Armando Ghitalla
Encyclopedia
Armando Ghitalla was an American orchestral trumpet
er. He studied at the Juilliard School
, and performed in the New York City Opera
, the New York City Ballet
, and the Houston Symphony. He was a member of the Boston Symphony Orchestra
for twenty eight years, and served as principal trumpet (succeeding Roger Voisin
) for fifteen. He was also active as a soloist, and was the first trumpeter to record the Trumpet Concerto in E by Johann Nepomuk Hummel
.
Ghitalla was born in Alpha, Illinois
, and his family moved to Knoxville, Illinois
, shortly after he was born. At age 8, he decided he wanted to play the trumpet. He graduated from Knoxville High School
in 1942 and entered the U.S. Navy a year later. He played trumpet in a Navy dance band
and never went overseas. After the war, he used the G.I. Bill to enroll in Juilliard School of Music in New York City.
He served on the faculties of Boston University
, the New England Conservatory, the Hartt School of Music at the University of Hartford
, the Tanglewood Music Center
and the University of Michigan
. At the time of his death, he was on the faculty of the Shepherd School of Music
at Rice University
.
A CD of his final recordings was released by Bridge Records
in August 2007. It includes concertos by William P. Perry
, Amilcare Ponchielli
, Johann Melchior Molter
and Oskar Böhme
.
Mr. Ghitalla was a great mentor to many trumpeters including Tim Morrison, Rolf Smedvig, Peter Chapman, Wynton Marsalis
, Randell Croley, and countless others. Mr. Ghitalla's unique way of single tonguing was called "anchor tonguing" and was very similar to the tonguing style called "K Tongue Modified" by Claude Gordon
and used by Herbert L. Clarke
.
He was a National Patron of Delta Omicron
, an international professional music fraternity.
Trumpet
The trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
er. He studied at the Juilliard School
Juilliard School
The Juilliard School, located at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City, United States, is a performing arts conservatory which was established in 1905...
, and performed in the New York City Opera
New York City Opera
The New York City Opera is an American opera company located in New York City.The company, called "the people's opera" by New York Mayor Fiorello La Guardia, was founded in 1943 with the aim of making opera financially accessible to a wide audience, producing an innovative choice of repertory, and...
, the New York City Ballet
New York City Ballet
New York City Ballet is a ballet company founded in 1948 by choreographer George Balanchine and Lincoln Kirstein. Leon Barzin was the company's first music director. Balanchine and Jerome Robbins are considered the founding choreographers of the company...
, and the Houston Symphony. He was a member of the Boston Symphony Orchestra
Boston Symphony Orchestra
The Boston Symphony Orchestra is an orchestra based in Boston, Massachusetts. It is one of the five American orchestras commonly referred to as the "Big Five". Founded in 1881, the BSO plays most of its concerts at Boston's Symphony Hall and in the summer performs at the Tanglewood Music Center...
for twenty eight years, and served as principal trumpet (succeeding Roger Voisin
Roger Voisin
Roger Louis Voisin was a French-born American classical trumpeter. In 1959, The New York Times called him "one of the best-known trumpeters in this country."-Performing career:...
) for fifteen. He was also active as a soloist, and was the first trumpeter to record the Trumpet Concerto in E by Johann Nepomuk Hummel
Johann Nepomuk Hummel
Johann Nepomuk Hummel or Jan Nepomuk Hummel was an Austrian composer and virtuoso pianist. His music reflects the transition from the Classical to the Romantic musical era.- Life :...
.
Ghitalla was born in Alpha, Illinois
Alpha, Illinois
Alpha is a village in Henry County, Illinois, United States. The population was 671 at the 2010 census, down from 726 at the 2000 census.-History:...
, and his family moved to Knoxville, Illinois
Knoxville, Illinois
Knoxville is a city in Knox County, Illinois, United States. The population was 3,183 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Galesburg Micropolitan Statistical Area.-Description:Knoxville is located just southeast of the City of Galesburg...
