Bemidji State University to sponsor 36th International Trumpet Guild Conference

BEMIDJI, Minn. (May 13, 2011) — Beginning May 24, dozens of the finest trumpet players in the world will descend on Minneapolis for the 36th International Trumpet Guild conference, sponsored by Bemidji State University.

Based in the Hilton Minneapolis and spreading to performance venues all over downtown, the conference will  feature five days of competitions, clinics from master trumpeteers and concerts by elite-level performers.

The conference is hosted by Del Lyren, professor of music at Bemidji State, and Steve Wright, associate professor music at Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, Minn.

“This is easily the most high-profile and time-itensive event of my career,” Lyren said. “Steve and I proposed the Minneapolis site because it is the perfect venue — a very arts-oriented city with a vibrant downtown area, with everything in walking distance for attendees. The events we’ve scheduled for this conference have generated an unusually high amount of excitement among the attendees.”

The majority of the conference’s events will be held in the Hilton, with the hotel’s 2,850-seat Minneapolis Grand Ballroom serving as the main performance area.

In addition, performances will be held at the Dakota Jazz Club, a nationally recognized jazz venue about one block from the Hilton. Other performances will be held in the 2,500-seat Central Lutheran Church, also within about two blocks of the Hilton.

The conference opens with a “youth day” on Tuesday, May 24, featuring solo competitions in a variety of age brackets, clinics by five noted trumpeteers and panel discussions on college auditions, careers in music, trumpet fundamentals and tips for optimizing instruments for maximum performance.

The next three days are packed with competitions, clinics and workshops for conference attendees. Each day kicks off with a 45-minute warmup session beginning at 7:30 a.m. featuring a selected solo performer and continues through the evening and into the night with sessions at the Dakota Jazz Club ending at 1 a.m.

The conference’s final day on Saturday includes a 90-minute trumpet and organ concert at Central Lutheran Church and a two-hour grand finale concert, “Festival of Trumpets” featuring 92 trumpet players, from 4-6 p.m. at Wesleyan United Methodist Church. Three additional concerts will be held Saturday evening after dinner, wrapping up with a Joey Pero jam session at the Dakota Jazz Club beginning at 11:15 p.m.

The Minneapolis conference will be the first North American-hosted International Trumpet Guild conference to feature a soloist performing with a major orchestra. Finnish trumpeter Jouko Harjanne will be performing with the Minnesota Orchestra in Orchestra Hall, Thursday, May 26, starting at 7:30 p.m.

Notable performers and presenters at the conference will include Wayne Bergeron, who has played with artists ranging from Kenny G to Barry Manilow to Christina Aguilera; the Brass Quintet from “The President’s Own” Marine Band; Sean Jones and Marcus Printup from Wynton Marsalis’ New York City-based Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra; Kiku Collins, who has played in bands for Beyoncé and Michael Bolton; and Marvin Stamm’s Inventions Trio, which features a trumpet, piano and cello and blurs the lines between jazz and classical music.

Additionally, on May 23 a group of 140 trumpet players will play the national anthem at the Minnesota Twins’ home game, a 7:10 p.m. start against the Seattle Mariners at Minneapolis’ Target Field.

Bemidji State music students have worked for months to help prepare for the conference. Students have been heavily involved in all phases of planning the conference, from coordinating travel and visa arrangements for dozens of international performers traveling to the country for the conference, designing posters and meal vouchers, arranging airport transportation, scheduling practice time for visiting performers, etc. The students also played a key role in mantaining the conference’s page on Facebook.

“The rarity of an event like this gave a lot of opportunities for students,” said Jini Lawless, a junior in music from Bemidji. “This provided a networking opportunity, and we get to see examples of the music business beyond just playing music – exhibits and information booths, and working with international performers and their agents to arrange visas.”

“Jini was my go-to girl,” Lyren said. “She assisted with organizing performance and rehearsal space for the 75 guest artists and communicating with them to get program information. She also played a critical role in getting our conference program booklet published in time. I can’t thank her enough.”

ON THE WEB
• 36th International Trumpet Guild Conference: http://www.itg2011.com

CONCERT AND PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE
Tickets for all events except the May 26 Minnesota Orchestra performance are available online at http://itgconcerts.eventbrite.com. Minnesota Orchestra tickets can be purchased online at http://www.minnesotaorchestra.org.

Tuesday, May 24
Tickets: $30, $15 for students; price includes both 7:15 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. concerts.
7:15 – 8:45 p.m. — Charles Lazarus Quartet, Jouko Harjanne and the Minnesota Orchestra Brass; Hilton Ballroom.
9:30-11 p.m. — Lew Soloff & Sean Jones with The Steve Wright Big Band; Hilton Ballroom.
11:15 p.m. – 1 a.m. — Trent Austin jam session; Dakota Jazz Club.

Wednesday, May 25
Tickets: $30, $15 for students; price includes both 7:15 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. concerts.
7:15-8:45 p.m. — Allen Vizzutti & Anthony Dilorenzo; Hilton Ballrooom.
9:30-11 p.m. — Hornheads; Hilton Ballroom.
11:15 p.m. – 1 a.m. — Kelly Rossum jam session; Dakota Jazz Club.

Thursday, May 26
2:45-4:15 p.m. — Manny Laureano Recital; Hilton Ballroom. Tickets: $20, $10 for students.
4:30-6 p.m. — Vladislav Lavrik; Central Lutheran Church. Tickets: $20, $10 for students.
7:30-8:45 p.m. — Jouko Harjanne with the Minnesota Orchestra; Orchestra Hall. Tickets: $26-$73; http://www.minnesotaorchestra.org.
11 p.m. – 1 a.m. — Jazz Improvisation competition finals; Dakota Jazz Club.

Friday, May 27
Tickets: $30, $15 for students; price includes both 7:15 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. concerts.
4:30-6 p.m. — Gareth Flowers and Josh Frank recital; Central Lutheran Church. Tickets: $20, $10 for students.
7:15-8:45 p.m. — Atlantic Brass Quintet; Central Lutheran Church.
9:30-11 p.m. — Inventions Trio with Marvin Stamm; Hilton Ballroom.
11:15 p.m. – 1 a.m. — Rashawn Ross jam session; Dakota Jazz Club.

Saturday, May 28
Tickets: $30, $15 for students; price includes both 7:15 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. concerts.
10:15-11:45 a.m. — Trumpet and Organ Concert; Central Lutheran Church. Tickets: $20, $10 for students.
4-6 p.m. — “Festival of Trumpets” concert; Wesleyan United Methodist Church. Tickets: $20, $10 for students.
7:15-8:45 p.m. — Joey Pero concert; Hilton Ballroom.
9:30-11 p.m. — Marcus Printup, Marvin Stamm and Wayne Bergeron with The Steve Wright Big Band; Hilton Ballroom.
11:15 p.m. – 1 a.m. — Joey Pero jam session; Dakota Jazz Club.

The International Trumpet Guild
The International Trumpet Guild is a non-profit organization founded in 1974 to promote communications among trumpet  players around the world and to improve the artistic level of performance,  teaching, and literature associated with the trumpet.
The guild has more than 6,000 members from 64 countries, including professional and amateur performers, teachers, students, manufacturers, publishers, and others dedicated to the trumpet profession. ITG is supported by the dues of individual members.