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| LifeTuesday, March 6, 2007 10:52 AM CST |
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On the road
Area trumpeter working with Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra
He didn't read Korean. He had been pursuing graduate school, and he had no plan to work overseas. But plans can change when the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra calls with a job offer. He realized that youth afforded him latitude in life plans. "Especially at my age," he reflected, "I had nothing to lose." At 22, the Normal-raised Holbrook packed last summer for Korea to become principal trumpet for the SPO. He misses regularly seeing his girlfriend, who lives near San Francisco, and he misses Mexican food, watching Bears games and playing midnight Mass at Holy Trinity with keyboardist Gloria Smith. These are acceptable sacrifices, for now at least, when working in a group whose stated goal is to become a world powerhouse for traditional and modern classical music. It is a fulfillment of a pursuit that started in grade school. By band camp after his freshman year at University High School, he knew he was good enough to become a professional trumpet player. When he was accepted into the prestigious Julliard School, he knew he would make that happen. In terms of first jobs, it would be hard to match, said Holbrook, and he likes to think of himself representing, by extension, the people who got him there. That debt is acknowledged in annual recitals here. (See accompanying item for details for his Feb. 18 recital in Normal.) He thinks of teachers Joe Burzinski and Michael Ewald; accompanist Smith; the music programs at Metcalf Grade School and University High School and the youth symphonies and conductors based in Bloomington-Normal, Peoria and Chicago. His parents, Tom and Cathy Holbrook, encouraged his pursuit of arts and drove him to Chicago on weekends during his senior year in high school to enable him to play for one of the nation's best youth symphonies. His brother Tim makes the credits for selling him his first trumpet -- for 28 cents. Tim was in eighth grade; Jeff was three years behind. Tim wanted to quit playing trumpet. He thought by selling the instrument he could stop playing it. He offered it to Jeff for however much money he had at the moment, which was 28 cents. "For my parents, it worked out perfectly. They didn't have to buy a new instrument," Tim Holbrook said. But from there, Jeff gave the required energy, said Tim. "He had tremendous focus. Talent is one thing. Translating that into performance really requires the focus he honed." Part of the lure to the Seoul Philharmonic was the audition location: 17 floors below Jeff's dorm room at Julliard as spring graduation approached. Even then, he didn't know much about the orchestra and could find few articles on the Internet written in English. What he did find described an orchestra on its way up but with accompanying turmoil. The Seoul city government three years ago determined that the Seoul Philharmonic, South Korea's most regarded orchestra, should be world-class. It bought out the orchestra, added staff, improved salaries and recruited Myung-Whun Chung as musical director and conductor. He is perhaps the greatest maestro of Korean descent on the planet. But musicians protested as they were forced to re-audition for their jobs. A third of them were rejected, according to one press account. Holbrook hears the figure was 40 percent. International auditioning followed. Holbrook, now 23, is among about a dozen foreigners but is the youngest member of the orchestra. One of his subordinates in the four-person trumpet section, Jee Hua Lee, not only is twice his age but also used to have his job. Lee was demoted during the orchestra's overhaul. Holbrook didn't know what sort of treatment to expect, and he said there is lingering bitterness. But he said he senses none of it directed at him personally. Of Lee, he said: "He treats me like a son figure. I don't know what resentments he holds inside." Language presents a barrier that can be overcome. The rehearsals are in English and Holbrook has learned how to read Korean characters and enough words to get around. He has drawn close to second trumpet Young Huan Lee, and they help each other muddle through their non-native tongues. They find that they also speak two common languages: • The jargon of music, laced with Italian words and phrases. • The language of the music itself. "He knows exactly what I want. No words need to be said," said Holbrook. "Through my horn and in basic terms, I'm able to convey." Social communication has been more challenging. "Sometimes," he said, "we smile because we can't say what we want to say." RecitalWho: Classical trumpet player Jeff Holbrook with accompanist Gloria Smith When: 3 p.m. Feb. 18 Where: First Presbyterian Church of Normal, 2000 E. College Ave., Normal Cost: The event is free and open to the general public. E-mail this story | Print this story | Search archives | RSS Show comments |  Hide comments | Hide comments on all stories |
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