Håkan Björkman
With a network of Artist Centres and Ateliers around the world, Yamaha works with leading players to support their performances and develop instrument designs and new ideas for the benefit of all musicians. Yamaha Artists share with us a passion for inspiring the next generation of players, and a belief that everybody should be encouraged to nurture their talent, connect with others and tell their stories through music.
Get to know Yamaha Artist and Trombone Player Håkan Björkman
Statement about your relation with Yamaha or your instrument:
For over ten years I have been in contact with the Yamaha Atelier in Hamburg. During this period we worked on modification of two models with different bore sizes and also mouthpieces. Over the last three years I am back to large bore again and have been playing on the YSL-882OD with a gold brass bell.
How does your instrument help you in your daily life as an artist?
I find the instruments solid, consistent and good sounding. It is very easy to feel in advance how the response of your signals will come out. This is quality! As always the slides are phenomenal. I still would like to have a saying about the movement of the F attachment and the "pop sound" when using it. But - recently I tried a new upgraded idea about this when visiting Rellingen - it now feels and sounds so much better and my belief in having this in the production will make a great instrument even better! Using the screw bell in orchestra as well as in solo playing I find ”being on top of the game”. The resistance has become more human and intuitional - just the way I like it to be.
How would you characterise your instrument?
An extension and amplifier of my musical ideas, all made of brass.
Who was your most influential teacher and is there any advice which you still follow?
There have been two I can´t separate. John Petersen, former principal trombone in the Royal Philharmonic in Stockholm, from I was 14 to 20 years of age. His love of music, humor, and the vast generosity in time and efforts he made to have me meet many of his international friends and pushing me to apply for positions, courses and competitions very early on. Sven-Erik Eriksson. My teacher at the College of music in Stockholm. Just the best! I took over his principal position at the Royal Opera Orchestra he won when he was 17 years old and hold it for over 25 years. Incredible player, beautiful sound, perfectionist, pedagogic, talented, demanding, thruthful, kind, fun and a very good friend. I had the benefit of playing in the Christian Lindberg trombone quartet with him as well as in the opera pit a couple of years before I won the audition there. The advice I follow is to have fun, make things as perfect and easy as possible without loosing the most important - what kind of story are you telling at this moment?
Advice for a young musician:
Have goals! One is what you want to become. Then how to achieve it takes many more sub-goals. Where do I need to be in my playing two weeks from now, three months from now and one year from now. Always compare yourself with yourself. Only! Get inspiration from others but never compare your abilities with other people’s. Find an instrument you suit in the style you want to be in, as well as how your physics fits the metal. Don´t go too big too soon. Record yourself often. Write down details you hear that you are not happy with. Not too many at the time. Solve one thing at the time and be happy about any progress or achievement you make on a daily basis.
