Charles Gorham
Charles Gorham was born in Atlanta in 1930. His father who was also a trumpet player began giving him lessons before he lost his baby teeth. In his early development, Mr. Gorham notes the instruction of teachers Roy Lee, Powell Everhart, Robert Landholt, and John Dilliard, the later who performed in Paul Whiteman’s Band and introduced Mr. Gorham to the Schlossburg “Daily Drills.” In 1944, he attended the Interlochen Music Festival and had the opportunity to play for Herbert L. Clarke, Edwin Franko Goldman, and Percy Grainger among others.
After being offered the Associate Principal Trumpet position in the Cleveland Orchestra by George Szell, Mr. Gorham enlisted and spent four years playing in the US Air Force Band during which time he earned a Master’s Degree at The Catholic University of America.
After completing his four year tour of duty with the USAF Band and Orchestra, Mr. Gorham accepted a teaching position at Baldwin–Wallace College Conservatory of Music and frequently performed with the Cleveland Orchestra under Robert Shaw.
Mr. Gorham accepted a position on the faculty at Indiana University and in 1969 became chairman of the Brass Department under the appointment of Dean Wilfred Bain. This position allowed him to present clinics and concerts from Oregon to Israel and promote the School of Music’s incredible program and its variety of ensembles.
In 1973–4, Mr. Gorham co-founded the International Trumpet Guild with Robert Nagel and has seen this group grow to become a most valuable organization to professionals, teachers and students, as well as others interested in the trumpet, its performance possibilities and its history. Parallel to ITG was the First and then the Second International Brass Congress hosted by Phil Farkas, M. Dee Stewart and Harvey Phillips.
Mr. Gorham notes those who have influenced him throughout his life. The trumpet artistry of: Maurice Andre,William Vacchiano, Adolph Herseth,Timothy Dokshitzer, Louis Armstrong, Harry James,Wynton Marsalis, and the incredible, Doc Severinsen have left him memories to last a lifetime.
Mr. Gorham notes, “I feel that the most important facets of my teaching career have included my ability to inspire students to achieve their highest level of performance ability, as well as to motivate them to expand their basic knowledge and integration of musical insight.”
Anne F. Hardin
Bachelor of Music, Georgia State University, 1976; Master of Music Education with Performance Certificate (Trumpet), University of South Carolina, 1978; Ph.D. Music Education, University of South Carolina, 1990. Editor, International Trumpet Guild Journal, 1978-1996; band director, 1978-2004; commissioned 13 works for middle school band; site Teacher of the Year, 1985, 1996, 2002; Beaufort County [SC] Teacher of the Year, 2002-2003;Who’s Who Among American’s Teachers, 1990, 2000. Author, A Trumpeter’s Guide to Orchestral Excerpts (W.R. Welch, 1977; 2nd ed., Camden House, 1986), A Horn Player’s Guild to Orchestra Excerpts (Broad River Press, 1978), Yamaha Band Student Teacher’s Resource Guide and Yamaha Student Workbook (Alfred Pubishing Co., 1994), editor of two collections of science fiction short stories, Rainbow Fantasia and Martianthology (Sense of Wonder Press, 2001 & 2003) co-author, Inside John Haynie’s Studio (U of North Texas Press, 2007).
Stephen Jones
In addition to performing and recording with the Western Brass Quintet and playing as “extra trumpet” with several major symphonies, he has held positions with the Wichita Brass Quintet,Wichita Symphony, and Kalamazoo Symphony. He has appeared as soloist with the American Wind Symphony, Kalamazoo Symphony, and Santa Fe Chamber Symphony. Performances abroad include concerts in Sweden, Switzerland, Germany, The Netherlands, Great Britain, Russia, Korea, and People’s Republic of China.
His playing can be heard on the CRI, CRS, ASUC, MARK, CAPSTONE, DUBOIS, and ALAM recording labels. He has twice been elected president of the International Trumpet Guild, three times its secretary, and he has served on the ITG Board of Directors. He has been a frequent contributor to the International Trumpet Guild Journal.
Leon Rapier
To generations of trumpeters Leon Rapier was teacher, mentor, and more. His influence has been felt by trumpeters beyond just the midsouth US, but certainly nationally throughout the USA, and in fact internationally as well.
From 1954 until his untimely death in 1988, Rapier was Principal Trumpet of the Louisville Orchestra, Principal Trumpet of the Louisville Bach Society, and Professor of Trumpet at the University of Louisville. He had previously held positions at Louisiana State University and the New Orleans Philharmonic. For many years, Rapier taught at Interlochen National Music Camp.
His recorded works include numerous Louisville Orchestra First Edition Recordings- new works for orchestra which introduced the public (including students in music schools and conservatories) to new music. His recorded solo works include: Bloch Proclamation, Hovhaness Avak the Healer, Chou Wen-Chung Soliloquy of a Bhiksuni, and the Addison Concerto. A partial list of his students include: C.J. Alexius, John Aley, Jerry Amend, Pat Badger, Fred Baker, Clifford Blackburn, Dallas Blair, Stacy Blair, Dan Bowles, Richard Burkart, Barbara Butler, Charlie Butler, Norbert Carnovale, Randell Croley, Jim Debth, Mike Doyle,Tom Fairlie, Carl Fontana, Reinhold Friedrich, Earl Gaar, Gerry Gerbrecht, John Gerbrecht, Tom Giles, Pat Harbison, Keith Jones, Gene King, Richard Lehman, Everett McCurdy, Pat McGuffey, Ariel Numhauser, Natalo Paella, Steve Plank, Russ Plylar, Paul Randall, David Rogers, John Rommel, Bernard Sanchez, Mike Santorelli, David Scott, Richard Stoelzel, Byron Strippling, Arthur Swift, John Tardy, Bob Tucci, Michael Tunnell, Allen Vizzutti, Billy Wick, Herman Vincent, and David Zuercher.
