How old is the Trumpet?
According to researchers and historians,
the trumpet is more than 3,500 years old
Culture - When you play trumpet, you are part of an ancient lineage
Born in New Orleans in 1961, Wynton Marsalis began his classical training on trumpet at age 12, entered Juilliard at age 17, and then joined Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers.
As a virtuoso trumpet player, composer, and educator, he has brought jazz to a wider audience and inspired music lovers to embrace America’s quintessential sound.
He is the only artist in any genre to have won GRAMMY Awards in five consecutive years (1983 – 1987) and the first jazz artist to be awarded the Pulitzer Prize in music.
In the year 2023, there are many experts who consider Wynton Marsalis the greatest living trumpet player.
Goals / Actions
- Goal - Get to know the history of the trumpet - Understand the trumpet has an ancient lineage, and you are now part of that lineage.
- Goal - Honor the Lineage - When you play the trumpet, you are not alone. Rather you are standing on the shoulders of all the masters who came before you. Always remember to honor and respect the lineage, the masters, and the gifts they brought to the world through music.
- Action - Watch the Video, and notice early instruments with no valves, where fingers are not needed. Also notice near the ending, an example of warming up with soft long tones.
Notes
- Ancient Instrument - The first known metal trumpets can be traced back to around 1500 BC
- Egypt - Silver and bronze trumpets were discovered in the grave of King Tut in Egypt
- China - other ancient versions of the instrument were found in China, South America, Scandinavia, and Asia