He is a trumpeter and producer born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
He studied at the Eastman School of Music and in 1976, while he was a sophomore; he gained the position of Fourth Trumpet in the Rochester Philharmonic.
In 1985 he became Principal Trumpet of the North Carolina Symphony and he stayed with them for two years prior to accepting the position of Assistant Principal Trumpet in the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra . He went on to become Associate Principal Trumpet. Aside from performing with the SLSO he is the Principal Trumpet for the American Kanterai in Saint Louis and has appeared as part of the Holiday Brass . He retired from the orchestra in 2023 after 36 years.
As a producer he works with the Pan Galactic Company who are based in Saint Louis, Missouri, and deal with acoustic location recording and has produced live broadcasts and a national radio series as well as recordings on the Arch Media label. In the field of education he has been on the Interlochen Arts Camp faculty and later joined the Aspen Music Festival and School in Colorado.
Holiday Brass recordings
Angels We Have Heard on High(Traditional French/James Chadwick/Edward Barnes)
Music Masters 01782 (CD: Holiday Brass featuring Susan Slaughter)
Trumpet – Susan Slaughter
St. Louis Children’s Choirs – Concert Choir
Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra recordings
Leroy Anderson
Belle of the Ball
RCA 9026 68048-2 (CD: The Typewriter)
Conductor – Leonard Slatkin
Blue Tango
RCA 68048 (CD: The Typewriter)
Conductor – Leonard Slatkin
Bugler’s Holiday
RCA 68048 (CD: The Typewriter)
Conductor – Leonard Slatkin
Clarinet Candy
RCA 68048 (CD: The Typewriter)
Conductor – Leonard Slatkin
Fiddle Faddle
RCA 68048 (CD: The Typewriter)
Conductor – Leonard Slatkin
The First Day of Spring
RCA 68048 (CD: The Typewriter)
Conductor – Leonard Slatkin
Forgotten Dreams
RCA 68048 (CD: The Typewriter)
Conductor – Leonard Slatkin
Horse and Buggy
RCA 68048 (CD: The Typewriter)
Conductor – Leonard Slatkin
Jazz Legato
RCA 68048 (CD: The Typewriter)
Conductor – Leonard Slatkin
Jazz Pizzicato
RCA 68048 (CD: The Typewriter)
Conductor – Leonard Slatkin
The Penny Whistle Song
RCA 68048 (CD: The Typewriter)
Conductor – Leonard Slatkin
The Phantom Regiment
RCA 68048 (CD: The Typewriter)
Conductor – Leonard Slatkin
Plink, Plank, Plunk!
RCA 68048 (CD: The Typewriter)
Conductor – Leonard Slatkin
Promenade
RCA 68048 (CD: The Typewriter)
Conductor – Leonard Slatkin
Sandpaper Ballet
RCA 68048 (CD: The Typewriter)
Conductor – Leonard Slatkin
Sleigh Ride
RCA 68048 (CD: The Typewriter)
Conductor – Leonard Slatkin
The Syncopated Clock
RCA 68048 (CD: The Typewriter)
Conductor – Leonard Slatkin
A Trumpeter’s Lullaby
RCA 68048 (CD: The Typewriter)
Conductor – Leonard Slatkin
The Typewriter
RCA 68048 (CD: The Typewriter)
Conductor – Leonard Slatkin
The Waltzing Cat
RCA 68048 (CD: The Typewriter)
Conductor – Leonard Slatkin
Here he is on the right hand side of the SLSO brass members when they take on Boston.Symphony Orchestra brass..
Sources:
- https://www.stlsymphony.org/en/musicians/orchestra/thomas-drake/
- https://slso.org/230516-press-2223-retiring-musicians/
- http://www.allmusic.com/artist/thomas-drake-mn0001672648
- http://www.trumpetguild.org/2001conference/bios.html#Anchor-THOMAS-6296
- http://www.gatewaybrassquintet.com/gwbq_store/index.html?loadfile=item2.html
- http://www.pangalacticrecording.com/AboutUs.htm
- http://www.pangalacticrecording.com/Drake.htm
- http://www.aamrecordings.com/drake.html
- http://www.trumpetherald.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=757033
- https://www.discogs.com/artist/3174150-Thomas-Drake