Paul Pollard Masterclass Summary

The Woodlands Trombone Choir, made of up local high school students and directed by Jason Harvey, was treated to a day long event featuring Paul Pollard, Bass Trombone with The Metropolitan Opera. SHSU and TWTC are partnering up this semester for a few concerts as we both prepare programs for TMEA, so I made it a priority to bring the studio down to take part in the festivities.

Below is a summary of my observations and Paul's tenets for teaching.

Paul described five main points for successful trombone playing. First are his points and then some observations I made in relation to these points.

1. Air - Taking in a big breath and blowing a big breath back out

- An Intek (?) Spirometer was used to demonstrate if a full air stream was actually being used. This looks like a very worthwhile tool in developing breath support.

-  Be careful that big breaths are not distracting, overly loud, and perhaps contrived (that is to show that we are taking a big breath)

- Slower inhales can help us feel more relaxed when starting a phrase, while quick breaths can lead to tension.

2. Buzz the right pitch inside the mouthpiece

- Good pitch is essential and can be developed through matching pitch on the mouthpiece

- Anything we are learning to play, we can practice by buzzing the mouthpiece and matching pitch

- What if you practiced buzzing long tones and slurs with the piano 5-10 minutes every day for two weeks.  What's the worst that could happen? You get tired while developed a much stronger sense of pitch? 

- The embouchure and air are partners in the sound making process. If one of them isn't pulling its weight, the other has to pick up the slack until it gets too tired and wants to quit.

- Whenever you buzz, make sure it is meaningful and purposeful

3. Be as relaxed as possible

- Every trombonist has to come to terms with unnecessary tension and movement in their playing

- The goal is to make playing as natural as possible with as little physical movement as necessary

- Any tension or negative movements must be overcome with methodical positive habit forming practice

- Simplify the act of trombone playing

4. Make sure that the necessary moving parts of the body, the right arm and the tongue, are in the right place.

- Learn exactly where each of the notes in each position goes

- It is uncomfortable to play the right note in the wrong position. Even if a position is slightly off, it becomes less comfortable to play that note, and easier to miss it.

- When the slide is in the right place, it works in harmony with the air and buzz to make the best sound

- Regarding tongue placement, every pitch has a place inside of the mouth where the tongue gets the best response. Higher notes are higher on the teeth or roof of the mouth, while lower notes progressively get closer to and eventually are tongued between the teeth.

- Repetitive articulation practice is key to finding that spot for each pitch

5. As trombonists, we must also strive to become better artists and musicians each and every day

- listen to the great masters of other instruments

- Read new books about our instrument and music in general

- Within the music, if something repeats it must be different in some way

- Practice over expanding your dynamic range in solos and etudes to get out of the box

Here are some practice ideas he mentioned:

- Use a metronome daily. It acts like a leader to the tongue, buzz, air, and slide, coordinating them to achieve a unified purpose.

- Use a tuner everyday with long tones to constantly reinforce playing each pitch in the exact correct position and learning where to put the slide for that note each time.

-  Practice solos in a bopped style with the metronome under tempo. These are very short clear notes. This is useful to coordinating the troops for a precise and clear front of the note with the best sound in time.

- Practice using rhythmic breathing. Exhale away from the horn as though playing while tonguing the notes in time. Repeat this and add moving the right arm to simulate slide movements. Repeat again using the slide and blowing through the horn without the buzz.  This gets the feeling of massive amounts of air moving through the lips and then easily can translate to playing with more air at the beginning of each note.

All in all it was very encouraging to hear someone who shares so many of my ideas teach them in different ways. It can be refreshing for students who have heard the same thing so many times out of my mouth hear it again in a new and interesting way. It is also helpful to me to hear new ideas of how to communicate the most fundamental concepts.

Paul is a fantastic soloist and teacher who has also reached the top of the game in orchestral playing. His biography is also interesting as he did not motor through a conservatory and then find himself in the perfect job. Rather he pursued three degrees at state universities, played for several years in regional orchestras, then overseas, and eventually worked his way into the Metropolitan Opera.  Just a slow methodical grind to the top of the trombone world. Definitely a great role model for the next generation.