Tom Halter
Teaching Philosophy
Through my own professional experience and over fourteen year of teaching trumpet, I’ve discovered that regardless of the style, there are certain basic physical elements that every student must master. This applies to everything from Jazz and Latin Jazz, to Mariachi, Ethiopian, Salsa, and Classical. Before a student can truly enjoy him or herself on the instrument, they must do the foundation work to remove the physical obstacles of manipulating the instrument in order to express themselves with ease and fluency. As a teacher, I’ve learned to use a variety of approaches in order to effectively communicate the principles in a way that will resonate best with each individual personality. Success builds on success, bringing enjoyment, motivation, and enriching musical experiences that will last a lifetime.
Biography
Tom’s creative journey in Boston began in 1979 and has since spanned jazz, rock, salsa, and mariachi music in the Greater Boston Area. As the leader of the improvisational chamber group Gate 5 and musical director for Mariachi Mexamerica and Grupo Panamericano, Tom has showcased his versatility and leadership. His 16-year tenure with the Either/Orchestra, featured on all their recordings and performances, further underscores his musical prowess.
Tom’s impressive performance credits include collaborations with Morphine, Throwing Muses, Cab Calloway, the Four Tops, Juliana Hatfield, Joe and Mat Maneri, Club D’Elf, and Ran Blake, among others. His musical journey began in Denver and flourished in Las Vegas, where he played in house bands backing renowned artists like Wayne Newton, Ginger Rogers, Robert Goulet, and Bobbie Gentry while attending the University of Nevada at Las Vegas.
Throughout his career, Tom has sought to deepen his musical knowledge, studying trumpet with Walter Blanton and John Carlson, improvisation with Ralph Towner, Paul McCandless, Ran Blake, George Russell, and Jerry Bergonzi, and theory and composition with Joe Maneri. This rich educational background informs his teaching approach at Braintree Public Schools and Cambridge Public Schools. A valued member of the Brookline Music School faculty since 2001, Tom brings his wealth of performance experience and musical expertise to inspire and guide the next generation of musicians.
Degrees
B.M., Music Performance, University of Nevada at Las Vegas