Erico Fonseca Interview

1.Can you tell us about the beginning of your music career? When and how did you learn to play the trumpet?

First of all, I congratulate Mr. Görkem Çavuş for his great project, TrumpetBand.com. I started in a amateur wind band near Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. I was 11 years old and played there from 1994 until 1999.

2. Can you tell us about your experiences such as serving as assistant principal trumpet of the Minas Gerais Philharmonic Orchestra and participating in chamber music projects?

I work in Minas Gerais, Brazil, since 2008. Being an associate principal trumpeter with a professional symphony orchestra allows me to have my academic and teaching career, playing solo and doing recordings. It's not as challenging as being principal trumpet but I have possibilities to feature my playing in great masterpieces of music. And we also have an official brass quintet of the orchestra which gives me, sometimes, the opportunity to expose myself as a chamber musician.

3. What was the experience of representing Engelmam Mouthpieces and what did you learn during this process?

It was great! Mr. Reginaldo Engelman is a competent maker and I still use some of his stuff. Together, we created mouthpieces for trumpet and cornet. My complete equipment is on that link: https://www.ericofonseca.com/equipamento?lang=en.

4. You have performed in many countries on the international stage. What is the value of making music in these different cultures?

I love meeting music enthusiasts around the world. For my academic career, it's very important to travel for masterclasses, workshops, lectures, concerts and recitals. I wish to be invited more and more to show what I have to share as a trumpet player and professor of music. I also wish to invite trumpeters and professors in my own institution.

5. What were your biggest challenges in music education and what were the strategies you used to overcome these challenges?

Actually, after the pandemics and a federal government that didn't support culture and education, I felt that lots of young people don't want to study a music instrument. That's sad... People are getting more and more addicted to technology (social networks and smartphones). I love music and also technology. My challenge is to help people using their gadgets for music learning and performing. That's why I produce dozens and dozens of videos and audiovisual didactical contents on my online course, hosted in my website ericofonseca.com.

6. What advice would you give to young musicians and students to succeed in their careers?

I would give lots of advice:

- Find yourself a good and trustable teacher and develop a profound master/pupil relationship;

- Adopt your teacher as a reference but keep having masterclasses with great trumpet players;

- Make a lot of music with ensembles: duo with piano or other trumpeters, brass quintet, big band, wind band and orchestras;

- Learn music theory, harmony, improvisation, music history and become an open mind artist;

- Music is supposed to be diverse and we have to accept the best opportunities, independently of the style of music you wish to perform;

- Read texts about music and trumpet;

- Be respectful and tolerant with teachers, colleagues and leaders.

7. Can you share with us an unforgettable memory from your music career?

I could say a lot about that. But here are some of my highlights:

1999 - I got a scholarship which allowed to study in Switzerland;

2003 - My graduating year, I won first prize in a competition by Yamaha Music Foundation for Europe, I had one week masterclass with Maurice André and Hakan Hardenberger as an active participant;

2008 - Beginning of my career as an orchestral player in my own country, Brazil;

2012 - I became a professor of trumpet and music in the university;

2022 - My doctorate of music.

8. Can you inform us about your future projects or plans? What do you hope to do in the music world in the future?

I wish to explore the findings of my doctoral research. And also organizing my practice and my teaching; having more contact with artists and trumpeters around the world; composing, performing and recording my own music and sharing it on my online course, YouTube and social networks. Actually I am writing music for trumpet beginners. You can hear it on your favorite music streamer: https://ericofonseca.hearnow.com. The e-books are available on my website and you can practice reading and hearing the playbacks through my online course!

Thanks for the opportunity to share a bit of my job with you guys!