Dr. Kevin Eisensmith

Prior to retiring from full-time teaching in June 2022, Kevin Eisensmith served as the Professor of Trumpet at Indiana University of Pennsylvania for 24 years. He also directed the IUP Jazz Ensemble and the IUP Trumpet Ensemble. Before IUP, he taught for eight years at Eastern Kentucky University.

Dr. Eisensmith holds a Bachelor of Science in Music Education degree from the Indiana University of Pennsylvania, a Master's degree in Music Performance from Georgia State University, and a Doctorate of Musical Arts in Performance degree from Temple University. Dr. Eisensmith's primary teachers include John Head, former principal trumpeter with the Atlanta Symphony, and Seymour Rosenfeld, former second trumpeter with the Philadelphia Orchestra.

He served as a solo trumpeter with the U.S. Army Forces Command Band (FORSCOM'S OWN) in Atlanta, Georgia, from 1979-1984. He performed over 700 concerts in 26 states and the Virgin Islands during that period. As a free-lance artist, Dr. Eisensmith has worked with Carol Channing (Hello Dolly!), Richard Harris (Camelot), Barbara Eden (Woman of the Year), Judy Collins, Andy Williams, The Osmond Brothers, Bob Hope, Bernadette Peters, Julio Iglesias, Gladys Knight and the Pips, Doc Severinsen, Shari Lewis, Peabo Bryson, Aaron Neville, Roberta Flack, Melissa Manchester, Marvin Hamlisch, Frank Sinatra Jr., Frankie Valli, the Lettermen, the Moody Blues, Mannheim Steamroller, Natalie Cole, and Peter Nero.

He has performed as principal trumpeter with many regional orchestras in the Atlanta, Pittsburgh, and Philadelphia areas and frequently served as an extra trumpeter with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. Dr. Eisensmith served as the principal trumpeter with the Johnstown Symphony Orchestra from 1998-2011 and is currently the principal trumpeter with the Altoona Symphony. He performed with the HoodleBug Brass, IUP's faculty brass quintet-in-residence, and the Keystone Wind Ensemble.

He has been a member of the International Trumpet Guild for over 40 years, which boasts a worldwide membership of over 5,000 trumpet students, teachers, and professional players. He served as Secretary for ITG from 2003-2007 and 2017-2019, as Vice President from 2007-2009, and as President from 2009-2011. Additionally, he has been an active participant in the National Trumpet Competition since 1996, and from 2007-2009 served as the Assistant Manager and Competitions Coordinator.

NTC is held annually and attracts hundreds of student trumpet competitors nationwide.

He has published over 50 articles in such magazines as The Sinfonian (the official magazine for Phi Mu Alpha Professional Music Fraternity), The Instrumentalist, The International Trumpet Guild Journal, and the Bluegrass Music News (the official magazine of the Kentucky Music Educators Association). For fourteen years (1991-2005), Dr. Eisensmith served as compiler and editor for the "Trumpet and Brass Programs" supplement for the ITG Journal.

He appears in over 30 recordings with groups including the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra (Berlioz Requiem and Respighi Pines of Rome), the Keystone Wind Ensemble, and the HoodleBug Brass, which released its first commercial CD – Christmas Postcards from the HoodleBug Brass – in October 2012.

His students have established themselves as successful educators and performers. Many teach in public schools in Pennsylvania and surrounding states, while others have gone on to instruct at the university level. Still, other former students have succeeded as performers and serve as members of military bands and symphony orchestras throughout the United States.

Dr. Eisensmith is a clinician for the C.G. Conn Corporation and performs on the Conn Vintage One B-flat trumpet and flugelhorn. He presents numerous clinics and guest appearances annually throughout the eastern and mid-western states. He has also performed and taught in Australia, Japan, China, Thailand, Russia, Costa Rica, Italy, the Czech Republic, Austria, Poland, Germany, and the United Kingdom.

Dr. Eisensmith has volunteered to contribute a series of articles to the Advocate, starting with what one should consider when purchasing a trumpet in keys other than B-flat.

Trumpet players commonly will own two or three B-flat trumpets during their career. Beginning trumpet players should have a good quality, student line instrument. Some students will switch to an intermediate model trumpet around 7th grade, while others will purchase a professional line trumpet as they enter high school (those with an intermediate model should also consider “moving up” to a professional line instrument in high school). I will not go into the differences between these three levels of instruments here. Simply put, high school trumpet players who want consistent tone production, good intonation, and ease of flexibility in all registers should own and use a professional model trumpet.

A professional model trumpet is a long-term investment. A professional line trumpet will last for an entire career (40+ years) if cared for and cleaned regularly! Professional and amateur trumpet players alike can perform in community bands and orchestras, form chamber brass ensembles, and play for church services and weddings. Trumpet players who own a professional B-flat trumpet are set for life, right? Well, not quite. There are other trumpets that “gigging” trumpet players might want to consider.

