A Terrific Trumpet Blog

Posted on by Elisa Koehler
Stan Curtis
Stan Curtis playing a Baroque slide trumpet. (Photo by Elisa Koehler)

It’s Thanksgiving Weekend and I’m thankful for a terrific new trumpet blog by my brilliant colleague, Stanley Curtis (www.trumpetjourney.com). In addition to serving as a trumpeter in the U.S. Navy Band in Washington, D.C., Stan is gifted performer on both the natural trumpet and the cornetto as well as the modern Baroque trumpet with vent holes and any other member of the trumpet family, old or new. He has even performed the Haydn Trumpet Concerto on keyed trumpet. He earned a doctorate from Indiana University and was a prizewinner in the First Altenburg Baroque Trumpet Competition in 1995 in Bad Säckingen, Germany.

Stan’s blog is a reflection of his unique combination of musicianship and scholarship as well as his never-ending pursuit of excellence. It includes a comprehensive Trumpet History Timeline (complete with photos and video links), abundant educational content, and many useful links for trumpeters. For some reason, he decided to post An Interview with Elisa Koehler recently, but don’t let that stop you from checking out Stan’s fantastic blog. I will always be grateful to Stan for helping me to get started on my own journey in learning to play the natural trumpet and the cornetto several years ago. You’ll never meet a more humble, generous, and talented musician. But you should hear him play, too! Luckily, there are audio links of his fine performances on the blog. What are you waiting for? Go check out Stan’s Trumpet Journey Blog now! You’ll be glad you did.

Published by Elisa Koehler

Elisa Koehler is Professor of Music and Chair of the Music Department at Winthrop University in Rock Hill, South Carolina. Formerly the Director of the Center for Dance, Music, and Theatre at Goucher College and the Music Director and Conductor of the Frederick Symphony Orchestra, she is a professional conductor, trumpeter, and author. Dr. Koehler has performed on both modern and period instruments with the Bach Sinfonia, Baltimore Chamber Orchestra, Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra, Handel Choir of Baltimore, Knoxville Symphony Orchestra, Washington Cornett and Sackbut Ensemble, Baltimore’s Bach Concert Series, and as the leader of Newberry's Victorian Cornet Band. Her publications include two books: Fanfares and Finesse: A Performer’s Guide to Trumpet History and Literature (Indiana University Press) and A Dictionary for the Modern Trumpet Player (Rowman & Littlefield), numerous articles on historic brass for the ITG Journal, and new performing editions of the Haydn and Hummel trumpet concerti for Carl Fischer Music. She was named a Distinguished Alumna by the University of Tennessee in 2009 and elected to the Board of Directors of the International Trumpet Guild in 2017. In 2014 Dr. Koehler received Goucher College's highest faculty honor, the Caroline Doebler Bruckerl Award, which recognizes an exemplary faculty member in the areas of scholarship, teaching, and service. She earned a doctorate in orchestral conducting from the Peabody Conservatory, a master’s degree in trumpet performance from the University of Tennessee-Knoxville, and bachelor’s degrees in both music education and performance from Peabody.

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