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Hecht earns spot on U.S. Navy band
By Jim Kilpatrick, Jkilpatrick@acnpapers.com
When Brian Hecht, 24, was younger he dreamed of making his living playing the trombone. Little did he know his dream would be fulfilled in a very unique way.
Hecht joined the U.S. Navy and began basic training Oct. 27 in Great Lakes, Ill., and he is now headed toward finishing his dream.
He said that being in the navy was the last thing he was thinking about when he graduated from Coppell High School in 2003. In fact, he began studying trombone performance at the University of Texas. He earned his bachelor’s degree in bass trombone performance at UT-Austin in 2007.
He now will be serving his country and at the same time fulfill his dream of becoming a professional trombone player.
In August, he earned a bass trombone spot in the United States Navy Band after a series of very competitive auditions.
He first auditioned in May with 35 other bass trombonists and was selected as one of the top four, but then Navy band officials decided not to offer the spot to anyone and to repeat the audition process at a later time.
Hecht auditioned again in August with another 35 bass trombonists. This time he was the one who was selected for the Navy’s premier musical organization of nearly 90 members.
For more than 13 years Hecht has worked hard learning the trombone and that hard work will continue, although not in the same way.
He’ll hardly be able to touch a trombone for at least eight weeks.
“They told me to not even bring my horn,” Hecht said.
He was told, however, a horn would be provided to him for the weekly one-hour rehearsals of the graduation ceremonial band. After rehearsals he gets back to running and doing push-ups.
“I’m actually looking forward to doing the basic training,” Hecht said. “Some military bands do not require members to go through basic training, but the Navy does.”
He looks at the basic training as important to his wearing the navy uniform.
“I’m glad I will be going through basic training so I can hold the right to wear the uniform,” he said.
After completing basic training, Hecht will be stationed in Washington, D.C., where he will be a first class petty officer and will alternate weekly between performing with the concert and ceremonial bands.
“Every experience I’ve had from high school to undergrad through my master’s prepares me for anything they are going to throw at me, whether it is orchestral repertoire, band repertoire or marching,” Hecht said.
Hecht first took up playing the trombone in 1996 when he was in the sixth grade under the guidance of Coppell trombone instructor Jon Bohls. He played the tenor trombone and marched in the CHS Band under the direction of Scott Mason from 1999 to 2003.
He switched to the bass trombone at the end of his sophomore year in college.
“I am really thankful for the teachers I had who pushed me to keep it up,” Hecht said.
He added that he remembered Mr. Mason sometimes being hard on his students.
“I feel like everything was necessary,” Hecht said. “I wouldn’t be the player or person I am today if it weren’t for Mr. Bohls and Mr. Mason.”
He said the major part of his success is due to Bohls.
“I credit a lot of my success of just where I am today to Mr. Bohls and the amazing teacher that he is and the amazing player that he is,” Hecht said. “I wouldn’t have been able to have the concept of sound in my head without him being such a great musician. It really helped that he was able to play for us in all of our lessons.”
Bohls, who still teaches trombone to Coppell middle and high school students, was proud of Hecht’s accomplishment.
“It shows that lots of dedication and hard work do pay off,” Bohls said.
Bohls taught Hecht for seven years and remembered Hecht in his first year of trombone, but nothing stood out, although he was one of the better players in middle school.
“It wasn't until his senior year in high school that he decided that he wanted to become a really good player. He made All-State that year,” Bohls said. “After that, he decided to go to the University of Texas as a trombone major.”
“He has worked hard to get where he is today,” Bohls added.
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