Musicians develop a concept of their instrument (or voice) that guides their practice and development. Your concept is your idea of the character of the instrument.
The idea that an instrument has a “character” is subjective to an extent. Yet, there is a general consensus about what each instrument should sound like and how one should approach playing it.
Your personal concept of the instrument should be based on that general consensus, and can reflect your personal preferences about how the instrument should sound, as well.
For the euphonium, many people use words like dark, rich, mellow, sweet, and full to describe the sound. For the trombone, many people use words like centered, round, resonant, clear, and open. All these words are subject to interpretation and individual preference.
Developing a concept for an instrument is largely a matter of listening carefully to many different top-level players and internalizing the timbre and approach that you find most pleasing. Different players approach the instrument differently, and have their own unique sound. There is no single “correct” concept, but there is a broad consensus.
Your personal concept of an instrument should be firmly based on that broad consensus, or you will have difficulty passing any university or professional auditions. They don’t want people whose sound is so “unique” that it muddies the section, or that is very different from what people expect the instrument to sound like.
Cultivating a good concept is easier to accomplish with guidance from a private teacher. Group teachers such as band directors lack the time to devote this level of focus to each student and each instrument.
Tim Weir, Box Hill Institute
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