She Learned the Trumpet Because it Was There

Barb Chickosky considered learning the cello, but ended up with the trumpet, because there was one at her house and a teacher was available. Finding the music within the instrument is "noisy meditation," says Barb.

My story is a variant on the “we climb Mt. Everest because it’s there” story. In my early 50’s, I began wanting to pick up a new instrument, and was seriously considering the cello. I love how it sounds, and had played violin and viola through high school, so it wouldn’t be a huge stretch.

I was also taking my younger son to guitar lessons at a small music school in our town. Every week, I would read or chat with the other moms while I waited for him. At one point, I realized that not only was there a trumpet teacher at the school the same night, we had a trumpet at home.

When a spot opened on the trumpet teacher’s schedule, I took it. I think the gentleman was a little taken aback by this middle-aged mom jumping up from her waiting-room chair, but we started. I could read music already, and was able to make a vaguely trumpet-like sound on the instrument at the start. Nobody would have mistaken me for Wynton, but it was definitely a trumpet!

A few months later, we had a teacher change. This teacher just dug right in.”You want to learn? Ok, here we go.” Let me tell you, this guy is tough! He pushes pretty hard, but all of us have been making progress…

I’ve been at this new adventure for three years, and am completely hooked. I attend trumpet conventions whenever I can, take lessons from teachers in places I visit, and generally annoy my non-playing friends! This is one of the most challenging things I’ve ever done–frustrating and incredible fun at the same time. 

Because trumpet is so physical, and because you completely have to find the notes and music inside first (they aren’t on the piano keys; they’re not on the fingerboard), it’s like a meditation practice, just a noisy one! I stumbled into a life-long joy.

Barb Chickosky
Massachusetts