The sound of a trumpet pitched in C is somewhat brighter than the sound of a B-flat trumpet. Those performing on a C trumpet for the first time may find it a bit confusing. The notes that are coming out of the trumpet are not the ones the ear expects to hear! I recommend practicing scales and technical studies to get used to the new pitch center (I use this approach for all of the non-B-flat instruments listed below).

The trumpet in C is commonly used in orchestras, where much of the music (but not all!) is written for this instrument (and through transposition, can be played on this instrument). Because the trumpet in C is a “non-transposing instrument” (what you see is what you hear), it is also very useful for performance in church services and other occasions where the trumpet player may play along with singers or keyboard instruments. There is a great deal of solo repertoire written for the C trumpet. I also use the C trumpet frequently with brass quintet. For these reasons, I usually encourage students with a professional-quality B-flat trumpet to purchase a C trumpet next.

Pictured below: Trumpet in B-flat vs. Trumpet in C

The piccolo trumpet looks “cute,” or so I’ve been told. However, it is not cute to play! The piccolo trumpet requires a highly concentrated stream of air and a great deal of support. I do not allow students to begin playing a piccolo trumpet until they can easily and consistently play above a “high C” (C6). Even though there is less tubing, the piccolo trumpet is NOT easier to play!

The piccolo trumpet was created to aid in the playing of music from the Baroque Era, and specifically the music written by Bach, Handel, Telemann, and so on. Many trumpet players use the piccolo trumpet when playing for weddings, including Trumpet Voluntary (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zHy3tJJdy24) by Jeremiah Clarke and Trumpet Tune and Air (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ngn77Nl9HIk) by Henry Purcell. I use the piccolo trumpet occasionally in orchestras, usually for Handel’s Messiah. There are also several works written for brass quintet that utilize the piccolo trumpet. For many of my students, it is the third instrument that they purchase (after a B-flat and C).

Pictured below: Trumpet in B-flat vs. Piccolo trumpet in A (long model and short model)

As with the piccolo trumpet, the D/E-flat trumpet can be played in two different keys, either by changing the bell or changing the tuning slide. There are some very famous works typically played on the E-flat trumpet, most notably the concertos written by Franz Joseph Haydn and Johann Nepomuk Hummel. However, there are few other opportunities to use the E-flat trumpet. I rarely use my E-flat trumpet in orchestral settings. I do use it in the brass quintet, usually by transposing B-flat trumpet parts that are somewhat high.

I have not played the D side of my D/E-flat trumpet in years! The last time I played in D was when playing the 3rd trumpet part for a work by Bach. Since the functionality of a D/E-flat trumpet is less than trumpets in other keys, the purchase of this instrument is less vital to performing trumpeters.

Pictured below: Trumpet in B-flat vs. Trumpet in E-flat (and D bell) (long model)

Most trumpet players will never see these instruments, let alone perform on them or own them! They have a very specialized use and as a result, are rarely called for. It should be noted that a bass trumpet requires a larger mouthpiece than the standard trumpet mouthpiece and as a result, is often played by a euphonium player or a trombonist (although the mouthpiece is smaller than the ones that they use). Many times, a marching baritone is substituted for a bass trumpet if called for. They are essentially the same instrument, measuring at 9’ of tubing (twice the length of the B-flat trumpet).

Pictured below: Trumpet in B-flat vs. Flugelhorn

Wikipedia defines the sound of a cornet as “halfway between a trumpet and a flugelhorn.” (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cornet) Historically, the cornet was the soprano voice in the brass family, while the trumpet was the lesser desired instrument. Students up to the 1960s owned and played cornets, but not trumpets. When Louis Armstrong became famous, so did the trumpet, and the cornet became the less desirable instrument of the two.

In contemporary concert bands, the terms “cornet” and “trumpet” are used interchangeably, and few ensembles other than military bands differentiate between the two. Many composers, including Holst, Grainger, and even John Philip Sousa included parts for both cornet and trumpet in their music. British-style brass bands use cornets but not trumpets. Few trumpet players today will also own and perform on a cornet, unless they are members of brass bands.

Pictured below: Trumpet in B-flat vs. Cornet

Once you own a professional model B-flat trumpet, keep saving your pennies! If you want to continue playing and performing beyond high school, there are more trumpets in your future.

We invite all of our Advocate subscribers to let us know if there is a topic that you wish to know more about or have questions about! This newsletter is for you and we would like to tailor it to exactly what you would like to read about. Reply to this email or click the button below to send us a topic you are interested in.

Also, if you like what you read, be sure to send it to a friend.

Issued January 2023