Principal Trumpet
John Carroll studied trumpet with Austyn R. Edwards, Ray Makeever and Ron Modell in High School. He obtained a B.M. in Trumpet Performance and a Performer’s Certificate from Indiana University where he studied with Louis Davidson and Charles Gorham. John’s interest in jazz placed him as lead trumpet in David Baker’s Jazz Ensemble at I.U., a position held for eight consecutive semesters. Other teachers include Armando Ghitalla (as a member of the Tanglewood Fellowship Orchestra), Thomas Stevens (while attending the Music Academy of the West), and Larry Schmidt. John received his Master of Music degree in conducting from the University of Texas at San Antonio in May of 2007 and will be on sabbatical leave from the symphony during the 2007-2008 season to begin a Doctor of Musical Arts degree at the University of Texas at Austin campus.
Mr. Carroll was previously principal trumpet of the Boston Opera, third/assistant first trumpet of the Springfield Symphony , and fourth/utility trumpet of the Detroit Symphony. He has also played principal trumpet with the Columbus Symphony, the Sunriver Music Festival Orchestra and the Cactus Pear Music Festival. He is the trumpet instructor at St. Mary’s University and instructor of all brass instruments at Our Lady of the Lake University. He also has created and conducts Brass Ensembles at both institutions and the Jazz Ensemble at Our Lady of the Lake University.
Mr. Carroll is a founding member and Executive Director of the San Antonio Brass, Inc., a musical organization dedicated to the preservation of brass performance and literature.
John’s other interests include composing, recording and the use of the computer in making music. A collector of instruments (over 3,000) he owns 77 vintage cornets, hundreds of mouthpieces and an untold number of trumpets.
