This summer, adult brass players gathered for a 3-day Adult Brass Retreat led by Danielle Ondarza and Mike Zonshine. They rehearsed various works in large and small ensembles, and the retreat culminated in a master class with retired LA Philharmonic trumpeter Boyde Hood. 

Adults of all ages and backgrounds joined together at this retreat – all for their shared love of playing brass; and, in just three days, students and teachers built a tight-knit community through music making. Danielle shared, “I feel a deep sense of community, too. Mike and I are always interested in hearing other people’s perspectives, so everybody influences us. I’m so glad that the community continues to expand, but it’s not really about the expansion; it’s about the depth of it.”

See below for more quotes from students about their experience in the Adult Brass Retreat.

Jason Atkinson: “Oh, it was kind of amazing and quite an eye opener to see how much more nuance needs to be played rather than what I’ve been playing in bigger groups like concert bands and orchestras. So, to get into the nitty gritty of fine-tuning things was definitely a big step for me.”

Ted Masur: “I’m so glad that I could be here observing. I’m a music teacher, and I love working with Mike and Danny in terms of seeing elements of their technique, their grace while working with people in development, and how they’re working with challenges. When we play music, we’re so conditioned to go for perfection. So to be in a room, work on things together, and be really human together in that context, is really powerful, especially as an adult. We don’t get to do that a lot. There’s also something really transformative about playing in an ensemble where all the instruments are similar. Even just listening, being around, and feeling those vibrations, when you play an instrument in a group like that, it’s really powerful.”

Jack Mills: “I’d say, I love playing Chamber music with a small group, and we’ve gotten a lot of pointers about how to enrich that playing. As far as challenges, as a wind player, there’s a lot to learn about breathing and phrasing, and we’ve gotten a lot of very specific tips on exactly what to practice and how, so that has been quite helpful.”

Jonathan Feinstein: “We all have a shared kind of challenge and joy of playing brass, and it’s nice. It’s really refreshing to be part of a community where it doesn’t matter what your skill level or experience is. People are all supporting each other. For me personally, playing in an ensemble is wonderful. It’s not something I get to do very often, because I have a full-time job most of the time. So that’s been really nice, on top of that community piece as well.” 

Murray Gordon: “I’ve been playing the trumpet since I was eight, and I still take lessons during the school year every week, but the only ensemble playing that I do is with the Illinois Army National Guard Band in Northern Illinois. There, the music tends to be much more routine. There’s very little sight reading; everything is in the book we’ve played. Here is my first experience in a while, having to sight-read outside of the classroom, outside of a lesson room, but in front of a supportive group. And this experience is really important since if you’re 76, mentally, that really helps things. And then the coaching, the quality of detailed ears that are up there with Mike and Danielle, just teaching us how to take this off the page and make it something that someone would actually want to listen to, has been tremendous. There would be about a thousand things in the last two and a half days that I’ve learned, and I hope I’ve retained some of them, but it’s all been incredibly valuable.”

Are you or anyone you know interested in learning more about PCM’s winds program, taking lessons with our esteemed faculty members, or joining an adult ensemble? Please don’t hesitate to reach out, and we hope to see you on campus soon!