Brian Shaw

Shared-Recital

Brian Shaw is an active performer, arranger, and educator known for his versatility. He is one of the few trumpet players in the world equally comfortable in early music, orchestral, jazz, and commercial settings on modern and period instruments, and enjoys an international performing career as a modern and historical trumpet soloist. He holds principal positions with the Dallas Winds, Santa Fe Pro Musica, Spire Baroque Orchestra, and is a core member of the Pacific Northwest Ballet Orchestra. He is also a regular guest instructor of Historical Trumpet at the Eastman School of Music. From 2007-2021, he was Professor of Trumpet and Jazz Studies at Louisiana State University and was Principal Trumpet of the Baton Rouge (Louisiana) Symphony from 2014-2021. Brian has also served as guest Principal Trumpet of the Oregon, Kansas City, and St. Louis Symphony Orchestras (US).

A native of Southeastern Illinois, Brian was first inspired to play the trumpet when he had a front row seat to hear the great Maynard Ferguson in 1988. Mentored in public school by his band director Steven Bell, he first learned to play music by ear from recordings. He later attended Eastern Illinois University (BMus.) the Eastman School (M.Mus), and the University of Texas at Austin (DMA). His trumpet teachers include Parker Melvin, Ray Sasaki, James Thompson, and John Thiessen.

A noted Baroque trumpet player, Shaw’s 2008 recording Virtuoso Concertos for Clarino includes some of the most difficult pieces ever written for the instrument. Early Music America observed: “Shaw’s tone is beautiful, and his playing unfailingly musical… His is a voice that will make a major mark on Baroque trumpet playing.” His critically-acclaimed 2014 solo trumpet recording redshift was accompanied by the Dallas Wind Symphony and conductor Jerry Junkin. Brian has also released a collaborative album of classic recital pieces with pianist Jan Grimes called Sonatas and Fantasies: A Century of Standards for Trumpet and Piano, and has just completed another recording project called Virtuosic Versatility, outlining the history of the trumpet, from early music to modern jazz.

As a jazz musician, Brian plays solo and lead trumpet professionally in the Seattle area and leads a big band in Baton Rouge every December, which released a holiday-themed album titled Christmas at the Manship! in 2017. He is in demand as an arranger as well, with many scores for jazz band, brass ensemble, studio orchestra, and wind ensemble to his credit. Brian has co-authored (with Prof. Nick Smart, Royal Academy of Music, London) and released a biography of renowned jazz trumpeter and composer Kenny Wheeler, titled Song for Someone, published by Equinox Books, earlier this year. His other books and transcriptions are published by Advance Music, Presser, Schott, and Universal Edition. Brian is proud to be a Yamaha Performing Artist.

Brian Shaw lives near Seattle with his wife Lana, their sons Thomas and Elliot, and their dog, Ernie.