A Grand Valley State University music student was recently named a finalist in the 2001 International Trumpet Guild Mock Orchestra competition, ranking him as one of the world's top trumpet players under the age of 25.
Steven Marx, 20, a music sophomore at GVSU, discovered in mid-March that he is one of three finalists. He will go on to compete for first place honors at the next stage of the competition, held at the University of Evansville (Ind.) May 23-26.
I was thrilled to get the phone call, said Marx. He said he worked hard to perfect the nine orchestral excerpts he taped for the contest's initial cut. It took a good two to three months set aside to get the tape done. I'd be in the studio here sometimes until midnight, he said.
He and the two other finalists will perform in person to compete for first place. Richard Stoelzel, assistant professor of music at GVSU, is coaching him.
He's won quite an honor. This is one of the very top competitions for trumpet players in the world, said Stoelzel, noting that contestants include graduate students. He should know: this year marks the 15th anniversary of when Stoelzel himself won first place in the competition.
It opens a lot of doors. There are a lot of important people who will be judging at the competition, he said. After winning top honors, Stoelzel went on to play with the United States Coast Guard Band, as principal trumpet with the New Orleans Symphony and the Palm Beach Opera Orchestra, and with other major orchestras in the U.S., Europe, Asia and South America. He will perform in China in May.
Marx, from Highland, Mich., said he chose to attend Grand Valley specifically for its music department.
It was a hard decision, but I don't think there's a better place in the country for me to be right now, Marx said. I feel this is a really healthy environment musically. It's given me the opportunity to stretch my arms and grow as a musician.
Marx is Stoelzel's fifth trumpet student in the Trumpet Guild competition. Last year, his students won first and second place.
