#197: Stephen Wadsack: Why This Trumpet Player’s Beliefs About Confidence Held Him Back

Confidence wasn’t missing — it was misunderstood.

In this episode, Ryan sits down with trumpet player and educator Stephen Wadsack to unpack how deeply held beliefs about confidence can quietly shape — and limit — the way we practice, perform, and grow as musicians.

What starts as a conversation about auditions and orchestral playing turns into something much deeper: how confusing confidence with arrogance, or treating it as a personality trait instead of a byproduct of clarity, can hold even highly skilled players back. Together, they explore how humility, organization, identity, and understanding your fundamentals can actually create the confidence most musicians are searching for.

If you’ve ever felt confident in some settings but not others, struggled with comparison, or wondered why hard work doesn’t always translate into freedom on stage, this conversation will resonate.