If you've ever wondered what happens when you combine an orange trombone, 280 excited kids, and one incredibly passionate educator, look no further than Mark Boonstra, a.k.a. Mr pBone. For more than a decade, Mark has been bringing the joy of music to children across the Netherlands through his innovative trombone workshops. And if the videos are anything to go by, it’s an absolute blast!
pBone Music were fortunate to catch up with Mr pBone and hear first-hand about his experience at Slide Factory 2024, the New Trombone Collective's premier festival held in Rotterdam and celebrating all things trombone-related.
Becoming Mr pBone
Mark’s journey with the trombone took a different turn in 2013. The setting? Slide Factory, a trombone festival that brought together enthusiasts from all over the country. The mission? To introduce the world to the orange pBone. As Mark recalls, "The people in the factory said, well, the orange colour, we have to launch it in Holland, of course, because we are the country of the Oranje people."
What started as a one-off event has blossomed into a trombone tradition, with Mark leading workshops that have grown from small groups to orchestras of 280 children. He remembers those early days fondly: "I had that day 200 children. I taught them to play the trombone in a few hours, and we had a concert. Everybody said, 'Oh, this is great.'"
Over the years, Mark’s workshops have evolved in response to the changing tastes of his young participants. Music that resonates with kids today might not have the same impact tomorrow, and Mark understands this better than anyone. "You have to inspire yourself a little bit to have new ideas worked out," he says. "For the children, it doesn’t matter what they play. They want to play."
Mark’s approach to teaching is refreshingly simple yet incredibly effective. His method, based on listening, singing, buzzing, and playing, allows children to get to grips with the trombone quickly. "I normally do a workshop for kind of an hour. Where I do very little talking, they copy me and they see, and the songs guide them to build up."
But it’s not all about following the leader. Mark’s workshops also give children the chance to express themselves through improvisation. "You see the characters coming out," he explains. "Some are really introverted, and some are extroverts. They know how I work, and what they know, and then they go to the class again, and they see a video of me, with a little bit of information."
"And then I see them in the second workshop, I do another song to get more tricks to do on the trombone. And then the third workshop is the last workshop/ We do the concert mode. So I don't talk about anything. We just play the songs and they will listen to be open-minded. And then after these three workshops, we have a concert. So it's always very short. They have only three hours with the trombone." Three hours doesn't sound like a lot, take a listen to the amazing progress:
From the Classroom to the Concert Stage
The ultimate goal of any of Mark’s workshops is this final performance. It’s a chance for the kids to show off what they’ve learned, and for their parents and grandparents to marvel at the transformation. "There is zero tolerance. So no fooling around just know we have concert focus, and then we do it."
The results speak for themselves. From the very first note to the final applause, the kids are completely engaged. Mark beams as he recalls these moments: "It’s really like a performance. It’s really like the atmosphere of a concert."
One of the biggest changes Mark has seen over the past decade is the way people perceive the pBone. When the plastic trombone first hit the market in 2010, it was met with some scepticism. But as Mark points out, "If they hear me on it or other professional players on the pBone, it sounds amazing."
For Mark, the pBone isn’t just a plastic instrument; it’s a tool that makes his workshops possible. "If you have really expensive instruments, it’s too vulnerable to play with the children. But the pBone, if I play on it, it sounds great."
This shift in perception has made it easier for Mark to reach more children, and the impact has been tremendous. "Hopefully, the next generation of trombone players will do this because it’s very important to be engaged. All the children we have to the music, not only the trombone but to music."
Mark’s passion for teaching is evident in everything he does. He’s not just teaching kids how to play the trombone; he’s giving them a love for music that will last a lifetime.
As for his advice to other educators looking to start their own trombone workshops? "Experiment a lot, but first try it. I did it just by experimenting. So I just started. I get in a classroom with 30 instruments, and then you see what happens with the children."
Mark is always eager to share his knowledge and experiences, and he’s more than willing to lend a helping hand to anyone who wants to follow in his footsteps. "I’m always happy to share songs or ideas. So please contact me and then let’s have fun!"
Join the Trombone Revolution
Whether you're an experienced educator or someone who’s never picked up a trombone before, there’s never been a better time to get involved with pBone Music and start your own trombone workshop. As Mark’s story shows, all it takes is a bit of passion, a dash of creativity, and a whole lot of fun (oh and a pBone or thirty!) So why not pick up a pBone and start your own musical adventure? And if you’re an educator, why not get in touch with us to learn how you can bring a trombone workshop to your own classroom? The next generation of musicians is waiting!
- For more information about Mark and to reach out, head to the Mr pBone website!
- If you want EVEN MORE Slide Factory content, we've got you covered. Read our article where Mark was strutting his stuff at Slide Factory 2017.
