Irving Bush, an accomplished trumpeter with a multi-faceted career, died on January 8th in Los Angeles. He was 78.

Bush started his career playing with many top-name big bands including ones led by Harry James and Nelson Riddle. He also worked in the studio orchestras at 20th Century Fox, MGM, Columbia, Paramount and Warner Bros., and he played on recordings by Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan and Nat King Cole. For several years, his family said, he was the trumpet player Cole would call on first for a recording or engagement.

In the early 1960s, Mr. Bush branched out into classical music and auditioned for the Los Angeles Philharmonic, joining the orchestra for the 1962-63 season.

He recorded with the Columbia Broadcasting Symphony under the baton of Igor Stravinsky and participated in recordings for the Philharmonic.

In 1982, Bush moved from his post as the Philharmonic's associate principal trumpeter to personnel manager.

After retiring from the Philharmonic in 1995, he remained active in the musicians union, serving on the board of the American Federation of Musicians, Local 47.

Bush earned his bachelor's and master's degrees at Cal State L.A. In addition to his playing, Bush taught at USC and Cal State L.A. He also wrote many pieces of music for brass as well as the book "Artistic Trumpet Technique and Study." He was a design consultant for several trumpet manufacturers.

He is survived by his wife, Marilyn; a daughter, Nicole; a granddaughter, Annaleah; and his sister, Karol Freudenberg.