Roy Poper

Warm-Up Session

Roy Poper has enjoyed one of the most versatile careers of any American trumpet player. A native of Los Angeles, Poper was a founding member of the Modern Brass Quintet, which toured and recorded for more than a decade. Also, in Los Angeles he was appointed to section and principal positions with the

Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra under Sir Neville Marriner and the Los Angeles Opera at the invitation of Placido Domingo. In addition to his classical performing he recorded hundreds of major motion picture film scores, working with film legends including Alfred and Lionel Newman, John Williams, John Barry, Bill Conti, Alan Silvestri, Jerry Goldsmith, Maurice Jarre, and many others. A few of the films on which he can be heard include Jurassic Park, Dances with Wolves, the Die Hard and Rocky series, and Star Trek. Roy was also a member of Frank Zappa’s legendary band, recording both the Studio Tan and Orchestral Favorites albums. His CD “LA Brassworks” of music for trumpet by Los Angeles-based composers includes several works commissioned by him from major composers including Morten Lauridsen, Richard Halligan, and Maria Newman which have become important contributions to the trumpet literature.

As a teacher Mr. Poper has led a distinguished career, succeeding his teacher James Stamp at the University of Southern California School of Music where he taught for almost 20 years before joining the faculty of the Oberlin College Conservatory of Music in 1999. His former students hold positions in major orchestras and conservatories around the world and work as successful free-lance performers in Los Angeles, Nashville, and New York. Roy’s book “Poper’s Commentary on the Brasswind Methods of James Stamp” has become a standard method book in the brass world. He regularly gives master classes around the globe, and during the summers he hosts the annual Oberlin Trumpet Workshop.