CLAUDE GORDON

Dr Claude Gordon taught in our Saratoga store for 8 years.

About 1986 I approached Claude about his teaching not being taught as he taught it by students of his. 

Claude started a class in the correct teaching of brasses at our Saratoga store. It was a one year course taught one Friday evening per month for a year.

Claude had been teaching for 13 years, one week a month in Larry Souza's great store on the Peninsula and Claude came to our store at the end of that week to teach the course. The next month Larry lost his lease and we had the honor to have Claude teaching in our store the class and all of his Northern California students for the next 8 years.

BIO:

Claude Gordon (April 5, 1916 - May 16, 1996) Grew up in Helena Montana.  He grew up playing cornet in his familie's band, played as a soloist in his high school band at age 8, and in his family orchestra. They were the staff orchestra for a local radio station.

At 19 he traveled to Los Angeles to study with Herbert L Clarke from 1936 to 1945. As a studio trumpet player he did the sound tracks for such shows as I Love Lucy, Gunsmoke, Amos and Andy, and The Untouchables. Dr Gordon also played First Trumpet for the Orson Welles nationwide live radio broadcasts. His big Band won the national contest as the best new big band about 1959 for two years.

Claude came out with at least 9 books on brass playing and annotated proper editions of both the Arban's and St Jacome's books. Clarke, who wrote 4 books had told Claude to take it further. (As Claude also said to me).

Quotes:

• "Big breath, chest up!"
• "Hit it hard, and wish it well."
• "Brass playing is no harder than deep breathing."
• "Watch the tongue."
• " The air does the work. The toungue determines the pitch."
• "The air does the work. The tongue channels the pitch."
• "Let the air save your lip."
• "Let the air do the work."
• "Rest as much as you play."
• "Lift fingers high, strike valves hard."
• "Don't stop where I have, but go further."
• "You could have a lip strong enough to lift that piano and still not be able to play a low C!"

Watch this section for more information about Dr Gordon and his teaching.