#70 Excellent Advice I Did Not Take

This happened many times; one of the first was in 1965

The musician in this short clip is playing the euphonium, an instrument also known as a baritone horn. He is playing a solo from a piece by Gustav Holst that is famous for, among other things, this particular euphonium solo.

In 1965, at Edward Smith Elementary School in Syracuse, New York, we were encouraged to play an instrument starting in fourth grade. I chose to play the trumpet.

After I had been playing for a year, the band director sat me down and advised me to switch to the euphonium.

The euphonium?

The trumpet is a lead instrument. The euphonium is a member of the supporting cast. Would my ego allow me to be demoted to a supporting role?

That band director’s name was John Oberbrunner. He had joined the Syracuse Symphony Orchestra a few years earlier as the principal flute player. And he remained the principal flute player for 32 years, becoming one of the most revered and respected musicians in the history of that orchestra.

I turned him down. I stayed with the trumpet. What did he know?

Ten years later, my freshman year in college I joined the wind orchestra, which, I learned, had chosen to play the Second Suite by Gustav Holst. The one with the euphonium part.

It was the first time I was part of a band that played that piece. It was the first time that I heard that solo. The euphonium player, a virtuoso, knew he was playing an iconic solo in an iconic piece. He nailed it.

I stopped playing the trumpet that year, mostly because my talent was limited. I had gone about as far as I could go as a player.

Had I taken John Oberbrunner’s advice and switched to the euphonium, things may have been different. The trumpet is a loud, brassy instrument, best-suited for waking people up in the morning. The euphonium has more depth, and when played well, conveys strength and restraint. That is something I value more today, especially in an supporting role.

The lesson from that instance was this: when experienced, well-meaning people offer me advice, I should take it. Seriously. To this day, I try, when offered the chance.