Born: August 31, 1976 Primary Instrument: Trumpet
Last Updated: September 18, 2008...Lyrical , nicely -flowing and hard swinging lines in true-bop fashion, very reminiscent of Freddy Hubbard, Lee Morgan and Woody Shaw. -International Trumpet Guild Journal
...Gregory Rivkin sounds like the trumpeter, who use to work in my band-Clifford Brown… -Lou Donaldson, Saxophonist, Jazz Legend ...Gregory Rivkin is an outstandingly talented musician…a virtuoso trumpet player… -Vera Stern, President America-Israel Cultural Foundation
...Mr. Rivkin is a musical genius and has an exceptional knowledge of both classical and jazz traditions ...An extraordinary trumpet-player… -Paul Mercer Ellington, Leader and Conductor Duke Ellington Orchestra
...Unusually warm timbre and graceful performance of most challenging passages.
...The “talking” sound of Gregory Rivkin's trumpet carries away the spirits of each audience member up to their private innermost spheres. -Lora Berezovsky, Forum, New York
… With his persuasive sound and economical improvisatory style, trumpeter Gregory Rivkin tells a story with chords played in imaginative ways and lines that unfold surprisingly. -Zan Stewart, Newark Star Ledger
Primary Instrument:
Trumpet
Location:
South Orange, NJ
Credentials/Background:
COLLEGE APPOINTMENTS
2005-2006
Adjunct Instructor
Jazz/Music Appreciation, Instrumental Ensembles and Trumpet
Essex County College, Newark, NJ/West Caldwell, NJ
OTHER TEACHING EMPLOYMENT
2006-Present Faculty Member, Resident Artist
O.S.P.A.C. Jazz Workshop, West Orange, NJ
2005-Present Faculty Member/Trumpet Instructor
Newark School of the Arts, Newark, NJ
Certification:
The state of New Jersey Standard License (pending)
The State of New Jersey Certificate of Eligibility(Music)
The State of New Jersey Provisional Certificate
Clinic/Workshop Information:
GREGORY RIVKIN MASTER CLASS OUTLINE
SUBJECT:
An acclamation of modern trumpeter in art of jazz and jazz improvisation.
PART ONE
The importance of classical academic fundamentals: training and knowledge of standard academic repertoire, written for trumpet. How a trumpeter, who decided to pursue a career of a jazz musician, can use academic training and classical standards for his/her advantages?
The advantage of correct habits, acquired in early phase of training:
Breathing technique
Embouchure position
Correct and comfortable posture in standing or sitting position
Perfecting above mentioned factors when warming up
All of these correct habits, acquired in early phase of musical development, are % 100 guarantees to the psychological confidence, when the instrumentalist is working on the technical output of the musical information (articulation, finger technique and coordination, embouchure flexibility).
WHAT KIND OF BENEFIT A JAZZ TRUMPETER CAN GET FROM USING CLASSICAL WARM UP ROUTINES
-perfected ear training
-improved awareness of harmony, leading tones, intervals, chord progressions (from theoretical perspective)
-re-enforcing the progress of development as an instrumentalist
- The awareness of the importance of the rhythm (steady pulse).
SHOWING EXAMPLES BY WARMING UP USING:
Schlossberg’s Method
Arban’s Method
Clarke’s Method
Various Etudes by Brandt, Charlier, Wurm, Smith…
Concentrate on:
Rhythmic, intervallic and harmonic analyzes
Melodic Structures (motives, sequences)
Connection with Jazz:
Jazz Composition, Improvisation is outgrown of European Classical Music, Folk Genres of European and African Continents. What unique about jazz is that this art-form invites every culture and every musical heritage in.
It is very important to be musically open-minded and grasp as much musical information as you can.
PART TWO
Brief overview of Phases of development of JAZZ:
New Orleans era
Swing Era
Modern Jazz
History of Jazz Trumpet
Discussing the tradition of jazz trumpet from two directions:
1. From New Orleans Era to Now
2. Backwards: From Now to the Roots
The second one is based on a possibility that young generation will have a better connection if they would be exposed to the art of contemporary jazz artists, who keep relatively contemporary dressing code and produce music with a contemporary sound quality, using modern technology.
JAZZ ARTICULATION
Attack, Tonguing, Slurring, Doodle-Tonguing
An Approach to articulation when playing in a big-band
An approach to articulation, when playing in small groups, solo, etc.
IMPROVISATION
-Awareness of MELODIC CONCEPT (rhythmic sequence, applying notes on the rhythmic sequence following the rule of voice leading; proper or tasteful choice of notes creates intricate melody)
-NOT “PLAYING CHANGES”, but “PLAYING MELODIC STRUCTURES OVER CHORD PROGRESSIONS”
-Improvisation through Composition and Composition through Improvisation (develop structured solo)
-Musicality (emotions, intellect, spirit)
PHASES OF DEVELOPMENT
Euphoric or Honeymoon Stage (everything seems so clear and easy)
Rejection Stage (culture shock, lots of unfamiliar recordings, too many artists pursuing same goal, hierarchy)
Regression Stage (awareness that you need to work too hard or feeling incompetent in your “field” or not good enough about your artistry, anger and negative emotions)
Integration Stage (dealing with new musical information. The goal is to understand that learning something new will not wash away all the information that you already know. Be open minded and positive)
Acceptance Stage(understanding that the way to the mastery is a lifetime process; starting accepting the responsibilities, basically, making everything you can to progress and finally— getting on the track of control of the instrument and musical information; creating a style and developing as an artist)
TRUMPET TALK
Choosing a mouthpiece:
Rim (contour, size)
Cup (shapes, sise)
Back-bore (shape, size)
Every mouthpiece has its own pitch
Choosing a Trumpet
Importance of tight valve section, checking trumpet for leaks, compression, valve alignment
Lead pipe variety
Bell options
How to match a mouthpiece to the trumpet (gap: finding personal amount of resistance needed to produce the sound of music with confidence).An acknowledgement to Claudio Roditi and Hal Oringer
2007 Copyright by Gregory Rivkin
