WILLIAM
STOWMAN
MUSICIAN, EDUCATOR,
AUTHOR, COMPOSER
26 CONTEMPLATIVE STUDIES
26 Contemplative Studies inspires informed musicianship through melodic studies paired with poetry in order to help students make deeper connections between conceptual thought and their music making.
ABOUT BILL
Crystalline clarity of tone and impeccable legato are words used by Fanfare Magazine to describe the trumpet playing of William Stowman. His three solo recordings, Parable (Mark Records), A Timeless Place (Klavier), and A Matter of Seconds (Mark Records), have all met with positive critical acclaim.
Bill has enjoyed an extensive career as a trumpet performer and teacher. As Professor of Trumpet and Co-Chair of the Department of Music at Messiah University in Mechanicsburg, PA, he teaches trumpet, directs the Jazz Ensemble, and conducts the Trumpet Ensemble. Additionally, he hosts a podcast called The Open Bell with colleagues Joey Tartell and Bryan Appleby-Wineberg. He is the Founder and Musical Director of BrassCross, a unique ensemble comprised of faculty and students from Messiah University who recently released a recording of the antiphonal music of Gabrieli titled Luminosity. He has performed and recorded with The Keystone Wind Ensemble, The North Texas Wind Symphony, The Philadelphia Brass, The Lexington Philharmonic (KY), and The San Angelo Symphony (TX.)
A student of renowned trumpet pedagogue Keith Johnson, Bill holds the DMA in Trumpet Performance from The University of North Texas. He earned the MA and MMed from Eastern Kentucky University as a student of Kevin Eisensmith. His bachelor’s degree in Music Education is from Indiana University of Pennsylvania where he studied with Dr. William Becker.
“ Take a big breath, and make a beautiful sound.”
~ Keith Johnson
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WHAT PEOPLE SAY
JOEY TARTELL
26 Contemplative Studies gives us what’s been missing from etude books: the mood! Pairing each study with a poem helps the performer get in the right headspace so that they are thinking about music right from the start. I look forward to using this book in my studio.
AMY MCCABE
What a needed inspirational practice tool for the trumpet community this book is!
This unique approach works towards increasing our intention behind our music making - something rarely taught, but we all love it when we hear it done well. And, not to mention, the etudes are musically and technically engaging. Bill, thank you for helping us get out of our heads and into our hearts!
RYAN GARDNER
Bill Stowman has provided us with an incredible book that bridges the gap between playing and emoting. Not only are the poems beautiful, they provide each player with text that informs the message of the music, thus leading to enhanced musicality. Bill’s writing also showcases challenges that are unique to trumpeters including range, flexibility, finger dexterity, and articulation.
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