by Joe F. Phelps
Mr. Phelps with over 30 years of trumpet teaching experience has authored a book geared towards the high school and college trumpet player. Mr. Phelps studied with William Adam, at Indiana University School of Music, for his undergraduate work and on a continuing basis for more than 30 years. His influential teachers were David Ritter (University of Central Arkansas), John Haynie (University of North Texas), Fred Peterson (Eastern Kentucky University), and Gil Johnson (University of Miami).
Mr. Phelps' new book is dedicated to Mr. William Adam, Professor Emeritus. So You Want To Be A Trumpet Player priced at $24.00 can be ordered at:
A comment from the author (Joe Phelps):
I will try to describe what is in the book as best I can. First of all, it is
not a technique book, about embouchure, breathing, etc. Those things are usually
very individual and are very difficult to explain in writing. It is about
things that I thought my trumpet students, over the past 30 years, should have
known, or understood better. It is things trumpet players should know about
trumpet playing: Listening, practice, practice routines, sight-reading,
transposition,etc. How to think about trumpet and trumpet playing.
The book is written in an informal style, much like I talked to my students in
lessons. I tried to use some of the same stories and examples, drawn from my own
experiences, that I used in my teaching.
The book is dedicated to Bill Adam, a legendary trumpet teacher and my teacher at
Indiana University, and over the past 35 years. It reflects a lot of his ideas,
because that is what I know and believe in. There are 68 pages of text, and 18
of lists, etc. The lists are very basic and often subjective. I don't think it
is the "end all" trumpet book, but it addresses some things that aspiring and
serious trumpet players need to know and think about.
Thanks, Joe