Hayato Tanaka, principal trumpet, makes his TSO solo debut with Tamberg’s Trumpet Concerto No. 1. as part of the 4th Masterworks concert of the season, Haydn’s Symphony No. 104. Tanaka joined the trumpet section in 2017 as third trumpet and quickly won the principal position the very next season.
For Tanaka the experience of performing as a soloist compared to performing as principal trumpet grants more freedom of expression. “Orchestral trumpet parts are usually very fragmented, I have to fit into the ensemble and the context of the bigger picture. For this concert I will be playing the soloist, it gives me the liberty to express and make every phrase more personal throughout the whole piece.” Although the experience is different, Tanaka’s approach to music stays the same. “I start with collecting as many different recordings as possible, listen to what each performance had to offer as I look at the score and my part, and after understanding the intention of every phrase/timing/transition etc. then I start working on the playing. Going through each section, if I find any challenges I break them apart by going back to the fundamentals to understand my inconsistencies/habits so I can be aware and avoid them.”
“From the first moment I listened to Hayato´s playing I was struck not only by his talent and command of the instrument but also by his fantastic musicality, passion, and dedication! He is a strong pillar of our brass section and of all the TSO. I am so happy and proud of sharing the stage with him this time as a soloist with the interesting and technically demanding trumpet concerto written by Estonian composer Eino Tamberg. I have a special connection to Estonian composers through my mentor and teacher the internationally known Estonian conductor Paavo Järvi and so I can’t wait for our audiences to experience this music and Hayato´s brilliant trumpet playing!”
– Maestro José Luis Gomez
When asked if performing as a soloist with his TSO colleagues in a familiar venue makes the experience easier, he replied. “I don’t know that familiarity makes it easy, but it definitely helps to not have to spend time adjusting to certain acoustics etc. Since my place usually is in the back of the orchestra and other than the percussion section and the conductor, I don’t catch anyone’s eyes. I’m honored to be in front of my colleagues and get to work together this way.”
TSO returns to Green Valley for Haydn’s Symphony No. 104! The concert on Friday, February 2 will be held at Valley Presbyterian Church in Green Valley. The Saturday, February 3 and Sunday, February 4 performances take place at Catalina Foothills High School Auditorium. Visit the concert page for tickets and more information.
