TBJ126: Trumpeter Susan Rider of "The President's Own" United States Marine Band on overcoming doubt, the importance of focus and jamming with her dad

TBJ126: Trumpeter Susan Rider of "The President's Own" United States Marine Band on overcoming doubt, the importance of focus and jamming with her dad. Susan dropped serious conversation ninja on Andrew & Lance and made them have a normal conversation. Weird.

From her bio:

Trumpeter/cornetist Master Gunnery Sergeant Susan Rider joined “The President’s Own” United States Marine Band in July 1997. Master Gunnery Sgt. Rider began her musical instruction at age 10. Upon graduating in 1985 from Northern University High School in Cedar Falls, she earned a bachelor’s degree in music in 1989 from the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls. She continued her studies at Indiana University in Bloomington, where in 1991 she earned a master’s degree in music and in 2000 earned a doctorate of music in brass pedagogy. Her trumpet instructors were Keith Johnson and Randy Grabowski of the University of Northern Iowa, and Charles Gorham and Edmund Cord of Indiana University.

Prior to joining “The President’s Own,” Master Gunnery Sgt. Rider performed with the Midland/Odessa Symphony in Texas, the Owensboro Symphony in Kentucky, and the Evansville Philharmonic and Columbus Indiana Philharmonic in Indiana. She also played in the Spoleto Festival USA Orchestra in Charleston, S.C., and was a substitute with the New World Symphony in Miami. In addition to performing, she also taught studio trumpet in Odessa and at Purdue University in Indiana, and was an associate instructor at Indiana University for the brass and music education departments.

Master Gunnery Sgt. Rider has appeared as a Marine Band guest soloist with various groups including the Louisville Male High School Symphonic Band from Kentucky in 2001, and the Atlanta Youth Wind Symphony in 2005, both at the Midwest Clinic in Chicago. She has performed with Monarch Brass at the International Women’s Brass Conferences in Toronto, Canada in 2010 and Cincinnati, Ohio in 2014; the International Trumpet Guild Conference in Columbus, Ohio in 2015; and the International Trombone Festival in New York in 2016. In addition to her musical duties, Master Gunnery Sgt. Rider has served as a Tour Coordinator since 2003, advancing and serving as on-site manager during the band’s annual concert tour.

In this fun and lively discussion, we cover:

• B&B Meat Deli
• Pat Sheridan
• Being nice
• Being from Iowa
• Her grandpa was a stride piano player
• Her Dad and uncles playing music together
• Dad, a career chemist at U of Northern Iowa is making one-man "All Paul" albums at the age of 79
• Wanting to play sax and ending up as a trumpet player
• Jamming with her Dad at a Dixieland festival each year
• Playing and talking about music with her older brother
• The impact of her family and their support of her
• Studying with Keith Johnson at UNI
• Moving on to Indiana University and the influence of Ray Cramer
• Andrew's conducting prowess
• Auditioning in both 1996 and 1997 and the differences between the two auditions
• Working, playing and teaching in Texas before winning the Marine Band gig
• The importance of focus
• Overcoming doubt
• Studying with Ed Cord at IU and never really losing an audition
• Remember when something went well and carry it with you
• Trusting yourself
• Meat-flavored mouthpieces

Links:

• Susan's Marine Band bio page
• Trumpet Blog Article
• Susan Rider in Her Own Words article

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Expertly produced by Will Houchin with love, care, and enthusiasm.