The Evolution Of The Trumpet

Thom Freas, the founder and artistic director of Fanfare Consort, will be at Newtown High School on Tuesday, April 13, to offer a special master class on the history of the trumpet.

“From King Tut To Marsalis: The Evolution of The Trumpet” is open to all music students, their parents and anyone interested in the history of a musical instrument that dates back to 14th Century BC. The class will be in the high school’s chorus room and will begin at 7:30 pm.

Admission is free.

The master class was organized through Mr Freas and Michelle Hiscavich, the director of music for Newtown Public Schools. The music department, Ms Hiscavich said this week, is always looking for opportunities for its students to work with professional musicians to get a better understanding of their instrument and music.

Newtown High School Orchestra members had the opportunity to work with The Pacifica String Quartet in February through a Newtown Friends of Music outreach program. Students at Reed Intermediate School will be working with The Cavani String Quartet later this month.

Fanfare Consort, whose members specialize in early music performance on historically accurate instruments, presents modern-day premiers of literature specifically written for clarion (valveless baroque trumpet), baroque strings (gut strings), baroque woodwinds (keyless and wooden), basso continuo [fretted bass lute] and/or baroque contrasbass [fretted, gut strings], harpsichord [plucked strings] and/or positiv organ [portable baroque tracker pipe organ], etc) and voice (natural), or any combination.

In addition to his work with Fanfare Consort, Mr Freas performs on clarion as soloist with many prominent period instrument ensembles throughout the United States and Europe. He is a clarion virtuoso and trumpet professor.

Registration is not required for Tuesday’s program. For additional information, however, contact the office of Fanfare Consort at 203-733-9733