Conductor and educator Oliver Prezant and master trumpeter Peter Bond to provide an interactive exploration of the evolving role of the trumpet in opera, Sept. 6  in Albuquerque. Courtesy image

Music News:

ALBUQUERQUE – It is the sound of kings and heroes, of triumph and dire warnings. It’s the call to arms and to eternal rest. The noble procession, the sound of climactic moments of joy, passion, and despair… From Jericho to judgement day, from animal horn and the hollow thighbone of an enemy to hammered brass, valves, and pistons, the iconic sound of the trumpet echoes through our common human experience.

The community is invited to join conductor and educator Oliver Prezant and master trumpeter Peter Bond for a free interactive exploration of the evolving role of the trumpet in opera. During the presentation, Bond will play excerpts from Baroque, Classical and Romantic operas, and Prezant will share insights on the music, the composers and the librettists. In addition, Bond will play a famous aria duing this look at the extraordinary influence of 19th century Romantic “bel canto” singing on the art and craft of trumpet playing.

“The trumpet is a great instrument, Peter is a great, great trumpet player,” Prezant said. “We’ve been having a really good time talking about the relationship of great singing and great trumpet playing, which really became a thing when valves were introduced in the early 1800s. So we said, let’s get a bunch of different trumpets and give people an insider’s view of how trumpet playing changed over time, and how the writing for the trumpet became more ‘operatic’ when valves were introduced in the early 1800s.”

“In addition to playing all kinds of music, from marching band to the circus to big band jazz to the classic symphonic repertoire, Peter spent 28 years in the orchestra at the Metropolitan Opera in New York,” said Prezant, “so he knows a thing or two about opera. I’ve been lecturing here in Santa Fe for most of that time, so we have opera in common. We both played in the New Mexico Symphony back in the day, when I was a violist, so we have common roots there, too. And yes, you’re going to hear the famous Ride of the Valkyries during the presentation, we promise, and lots of other famous music, too!”

Details:

• Title: The Operatic Trumpet
• Date/Time: Friday, Sept. 6, 7-8:30 p.m.
• Location: Robertson & Sons Violin Shop, 3201 Carlisle Blvd. NE, in Albuquerque
• Tickets: $25; students with ID, $10 – available at: www.oliverprezant.com