Professional Documents
Culture Documents
ITG Interviews
ITG Interviews
F
rank Kaderabek was born in 1929 in Chicago, JR: Did you come from a musical family?
Illinois. His parents were Czechoslovakian FK: No. My father was a butcher by trade, and
immigrants who came to the United States he had a tough life. I was an only child and origi-
in 1921. During his 42-year career he performed with nally wanted to play the violin. In fact to this day,
orchestras in Dallas, Chicago, most of the music I listen to is
Detroit, and Philadelphia. He will either violin or opera. I feel it
be remembered as a great helps a lot in the development of
contributor to the art of trumpeting phrasing.
with his own unique style of JR: What sold you on playing
performance. the trumpet as a child?
His legacy will remain in re- FK: We had a friend of the fam-
cordings that are models for fu- ily who played trumpet in local
ture generations and will continue polka bands. As a little kid I
through his students. On behalf of watched him play always red in
all his former students, I would the face and I thought, “Gee it
like to express gratitude to Frank can’t be that hard!” Of course at
for his professional and personal the time I didn’t know his ruddy
inspiration. complexion came from drinking
The following interview took more than he should!
place a few weeks before Frank’s JR: Who was your first trum-
retirement as principal trumpet of pet teacher?
the Philadelphia Orchestra in Sep- FK: Well, I grew up in a Czech
tember 1995. He now resides with community near Chicago and my
his wife Mary on their farm in first teacher was a family friend
Berks County, Pennsylvania and is who would come to the house for
active as a recitalist and clinician. lessons. We all spoke Czechoslo-
He also is trumpet instructor at vakian. In fact, I learned Czech
the Curtis Institute of Music. before I spoke English. He played
piano, violin, and other instru-
JR: How do you feel about your ments. This was in 1938 at the
retirement as principal trumpet height of the depression. He sold
with the Philadelphia Orchestra? my father an old Courtois trum-
FK: I’m really looking forward pet with the A key on it for $40
to it. First, I’ve been blessed with and told me to put my lips to-
a wonderful career that’s spanned gether and smile. That’s the way
42 years playing with symphony I’ve played ever since! I was basi-
orchestras. I started out as first Frank Kaderabek (high school 1947) cally taught the old school of
trumpet with the Dallas Sym- stretching the lips back for the
phony as a young kid just out of West Point. After upper register and tensing the diaphragm. We know
five seasons in Dallas, I went to Chicago and played this now to be incorrect.
eight seasons as associate principal with the Chicago When I turned 17, my high school (Cicero, IL) had
Symphony Orchestra (CSO) under Fritz Reiner and a wonderful music program. They would bring play-
Jean Martinon. My next stop was principal trumpet ers from the CSO to coach the students. It was then
with the Detroit Symphony for nine seasons and then that I studied with Edward Masacek and played in a
principal trumpet with the Philadelphia Orchestra lot of dance bands. Ed was an excellent teacher and
beginning in 1975. After 42 years of work it will be would really tear things apart during my lessons. He
nice to have some time to relax and enjoy the non- was the first to teach me transposition and the Clarke
hectic environment of a 52-week season! solos.
Adolph Herseth,
Adolph Scherbaum,
Frank Kaderabek,
& Vincent Cichowicz
(Chicago, 1964)