Ladies and Gentlemen:
I am greatly interested in applying for the Jazz/Trumpet Professor position at your school. You will find me a highly qualified and enthusiastic candidate who is eager to share my passion for music with your students. The majority of my professional experience has revolved around education.
First, I am the studio trumpet, jazz ensemble, jazz history, and jazz improvisation instructor at Sonoma State University (Rohnert Park, CA). I have been invited to guest lecture at SSU in jazz composition, jazz arranging and American music history. Also, I currently teach Jazz Appreciation at Santa Rosa Junior College. Each summer session since 2001, I have served as the beginning improvisation instructor at Santa Rosa Junior College. In the spring of 1999, I taught Jazz Combos at SRJC. One of the groups won the 2-year lab combo division at the Pacific Cost Jazz Festival. During the summer of 1996, I also directed a Big Band on the same campus. I have been invited to guest lecture at SRJC in jazz theory/arranging and intermediate improvisation.
Other facets of my musical experience include work as a music copyist and arranger, clinician, and tutor. Five of my jazz trumpet solo transcriptions appear on the bonus disk of the Concord Music Group 2006 rerelease of the Miles Davis 50's Prestige Sessions. During my Graduate Studies, my transcriptions and arrangements of Ellington's Queen's Suite were performed by the Danish National Radio Orchestra. As a jazz clinician, I have offered workshops and conducted rehearsals throughout both Northern and Southern California (over the last 26 years) for students of various ages (on occasion as a representative of Cal-Arts or Berklee College of Music). As an undergraduate at Santa Rosa Junior College, I acted as a music tutor for traditional harmony, ear training, and jazz arranging. I am a member of the International Association for Jazz Education.
I have taught private trumpet lessons for the past 26 years. Many of my students have been placed highly in honor bands and solo competitions or have been scholarship recipients to major colleges and universities. I currently maintain a roster of 20 students and have written numerous articles in the context of my teaching that have been compiled into several books. My teaching is based on a wealth of information gathered from 17 trumpet teachers including Bobby Shew (Buddy Rich, Woody Herman, H. Silver, etc.). I also draw on my experience over the last 2 years at the Northern California Center for the Alexander Technique where I am currently enrolled in a teacher training program under the guidance of George Lister. In my teaching, I use the well-known method books such as Schlossberg, Clarke, and Arban in working to establish a firm fundamental foundation. In addition to working extensively on efficency, coordination, and musical intention, jazz patterns, transcription and articulation, the advanced tunes of John Coltane or Wayne Shorter, for example, can be a part of a private lesson program when appropriate.
In addition to my college background, several factors, I feel, have prepared me to act as a jazz instructor. As a graduate student at Cal-Arts, I had the benefit of performing, studying, and working closely with such well known artists as Charlie Haden, Tootie Heath, James Newton, Red Calendar, and Bobby Shew. Likewise, my diverse range of performance experience in a varitey of styles suggests that I have a broad base of experience, both personal and musical, that I can draw on when teaching. Also, I have a large library of arrangement transcriptions and jazz trumpet solo transcriptions that I use in conjunction with my teaching. I am prepared to make these available to your students and your program if appropriate.
I have personally designed and created 5 websites. I am certain that in this age of science you are interested in having individuals on your faculty that have an understanding of current technology. Every university must now have faculty with computer knowledge in order to function or compete in today's educational market. Should the need arise, I am fully capable of designing web pages to help organize and maintain student records, lecture outlines, and cirriculum. My original site (www.jazztrumpet.com) was selected as the topic for study by the Head of the Technology Committee at a past International Trumpet Guild Convention.
In addition to the comprehensive abilities mentioned above, I have worked as an alumni representative (recruiting) for Berklee College. I also conducted extensive clinics as a graduate student in the LA inner city scholarship "outreach" program. These unique experiences, combined with my college teaching background at SSU and SRJC, I believe, have prepared me for serving students from diverse backgrounds. I hope to talk with you further regarding my qualifications. I am sure you will be pleased with the energy, enthusiasm, and creativity that I can offer your department and students.
Cordially,
Pete Estabrook
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