The TLM Team
Ralph Schwartz, author
Patti Arntz, editor
- Education
- Professional Experience
- Recordings
- More about Ralph
Education
New York
Minnesota
- Attended St. Olaf College in Northfield, MN and graduated with a performance major in trumpet in 1973.
- Studied with Ron Hasselmann of the Minnesota Orchestra.
- Attended Interlochen Music Camp and studied with Leon Rapier.
- Auditioned and received a full scholarship from the Manhattan School of Music for the Master’s Program.
- Studied with William Vacchianno and Melvin Broiles.
- Graduated with a MM in Trumpet Performance in 1975.
- Greenwich Philharmonia – Principal
- Stamford Symphony – Principal
- American Symphony Orchestra 1 & 3
- Orchestra of our Time – recording “Four Saints in Three Acts”, solo tpt.
- Musica Aeterna Orchestra
- Vermont Mozart Festival
- Music from Marlborough – Principal
- Little Orchestra Society of New York
- Carimore Festival Orchestra
- Metropolitan Opera Orchestra (on & off-stage extra)
- Goldman Band – 1st and SOLOIST
- On and Off-Broadway shows and tours.
- Commercial recordings, jingles and movie soundtracks.
- Minnesota Opera – Principal
- Minnesota Orchestra -extra & sub
- St. Paul Chamber Orchestra – extra & sub
- Philomusica Chamber Orchestra – Principal
- Plymouth Music Series Festival Orchestra – Principal
- Lorie Line/Pop Chamber Orchestra – solo trumpet, Recordings and Tours
- Bach Society
- Touring Shows – Ordway Music Theatre
- Touring Ballet Companies – Principal
- Commercial Recordings
- 1st Bugler – Canterbury Downs
- North Shore Brass Quintet
Recordings
J.J. Charpentier’s “Prelude to a Te Deum” was recorded at the Basilica of St. Mary, Minneapolis, MN, as a part of a wedding collection provided to prospective brides and grooms. Kim Kasling, Organist, accompanies Ralph in this recording.
A theme from “Jupiter from The Planets” by Gustav Holst was recorded at the Basilica of St. Mary in Minneapolis as a part of the wedding collection. Kim Kasling, Organist Emeritus, is the accompanist. Ralph is playing the selection on a flugelhorn.
The virtuoso solo, “La Virgen de la Macarena” composed by Monterde and made famous by Rafael Mendez, was recorded live at St. Olaf College in Northfield, MN in October 1989. Ralph was featured as the guest soloist for the St. Olaf Band Homecoming Concert.
“Fanfare to Joy” is an exhilarating track from Lorie Line and her Pop Chamber Orchestra CD, Heart & Soul, released in 1995, featuring Ralph playing both Trumpet 1 and 2. This recording is used by permission from Lorie Line Music, www.lorieline.com
“Variations on Carnival of Venice”, was arranged for trumpet by Herbert L. Clark/Arban. This live performance was recorded at St. Olaf College, Northfield, MN in October 1989. Ralph was featured as the guest soloist for the St. Olaf Band Concert.
As a sophomore at Big Sandy High School, Ralph submitted this recording as an application for a scholarship to the Summer Fine Arts Camp at the University of Montana, Spring 1967.
Ralph can be heard as the solo trumpet on the recording of Virgil Thomson’s opera, “Four Saints in Three Acts”, released in 1982. The opera was performed at Carnegie Hall, November 13, 1981.
The “Prelude from the Suite in D Major” by G. F. Handel was recorded at the Basilica of St. Mary in Minneapolis in 1997 as a part of the wedding collection. Kim Kasling is the organist.
More about Ralph Schwartz
Ralph Schwartz (1951-2007), originally from Big Sandy, Montana, spent most of his professional career as a freelance trumpeter in New York City and the Twin Cities area in Minnesota. His versatility allowed him to perform in a variety of venues, as an on and off stage extra for the Metropolitan Opera to soloist for the Goldman Band. In Minnesota, Ralph played a variety of "gigs" ranging from Principal Trumpet with the Minnesota Opera to extra work with the Minnesota Orchestra and St. Paul Chamber Orchestra. In addition, Ralph taught at St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota as well as Gustaus Adolphus College in St. Peter, Minnesota. He toured with Lorie Line and can be heard on several recordings.
Ralph earned a BM degree from St. Olaf College in 1973, studying with Ron Hasselmann of the Minnesota Orchestra. Accepting a full scholarship to the Manhattan School of Music, Ralph moved to New York City to continue his studies with William Vacchiano and Mel Broiles. He remained in New York City after graduation and rose to prominence as a freelance trumpeter. Based on his own education and over 25 years of performing, Ralph decided to write a trumpet method for musicians who might want to meet new challenges in their playing. He called it "moving the wall".
With his extensive experience in performing, superb technical playing abilities and passion for teaching, in 2001, Ralph began to create a massive treatise for playing the trumpet. He dedicated his days and nights to working on this method. It was his goal to pass along his insights into the production of sound on the trumpet. He passed away in 2007 before he could fully realize his dream of publishing his method. It sat in a basement for several years and now, twenty years later, his family has decided that it is time to release this outstanding method to the world of trumpet players.
When Ralph wasn’t practicing or performing, he had a paintbrush in his hand. He loved to create watercolor paintings that depicted his early years in Montana. He also had a fascination for seasonal colors in Minnesota. Several of his paintings can be seen as the illustrations for the chapters of Trumpet and the Language of Music. Ralph was able to share his vision of colors not only in his paintings, but in the art of playing the trumpet. He is survived by his children, Melani and Kyle, who are now accomplished musicians as well and active in the Twin Cities music scene.
Patti Arntz, editor
Patti Arntz is the former wife of Ralph Schwartz, the author/composer of Trumpet and the Language of Music (TLM). During the many stages of the development of this substantial method, Patti was involved with editing and advising throughout the writing process. She is a musician as well with degrees in music performance and education. After Ralph’s death in 2007, the method was stored to be published at a later date. Ralph left behind several pages with detailed notes about the method. Combined with these notes and a clear memory of it’s purpose, she has taken on the task of publishing this extraordinary method. With the 20th anniversary of its writing, the time has come to launch this thorough and engaging trumpet method.