Under director Max Jones’s wing since marching for him in high school, Scott Spradling felt a filial loyalty to Max—and like the oldest child in the “family business.” Sardonic and demanding, his high brass was the most polished section in the band.

scott spradling
associate director
high brass

“Spradling focused his section’s attention that week on ‘Lucretia MacEvil,’ a rock-and-roll tune they’d play at State Fair. ‘Lucretia’ was a classic example of what Spradling called the ‘higher, faster, louder’ school of trumpet playing. The song was meant to be played loud, going to louder; its rapid pace and off-beat staccatos and accents supplied its musical interest; and the first and second trumpet parts eventually reached above high C, the holy grail of young trumpet players.

Spradling told them, ‘You need to start looking at something other than the notes.’ He worked with them on articulation, had them sing the rhythm and finger the notes on their horns while they sang. Five times he had them play the passage. Five times he offered pointed, wise-cracking feedback: ‘If you were working at the drive-through, we couldn’t understand anything you were saying.’ ‘Thanks for playing nice, friendly notes, just like all of you. Now play them how they’re written.’”