John Bourque
John Bourque, originally from New England, holds a Bachelor of Music in Trumpet Performance and a Master of Music in Teaching from the Oberlin Conservatory of Music. He has performed with orchestras across the U.S. and Canada, including the Virginia Symphony, and has taught students from beginner to university level.
In 1998, John moved to Malaysia as a founding member of the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra. Since 2017, he has focused on teaching, working in international schools in Phnom Penh and Desa Park City.
Now semi-retired, John works as a freelance performer and educator in the Kuala Lumpur area. He is currently developing his jazz skills and lives near KLCC with his Malaysian wife and their two cats.
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Not really a moment but more of an immersion in music from an early age. Musicians go back many generations on my father’s side so music was always around. Being active in high school programs, community bands, youth orchestras, brass quintets with friends and such always pointed me in the direction of music. A few “wow” moments stand out: hearing Maurice Andre live when I was in high school and hearing my uncle (a fantastic trumpeter and my first teacher) soloing with the community band still echo.
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No, the field is far too big. By eras: the Bach Brandenburg concerti (especially #2 of course) and the cello suites. The Mozart Requiem and Beethoven symphonies (especially 6 and 7). The Brahms symphonies and first Serenade, Mahler symphonies 2, 3, 5 and 9. Bruckner 6, 7 and 9, Prokofiev 5, Rachmaninov 2, Bartok Concerto for Orchestra, Stravinsky ballets, John Adams Short Ride in a Fast Machine…and so many more.
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I like the late Romantic / early 20th century repertoire. I prefer being a section player rather than a principal so I feel happiest and most at home in the beefy, supporting roles of 2nd, 3rd or 4th trumpet on large works; Bruckner, Mahler, Strauss, Shostakovich, etc.
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When I was in the US, my orchestra (The Virginia Symphony) played a concert in Carnegie Hall. With the MPO I’ve played in major halls in Australia, Singapore, Vietnam, Korea, China, Japan and Taiwan. Those types of performances resonate with any musician, feeling like an “arrival” in a way. And playing in the MPO with Lorin Maazel as guest conductor was pretty special.
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Since I’m a trumpeter, my hero is Wynton Marsalis. The guy can do anything! Growing up I was always listening to recordings of Maurice Andre, Edward Tarr, Gerard Schwartz. Taking lessons with Charles Geyer and Gene Young were inspiring as well.
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It’s strange but the parallels between golf and trumpet playing keep surprising me. It’s not the mistakes but the recovery which defines you. Consistency and focus are very important. Hitting it as hard as you can is not always the best tactic. And my favorite golf quote: “the harder I practice, the luckier I get.”
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Nothing unique, it’s all pretty mainstream. I’ll also make sure to incorporate upcoming challenges into my warm up and practicing. If a piece has tricky transpositions, unusual intervals, multiple tonguing or range demands (high or low) I’ll make sure to construct exercises which incorporate those demands.
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Nothing specific but I’m working on my jazz playing and want to do more with that. Even if it’s just playing a few standards in a small club it’s a challenging and fun direction I want to explore.
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The same frustrations everyone has in any job. But in your life you need to let the music itself be the healing factor. You’re participating in the creation of some of the finest art ever made. The art itself, and your obligation and responsibility to the performance far overshadows petty day to day stuff.
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Play, play, play. Find local ensembles to join or form your own. Perform as much as possible. Even playing duets on a street corner counts; just get out there.
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Having fun and encouraging curiosity. Engagement before information.
