainer Auerbach, Robert Platt, Konradin Groth, Peter Leiner, and Richard Stoelzel.
Q: What style of music do you typically play? Also, which groups have you played with and currently play with?
A: Coming from Weimar and the immersion in classical music, most of my career has been spent in that tradition—including with the Opera Bremen, as a guest with the Staatskapelle Berlin, the WDR Symphony Orchestra Cologne, and as a soloist at Deutsches Theater Berlin. I also spent time in orchestras located in Mexico—in Monterrey, Morelia, Guadalajara, and Xalapa. While studying at McGill University in Montreal—after performing for many years in Mexico, Europe, and the U.S.—I also got to explore soloistic music. This eventually led to me exploring solo tours in Colombia and Mexico.
During my time in Mexico, the M5 Mexican Brass formed, and we still perform regularly. In addition to touring with M5, I also play second trumpet with the Atlanta Opera.
Q: Speaking of M5, I see you all just got back from a European tour—how was that?
A: It was absolutely beautiful—we [M5] won a large grant that allowed us to tour Austria, Poland, and Germany. While on tour, we performed in many gorgeous concert halls and baroque churches. The audiences responded well to the music, and the environments were rich with history. One unforgettable event that happened on tour is that we played at a private event for the former principal trumpet of the Berlin Philharmonic, who is also one of the founders of the German Brass. Everyone was so welcoming, and we were grateful to travel and perform again after two years with little opportunity to perform on account of covid.
Q: You are also a Professor—where/what do you teach?
A: I have been a trumpet professor at Georgia State University in Atlanta, GA since 2018. Previously, I held a teaching position at the Conservatorio de Las Rosas in Morelia, Mexico—the oldest conservatory in the Americas. At GSU, I teach the trumpet studio, coach chamber music ensembles, and lead a meditation seminar that is specially tooled for musicians. I believe that all musicians can gain so much from the practice of meditation—it has become a very important aspect of my musical approach, as well as my approach to life. I highly recommend everyone investigate what it has to offer them—especially musicians.
Q: Tell us a little about your thoughts on trumpet/music—what is your teaching philosophy?
A: As a teacher—the first task is to find students with passions for music, potential, and excellent work ethics. Then, it is the role of the teacher to provide the student with musical approaches and tools. After the student is introduced to the musical concepts and approaches, the teacher can facilitate helping the student learn—ultimately—to teach themselves. This element is extremely important, as the student must be able to practice and develop on their own outside of their trumpet lessons and school. They must be able to use the tools and approaches at their disposal to continue the life-long journey that is music.
In my studio, I teach trumpet to many different kinds of music students—music performance majors, music education majors, music technology/production majors, etc. I give each student the same tools and treat them all as serious musicians. No matter their field, I believe their success depends upon their musicianship—which I teach them through the trumpet. In the end, it’s all about making music with passion and integrity.
Q: What are some of your tips regarding warming up and practicing the trumpet?
A: I advise that each student needs to develop a set of exercises as a ritual—or routine—that works for them as individuals. It is through the intentional repetition of these exercises that the student will develop consistency on the trumpet, allowing them to make more music. I also believe that it is important for the student to understand why the exercises work for them and what exactly they do. Listening to excellent music is also an essential part of this process.
As far as warming up, I think of 5 things:
- Free and healthy breathing. I would begin with some breathing exercises and also incorporate intentional breathing while resting between exercises. The breath must be automatic and flowing.
- Bring focus to the aperture through the use of glissando. This idea comes from the Buzzing Basics book by Jim Thompson—but it can also be added to many other exercises (Stamp, Schlossberg, etc.) If our embouchure and aperture are both set up efficiently—then flexibility, range, articulation, and the sound will be consistent.
- Lower lip—make sure the lower lip and corners are supporting the embouchure. Check in with this through lip bends. Another way to better engage the lower lip is to hold your hand at arm's-length in front of you at face level (make sure the hand is facing up), then blow air to the top of the fingers.
- Air speed—we need to be able to accelerate the air. Higher notes need faster air that is supported from the abdominal muscles. The speed of the air and increase in range is also related to compression and tongue position. Check in with this with slurs that expand throughout the register of the instrument.
- Connection—incorporate articulation but always remember that there is connection. All the notes, regardless of how short, need to flow on the breath. Use flow studies, Stamps, or Arban single tongue to check in with this skill.
Q: Do you have any general advice for young musicians today?
A: Listen to good music! Search for the best and most inspiring performances of the music you love. When you find it, listen—listen deeply to every nuance. Dive into it and see what it has to offer you!
Also, please take care of yourselves. Mental health is paramount and should be held with more importance within our education systems. Investigate ways to stay healthy on the trumpet and within yourself.
Recordings: Check them out!
- M5—Escape, Kevin McKee
- Alex Freund, Alejandra Sandoval, and Kyung Mi Kim—“Con Voce Festiva”
- Alex Freund—Hummel Trumpet Concerto Mov. 1
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