He is a trumpeter born in New York to a musical family who had their own dance band called The Romm-Antics.
He was considered a child prodigy and started his soloist career when he was ten years old. He played in the family’s band from aged twelve and freelanced in Los Angeles from eighteen where he was a regular performer with the Los Angeles Brass Ensemble and the Los Angeles Brass Quintet.
He studied at the University of Southern California and on a scholarship played with the Los Angeles Philharmonic. He continued further studies in New York, gaining two music degrees from the Juilliard in New York. He performed in concerts that ranged from classical to church performances and from circus shows to Broadway with orchestras including Boston Symphony Orchestra, Philadelphia Orchestra and Berlin Philharmonic.
He became a member of Canadian Brass in 1971 and stayed with them until 2000 when he retired after having played over 4,500 concerts with them and made around 60 recordings. He returned to them in 2006 to become a member of their Trumpet “Dream Team”.
With his wife, Avis, he continues his performing career with their trumpet and piano duo which has toured America with their stage show A Trumpeter’s Dream.
He is currently Professor of Trumpet and BA Nugent Professor of Music Performance at the University of Illinois.
Canadian Brass Recordings
O Holy Night (Adolphe Charles Adam)
RCA 0 7863 54132 2 (CD – Christmas with the Canadian Brass)
Organist – John Grady, St. Patrick’s Cathedral Organ
Sources: