For this episode, I'm thrilled to announce that I am joining the roster of LOTUS artists, and to talk about this beautiful instrument, the LOTUS Silver Flare.

When I went to the ITG conference this year, I was hoping to find a horn for which I had an IMPOSSIBLE wish list.

I wanted:

1) Tone colors. A HUGE variety of easily accessed tone colors, from almost–flugelhorn to sizzling, shouting intensity.

2) Upper register. An upper register that was freer, more present, with clear slots.

3) Dexterity. A horn that felt EASY to move around very quickly . . . one where I could play out into the center and simply trust that it would go where I wanted.

4) Connection. I wanted to feel more immediacy between my voice and the horn . . . I was tired of feeling like my horn was two steps removed from me.

5) Singing. I wanted a horn where I could focus on the song and feel, not on trumpet technique.

6) Presence. I wanted a horn whose tone felt more present in the space . . . not so localized.

Truly, I did not expect to find a horn that met all these wishes.

But I did :-)