Trumpeter Lisa Verzella is an active person. When she's not rehearsing, teaching or performing with the Utah Chamber Orchestra Orchestra and the Utah Symphony . . . she's hang gliding.
"I was a member of the 1998 U.S. Women's World Hang Gliding Tour," Verzella said during an interview with the Deseret News. Last summer, Verzella set the women's state record for the longest hang gliding flight; she flew 150 miles from southern Utah to Orem. And in the winter, she snowboards and paraglides."I love being active," Verzella said. "It's just a part of me."
Verzella, who will perform in the remaining dates for Willam F. Christensen's Ballet West presentation of "The Nutcracker," was inspired by her older brother, Vincent, to play music while they were growing up in Rochester, N.Y.
"He was 13 years older and played music," Verzella remembered. "Then, when I was in middle school, I met my idol -- Wynton Marsalis. I was 12. He had come to my school to do some workshops, and that's when I met him. He had played the Haydn Trumpet Concerto, and I went and bought the music for him to sign. In fact, I still have it."
After graduating high school, Verzella studied at Northwestern University Conservatory and eventually attended Eastman School of Music, from where she received her bachelor degree in music. Verzella's graduate work was completed at the Manhattan School of Music.
"After I received my master's, I played in Japan at the Pacific Music Festival," she said. Shortly thereafter, Verzella moved to Aspen, Colo., for a few years.
"I started looking around for playing jobs," she said. "I fell in love with the Rockies. And I really wanted to stay in that area."
One of Verzella's job auditions was with the Utah Symphony. "They liked me and began using me as a substitute player. I was commuting back and forth from Aspen and Salt Lake. Every time I did, I'd make more calls. Finally, I moved to Utah, I think it was back in 1997, and auditioned for the Utah Chamber Orchestra."
Conductor Terence Kern liked what he heard, and that spring, she officially started playing for the Chamber. She also began teaching music as an adjunct faculty member at Weber State University, as well as giving private lessons.
"I have a total of 14 students, including seven that I teach at WSU," she said.
And, if that isn't enough, Verzella still has a part-time job at Altair Hang Gliding manufacturing. "That job is very flexible. That's nice, because when I was freelancing, there were times when the jobs poured in, and other times when it went dry."
The most recent project Verzella has undertaken is her first independent CD, "Twentieth Century Trumpet," which was released a couple of months ago. "It really wasn't a goal for me to put out a CD. But I got a grant from the Utah Arts Council and decided to take advantage of that opportunity."
The album contains three full-length works -- Friedrich Wildgans' "Der Mystiche Trompeter," Op. 52; Alexandra Pakhmutova's Concerto for Trumpet and Orchestra and Loretta Jankowski's Sonata for Bb Trumpet and Piano.
"I chose some relatively obscure works for this project," Verzella said. "Eastman had one of the best music libraries when I was there. I studied those works because I liked the fact that they weren't really well known. They're new and modern works but don't sound like contemporary noise."
The album was recorded in the Jewett Center for Performing Arts at Westminster College. "There are wonderful acoustics there."
Since Verzella didn't distribute the album through music stores, it can only be purchased at the Utah Symphony gift shop in Abravanel Hall or by calling 1-800-448-6369, or through Verzella's Web Site (www.cdbaby.com/verzella).
"I like the fact that when people hear this album, they are usually hearing it with an open ear," Verzella said. "That was another reason I decided on those certain works. And to me, that's a pretty big reward."