October 6, 2005
UW hosts international trumpet competition
The UW will host the Carmine Caruso International Jazz Trumpet Solo Competition on Saturday, Oct. 15. Named after one of the world’s greatest trumpet teachers and sponsored by the International Trumpet Guild in cooperation with the Herb Alpert Foundation, the competition draws the finest young jazz trumpet players from around the world to compete for a first prize of $10,000 and a second prize of $5,000. The Seattle audience will have a chance to hear the five finalists at several public events during the competition.
The competition began in 1993, and is held every two years at a major U.S. university. “The competition chair, Leonard Candelaria, approached me in 2003 about hosting this event at the UW,” said Vern Sielert, assistant professor of jazz studies at the UW School of Music and a trumpeter himself. “I thought it was a great opportunity for the School of Music, our students, and the Seattle community.
Sielert said there were 54 entries from all areas of the United States and from Canada, Europe, and Australia. Participants were required to submit a recording of four pieces, three of which had to be chosen from a list of jazz styles. The fourth piece had to be their interpretation of the jazz standard “Stablemates,” by Benny Golson.
“This is a difficult tune with many shifting key centers — a challenge to improvise over,” Sielert said.
The recordings were screened by Seattle jazz trumpeters Jay Thomas, Brad Allison, and the UW’s own Allen Vizzutti, who had the difficult task of narrowing the outstanding group to five finalists.
Each finalist will rehearse for 90 minutes on October 14 with the competition rhythm section (Marc Seales, Doug Miller and John Bishop). At the competition, the finalists are required to perform three of the four compositions they submitted on their recording. The fourth piece will be given to them at their rehearsal. This will be a brand new piece, composed by Vern Sielert.
The following competition events – all on Saturday, Oct. 15 – are free and open to the public:
Master class by New York trumpeter Laurie Frink, 10 a.m., Brechemin Auditiorium, UW School of Music
Considered a foremost authority and teacher of the Carmine Caruso method, Frink attracts professional brass players from around the world to her teaching studio. She has toured throughout the world, playing trumpet with the big bands of Benny Goodman, Gerry Mulligan, Mel Lewis, Bob Mintzer, and Maria Schneider.
Competition, 1 p.m., Brechemin Auditiorium, UW School of Music
The competition judges are all internationally renowned jazz trumpeters — Ingrid Jensen, Scott Wendholdt, and Terell Stafford. The five finalists — Philip Dizack (New York, NY), Thomas Heflin (Knoxville, TN), Gregory Rivkin (South Orange, NJ), Michael Stever (Los Angeles, CA), and Ian Torres (Chicago, IL), will be backed by a rhythm section consisting of noted Seattle jazz musicians Marc Seales, piano; Doug Miller, bass; and John Bishop, drums.
Final concert, 7:30 p.m., 130 Kane
The concert features the competition winners, the guest judges, and the UW Studio Jazz Ensemble.
