Vassily Brandt

Karl Wilhelm (Vasily Georgievich) Brandt (Willi Brandt) (1869–1923) was a German-Russian trumpeter, pedagogue, and composer. He was born and educated in Coburg, and after a period of working alternatively in the spa orchestra in Bad Oeynhausen and in Helsinki, he moved to Russia.[1]

He became principal trumpet of the Bolshoi Theater in 1890 and became first cornet in 1903. He succeeded Theodor Richter (1826–1901) as the trumpet professor of the Moscow Conservatory in 1900, and also taught band orchestration there. He is considered the founder of the Russian trumpet school. His 34 Orchestral Etudes, is an important study material for modern trumpet players. His two Concert Pieces for trumpet and piano are also widely performed today. Brandt joined the faculty of the Saratov Conservatory in 1912. Among his students are Pyotr Lyamin (1884–1968) who succeeded Brandt as a professor at the Saratov Conservatory; Pavel Klochkov (1884–1966) who was an early Russian recording artist; Vladimir Drucker (1898–1974) who was a principal trumpet with the Los Angeles Philharmonic; and Mikhail Tabakov (1877–1956) who became professor at the Moscow Conservatory. Several of his compositions and etude books are published by International Music Company.