Trumpet Studio Studies with U.S. Air Force and LA Phil Musicians
The Shenandoah Conservatory Trumpet Studio welcomed U.S. Air Force trumpeter and Maryland Symphony Orchestra principal trumpet Nathan Clark, who presented a masterclass on Wednesday, March 27. Clark performed and coached trumpet students Caeley Niess ’20 (Bachelor of Music in Performance), Jonathan Wyatt ’19 (Bachelor of Music in Composition) and Duncan Moore ’22 (Bachelor of Music in Performance). Clark recently won a trumpet position with the U.S. Marine Band in Washington, D.C.
On Wednesday, April 10, Los Angeles Philharmonic associate principal trumpet Jim Wilt presented a virtual masterclass to the trumpet studio as well as performed and coached several trumpet students.
Clark received his bachelor of music degree from the University of Maryland in College Park. Prior to this he spent time studying at Nyack College in Nyack, New York, and York College of Pennsylvania. He has had the privilege of learning from some of the Eastern seaboard’s leading trumpet players and pedagogues, including Donald Tison, longtime principal trumpet of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra; Thomas Smith of the New York Philharmonic; the National Symphony Orchestra’s Steve Hendrickson; and freelance artist and teacher Chris Gekker. As a member of The United States Air Force Ceremonial Brass, Clark performs at high-level protocol functions both nationally and internationally, and can be seen on national TV at the annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City. Clark maintains a busy freelance career in the D.C. metro area, and has the distinction of being a primary substitute trumpeter for the Kennedy Center’s National Symphony Orchestra. In addition to his position as principal trumpet of The York Symphony, Clark is also principal trumpet of the Maryland Symphony Orchestra and Apollo Orchestras. He regularly performs with many of the D.C. area’s regional orchestras: the Annapolis Symphony Orchestra, the Fairfax Symphony Orchestra, the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, the New Orchestra of Washington, the Alexandria Symphony Orchestra and the National Philharmonic. An active performer and advocate of brass chamber music, Clark is a founding member of the Barclay Brass ensemble, a vibrantly innovative group which performs throughout the D.C. metropolitan area.
Wilt joined the Los Angeles Philharmonic in March 2003 as associate principal trumpet. Prior to this, he spent 14 years as the associate principal trumpet of the Houston Symphony. Additionally, Wilt was fourth/utility trumpet with the New York Philharmonic, associate principal of the Denver Symphony Orchestra (DSO) and principal trumpet of the DSO pops, and was third trumpet with both the Rochester Philharmonic and Dayton Philharmonic.
Although primarily an orchestral musician, Wilt has performed a wide range of solo and chamber music, including three solo appearances with the Houston Symphony. Since joining the Los Angeles Philharmonic, he has performed regularly on the LA Phil’s chamber music and Green Umbrella series. In 1999 and 2002, Wilt traveled to Japan to perform as principal trumpet of the Super World Orchestra at the Tokyo Music Festival. In January of 2007, he was invited to be guest principal trumpet with the Symphonica Toscanini under Lorin Maazel during a United States tour.
Wilt received his bachelor of music degree, magna cum laude, from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music where he studied with Eugene Blee. His graduate work was done at the Eastman School of Music, where he studied with Charles Geyer. He recently completed his master’s degree from Eastman following a 30-year hiatus. Other teachers include Edward Treutel, Gordon Smith and John Chipurn. He is currently the trumpet professor at the Colburn Conservatory of Music and has also been on the faculty of California State University-Long Beach, Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music and the University of Northern Colorado. He has conducted masterclasses throughout the United States, Europe, Asia and Venezuela, and has served on the faculty of the Aspen Music Festival and the National Orchestral Institute. Wilt is a Yamaha Performing Artist.
