I’m writing this at JFK, about to board my flight to Frankfurt, to join Otto Sauter & Ten of the Best for this weekend’s concerts at the Wartburg Castle, up the hill from Eisenach. Now that I have the full schedule for the next few days, I see that I have the chance to offer some trumpet lesson slots. There are 2 possible times:

Update: due to demand, I’m adding an extra slot on Saturday. Updated availability is:

• Friday, Nov 25 – between 10:30 and 15:00
• Saturday, Nov 26 – 15:00-17:00.
• Sunday, Nov 27 – between 11:30 and 13:30 

That means there are potentially 2 slots on Friday and 1 on Sunday. Please check the details on my Teaching Page and, if this is of interest, please file the Online Lesson Request Form on that page.

Thanks for reading, and I hope to meet you in Eisenach this weekend!

Update #2: Many thanks to those who booked so quickly. Don’t forget you can book Skype lessons at any time – I have open slots most weeks, when I’m home in NYC.

Similar to around this time last year, I have a contest running on my Facebook page, at the moment, as I work to increase the ‘fan following’ over there. The lucky winner will receive a free 1 Hour Trumpet Lesson. This lesson can take place in person, should the winner be located here in New York City (or in a city around the world that I currently have plans to visit, in the next little while), or Online via Skype.

It’s easy to enter. Here’s what you need to do:

1. “Like” the Bryan Davis Facebook Page.
2. Comment on the announcement post about the contest (embedded below), and say why you’re interested in the lesson.

The winner will be picked, at random, from people who have “liked” both the page and commented on the post, when the total Page Likes hit 5000. (At time of writing, that total is currently 4925 likes.)

Please share this post, or the Facebook Announcement post, with anybody you think may be interested in this contest. Best of luck!!

Update (May 16): We now have 5000+ Page Likes. The winner will be drawn on Sunday, May 17th at 12:00pm EDT. Any entries made before that time will be eligible to win!

Update #2 (May 17): We have a winner. Congratulations to Elliot Connors.

When I revamped and relaunched the website, earlier in the year, there were a few things still to be finished before they could be added to the new version. Chief among these was the Online Lesson Request Form, which has just been re-added to the now-updated Teaching page. The new version of the form has an extra feature: the facility to purchase Trumpet Lesson time as a gift; added just in time for the Holidays!!

In addition to being able to request Online Lessons, Prepay for a lesson or a block of lessons, and send a message with a question; you can now buy a block of lesson time and receive a personalized PDF Gift Voucher, by return email. The perfect gift for the Trumpet Player in your life!

Also, it is worth mentioning that, after a price freeze since 2010, my teaching rates will be increasing on January 1st, 2015. All the more reason to prepay a block of lessons now! Lock in the lower price while you have the chance!

Happy Holidays!

– Bryan

I’m very much looking forward to an upcoming trip to Germany and Austria, at the beginning of October 2014. There are three notable events to tell you about. I hope my friends in these locales will be able to attend!

First of all, on October 3rd, I’ll be performing at the Wartburg Festival, at the Wartburg Castle on the mountainside above Eisenach, Germany. This is the annual Wartburg Festival “Long Night of the Trumpet” concert which, this year, features Otto Sauter (DE), Marek Zvolanek (CZ), Vlado Kumpan (CZ) and myself. I’m honoured to be returning to this beautiful concert hall, and in such austere company! Please click the image below for more information.

Then, on October 5th, I’ll be in Mank, Austria – home of Schagerl Meisterinstrumente – for 2 events.

In the afternoon, from 1:00pm to 4:30pm, I’ll be presenting a workshop – “Increasing Efficiency” – at the Musikschule Mank. This workshop is aimed at brass players of all styles. I will discuss and demonstrate a number of the common issues that prevent us from playing our instruments as efficiently as possible, thus making it harder than it needs to be to make music. My goal is for players of all levels to experience an easier way of playing. There is more information, in German, on the poster below. You can click it to email Christian Salzer at Musikhaus Schagerl to reserve your place.

Then, in the evening of October 5th, I’ll be guesting with the RK Music Big Band, for their Tribute to Frank Sinatra, featuring Joey Green and the Fabulous Jolettes. I’ll be leading the trumpet section and playing a couple of solo features, as well. My friend Robert Kerschbaumer (the aforementioned RK) has a very fine band and this promises to be a splendid evening of music! We perform in the Stadtsaal, in Mank, at 7:30pm. There is more information on a Facebook event page which can be reached by clicking the poster below.

I hope to see many of you while I’m in Europe. Of course, if you’re interested in taking a trumpet lesson while I’m nearby, please contact me and we’ll try and find a time.

Bis gleich,
Bryan