Prospective Students

Thank you for your interest in the trumpet studios at the Crane School of Music. This page is intended to help answer questions you might have about trumpet study at Crane.

How many trumpet majors are there at Crane?

There are about 30 trumpet majors on campus each semester.

How many trumpets are accepted each year at Crane?

Approximately 7-9, depending on the size of the studios at the time.

How many are Music Education Majors?

Approximately 80% are music education majors, with the rest being performance, business and musical studies majors. There is no discrimination among the majors, so music education students have the same performing opportunities as performance majors.

Can we choose who we study with?

If you have a preference, we will try to honor that. Otherwise, we try to divide the studios evenly.

Is it OK if I don’t have a C trumpet?

Yes, it is. The trumpet studios share approximately 35 professional-line instruments ranging from trumpets in C, E-flat, piccolo trumpets, rotary valve trumpets, flugelhorns, and cornets.

How long are private lessons?

We teach 1 hour lessons to all students. In addition, each studio meets once a week in a special session that is used for peer performances and other special purposes.

Is it advantageous to audition on-campus or off-campus?

There is no advantage to auditioning on-campus. Off campus auditions are given by one of our brass faculty, videotaped, and reviewed by the trumpet faculty. It is to your advantage, though, to visit our facility and meet the trumpet faculty before making your decision.

What should I prepare for the audition?

Candidates should prepare contrasting movements from the following works, or works of similar difficulty:

Corelli, Sonata No. VIII; Balay, Prelude et Ballade; Albonini, Sonata in C; Handel, Sonata for Trumpet; Kennan, Sonata; Hartley, Sonatina; Hummel, Concerto; Haydn, Concerto; Hindemith, Sonata. There is no scale requirement, but there will be some sight reading.

What equipment do you use?

I play a Yamaha Custom Bergeron Model Bb, Lawler Bb, Bach C with a Blackburn leadpipe and tuning slide, Blackburn E-flat, Bach D, Schilke P5-4 piccolo, Bach cornet, Yamaha flugelhorn and a Ganter rotary trumpet. I use a Bach 1c 23/24 with a mouthpiece with a Delrin© rim custom bult by Schilke for most of my quintet and orchestra work.

If you have any other questions, please do not hesitate to contact myself or Dr. Madeja.