Tip From The Top - Alain Trudel

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Born in Montreal in 1966, Alain Trudel combines sheer talent with unmistakable flair and a good sense of humour. He won the Montreal Symphony Orchestra Soloist Competition and the Canadian International Stepping Stone Competition, and was Principal Trombone in the Orquestra Ciudad de Barcelona (1986-87), performing since then as guest soloist with over twenty orchestras in North America and Europe.

His engagements this year have included concerts and masterclasses in Germany, Holland and Japan, as well as residency work in Buffalo at the Buffalo Composers' event and with the Composers' Orchestra in Toronto, plus an invitation to give masterclasses at the Jeunesses Musicales course in Oslo.

• Even if you practise for only one second in a day it must have a meaning.
• If you cannot solve a problem on your trombone within a reasonable time, you must try it from a different angle.
• Always introduce slight variations into your basic practice. It keeps the mind fresh and will prepare for more difficult variations in the "real situation".
• Practise your low register also with the Carmine Caruso method. Keep the mouthpiece on the lips and breathe through the nose without relaxing the embouchure.
• Most of the good things I have learnt came from woodwind players or violinists. My trombone teacher was too patient. Others didn't take the difficulties of our instrument into account, only asked for results - just as your concert audience does.
• It's all in the mind. Good players play instinctively but also use their heads.
• I think I am a good player because I am curious.
• Complete concentration as you practise. Always know what you want to do, and do it.
• Think positively, even about your misfortunes. You can learn from everything. Everybody has at least one good ability so move on from there and enjoy it, and what is still missing you can learn.
• Imagine the concert situation during your practice - always. Picture the faces of your audience, and the sound of your instrument.
• What we work on is coordination of small actions and details.
• If you practise with concentration you have more time for other things in life.
• All music has its rhythm ... even long tones ... even breathing has its rhythm.
• Be your own teacher. Control your product by recording it and listening to it.
• Learn by fun rather than learning by fear.
• Prepare yourself for the worst of all possibilities - trouble in the concert situation. Try to pre-think every situation, but also know that there are always surprises.
• Playing a brass instrument is a question of experiencing feelings. If you have experienced most of these feelings, you are well prepared.
• I practise my concert programmes when I am in good shape, but also when I am "down 'n out", naturally and intelligently, without damaging myself, but to experience it.

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