, shortly after he was born. At age 8, he decided he wanted to play the trumpet. He graduated from Knoxville High School
Knoxville High School (Illinois)
Knoxville High School, or KHS, is a public four-year high school located at 600 E. Main Street in Knoxville, Illinois, a small city of Knox County, Illinois, in the Midwestern United States. KHS is part of Knoxville Community Unit School District 202, which also includes Knoxville Junior High...
in 1942 and entered the U.S. Navy a year later. He played trumpet in a Navy dance band
Dance band
Dance band can be one of several kinds of musical ensemble:* British dance band* Dansband, a Swedish pop genre* A Eurodance band...
and never went overseas. After the war, he used the G.I. Bill to enroll in Juilliard School of Music in New York City.
He served on the faculties of Boston University
Boston University
Boston University is a private research university located in Boston, Massachusetts. With more than 4,000 faculty members and more than 31,000 students, Boston University is one of the largest private universities in the United States and one of Boston's largest employers...
, the New England Conservatory, the Hartt School of Music at the University of Hartford
University of Hartford
The University of Hartford is a private, independent, nonsectarian, coeducational university located in West Hartford, Connecticut. The degree programs at the University of Hartford hold the highest levels of accreditation available in the US, including the Engineering Accreditation Commission of...
, the Tanglewood Music Center
Tanglewood Music Center
The Tanglewood Music Center is an annual summer music academy in Lenox, Massachusetts, United States, in which emerging professional musicians participate in performances, master classes and workshops designed to provide an intense training and networking experience...
and the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
. At the time of his death, he was on the faculty of the Shepherd School of Music
Shepherd School of Music
The Shepherd School of Music is a university school of music located on the campus of Rice University in Houston, Texas. Shepherd School is itself very selective, accepting overall about 10-15% of all graduate applicants and 15% of all undergraduate applicants...
at Rice University
Rice University
William Marsh Rice University, commonly referred to as Rice University or Rice, is a private research university located on a heavily wooded campus in Houston, Texas, United States...
.
A CD of his final recordings was released by Bridge Records
Bridge Records, Inc.
Bridge Records, Inc. is an independent record label based in New Rochelle, New York that specializes in 20th century classical music. Its president is Becky Starobin...
in August 2007. It includes concertos by William P. Perry
William P. Perry
William P. Perry is an American composer and television producer.-Life and career:Born in Elmira, New York in 1930, he attended Harvard University and studied with Paul Hindemith, Walter Piston, and Randall Thompson...
, Amilcare Ponchielli
Amilcare Ponchielli
Amilcare Ponchielli was an Italian composer, largely of operas.-Biography:Born in Paderno Fasolaro, now Paderno Ponchielli, near Cremona, Ponchielli won a scholarship at the age of nine to study music at the Milan Conservatory, writing his first symphony by the time he was ten years old.Two years...
, Johann Melchior Molter
Johann Melchior Molter
Johann Melchior Molter was a German baroque composer and violinist.He was born at Tiefenort, near Eisenach, and was educated at the Gymnasium in Eisenach. By autumn 1717 he had left Eisenach and was working as a violinist in Karlsruhe. Here he married Maria Salome Rollwagen, with whom he had eight...
and Oskar Böhme
Oskar Böhme
Oskar Böhme was a German composer and trumpeter.- Life :Oskar Böhme, a son of Wilhelm Böhme, also a trumpeter, was born in Potschappel, a small town near Dresden, Germany...
.
Mr. Ghitalla was a great mentor to many trumpeters including Tim Morrison, Rolf Smedvig, Peter Chapman, Wynton Marsalis
Wynton Marsalis
Wynton Learson Marsalis is a trumpeter, composer, bandleader, music educator, and Artistic Director of Jazz at Lincoln Center. Marsalis has promoted the appreciation of classical and jazz music often to young audiences...
, Randell Croley, and countless others. Mr. Ghitalla's unique way of single tonguing was called "anchor tonguing" and was very similar to the tonguing style called "K Tongue Modified" by Claude Gordon
Claude Gordon
Claude Gordon, the "King of Brass", was a trumpet virtuoso, band director, educator, lecturer, and author. He was born on April 15, 1916 in Helena, Montana. His father was a clarinet soloist as well as an orchestral director. Claude's mother was a concert pianist...
and used by Herbert L. Clarke
Herbert L. Clarke
Herbert Lincoln Clarke was a well-known American cornet player, feature soloist, bandmaster, and composer....
.
He was a National Patron of Delta Omicron
Delta Omicron
Delta Omicron is a co-ed international professional music honors fraternity whose mission is to promote and support excellence in music and musicianship.-History:...
, an international professional music fraternity.