ITG Awards

The 49th Annual International Trumpet Guild Conference
Salt Lake City, Utah

BOYDE HOOD – HONORARY AWARD

A native of Dallas, Texas, retired Los Angeles Philharmonic trumpeter Boyde Hood received his Bachelor of Music degree in trumpet performance from the Eastman School of Music and Master of Music degree in theory and composition from Ball State University. He was a member of the Los Angeles Philharmonic (1982-2010) and performed regularly with the Philharmonic’s New Music Group/Green Umbrella and the Philharmonic Brass Trio. He has appeared as a soloist with the Orchestra at the Hollywood Bowl. Mr. Hood has played principal trumpet with the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, Royal Ballet, and American Ballet Theater, Pasadena Symphony, Victoria (BC) Symphony, CBC Vancouver Symphony, and Muncie Symphony. He has been a member of the Dallas and Milwaukee Symphonies, assistant principal of the Rochester Philharmonic, and first trumpet with the Marlboro Festival Orchestra. As a conductor, he has led the Los Angeles Philharmonic Institute Orchestra brass musicians, the University of Southern California Brass Ensemble, and the Eastman School of Music Brass Guild.

Mr. Hood has recorded for major motion pictures, such as The Christmas Coal Mine Miracle (1977), The Lord of the Rings (1978), Escape from Alcatraz (1979), Star Trek: the Motion Picture (1979), Airplane (1980), Xanadu (1980), Masada (1981), 2010 (1984), Explorers (1985), Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986), Glory (1989), Home Alone 2 (1992), Survive the Savage Sea (1992), Mrs. Doubtfire (1993), Addams Family Values (1993), The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993), Jurassic Park (1993), Casper (1994), The Santa Clause (1994), Maverick (1994), Wyatt Earp (1994), Species (1995), Congo (1995), Mission: Impossible (1996), Star Trek: First Contact (1996), Starship Troopers (1997), and The Matrix Reloaded (2003). He also recorded for the following television series: The Magician (1973-1974), The Man from Atlantis (1977), The Incredible Hulk (1977-1982), Kaz (1978-1979), Paris (1978-1979), Beauty and the Beast (1987-1990), Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993-1999), Dr. Quinn, The Medicine Woman (1993-1998), JAG (1995-2005), and Battlestar Galactica (2004-2009). 

He has also recorded extensively with Andre Previn, Esa-Pekka Salonen, and Carlo Maria Guilini and the Los Angeles Philharmonic. Additionally he recorded the following albums with the Eastman Wind Ensemble conducted by Frederick Fennell and the Eastman Philharmonia conducted by Howard Hanson: Screamers: Circus Marches (1962), March Time (1957), Winds and Hi-Fi (1958), Civil War: Its Music and Its Sounds (1960), Sousa on Review (1961), Gabrieli (1962), Alan Hovhaness Symphony No.4 & Vittorio Giannini Symphony No. 3 (1964). Mr. Hood also recorded on the Gordon Jenkins record in Frank Sinata’s 1979 Trilogy and the Carpenters’ (1979) Christmas Portrait. 

Mr. Hood was on the faculty of the Wisconsin Conservatory, Ball State University, University of Victoria, and at the University of Southern California. He was guest faculty at the Eastman School of Music in 2018.

Since his retirement from the LA Philharmonic and USC, Boyde has resumed his compositional activities and continues to teach privately from his home and online.

CATHY LEACH – AWARD OF MERIT

Cathy Leach, recently retired, was the Professor of Trumpet at the University of Tennessee from 1981 to 2020. She taught applied trumpet, directed the UT Trumpet Ensemble, coached brass quintets, and served the School of Music as Associate Director of Undergraduate Studies and Associate Director of Graduate Studies. Dr. Leach played principal trumpet with the Knoxville Symphony and Knoxville Symphony Chamber Orchestras from 1981-2013 and was a member of the UT Faculty Brass Quintet, the New Mexico Brass Quintet, the Stiletto Brass Quintet, the Galliard Brass Ensemble, and Monarch Brass. She appears on recordings on the Musical Heritage and Opus One labels.

A popular soloist and clinician, Ms. Leach has been featured with the Knoxville Symphony and Knoxville Symphony Chamber Orchestras, the Oak Ridge Symphony, the Bremerton Symphony, and the Bohuslav Martinu Philharmonic. She served as President of the International Trumpet Guild, having served 12 years on the Board of Directors, two years as Vice President, two years as President, and two years as Past President. She currently serves the Joy of Music School in Knoxville as Secretary of the Board of Directors.

As Director of the UT Trumpet Ensemble, Dr. Leach has conducted the group at International Trumpet Guild Conferences at the University of Maryland (1990), in Rotterdam (1992), at the University of Richmond (1999), at Rowan State University (2006), Columbus State University in Columbus, GA (2012), Columbus, OH (2015), and Hershey, PA (2016) often featuring pieces she has commissioned. Dr. Leach has been awarded a Chancellor Citation for Excellence in Teaching, a School of Music Leadership Award, a 2007 James R. and Nell W. Cunningham Outstanding Teaching Award, and a Sandra G. Powell Professorship 2014-2016. Her teachers include Clifford Lillya, Walter Chesnut, Jeffrey Piper, and Vincent Cichowicz. Her students currently perform professionally and teach in universities and public schools across the United States.

When not practicing or teaching Ms. Leach enjoys working out, reading, writing, horseback riding, yoga, and spending time with her dog Benny, horse Bravo, and her life partner Doc Severinsen. She is currently working for TrumCor Mutes as a bookkeeper, researching several writing projects, revving up her violin and piano skills, teaching via Zoom, and trying to stay ahead of her 1840s-built farmhouse.

DIXIE BURRESS – BILL PFUND SERVICE AWARD

Dixie Burress was privileged to serve as treasurer of the International Trumpet Guild from 2007 to 2022. While serving under nine presidents during those fifteen years, she worked to ensure the long-term viability of the organization by modernizing the bookkeeping and record retention systems. Her diligent attention to many aspects of the organization ensured that ITG’s finances would fund present and future plans as directed by the ITG Board members. In 2015 she was a key member of the planning team for the first ITG run conference held in Columbus, OH. Dixie willingly tackled the additional duties of registration and accounting for all conferences.

 As treasurer, she also served as the Membership Director overseeing all membership records, renewals, mailings and correspondence. In 2009 Dixie worked with a programmer to create a new database that was uniquely suited to ITG’s needs. ITG later engaged a developer to adapt that database for online payments that automatically updated the database and allowed members the option of auto renewals. Dixie was fortunate to have had wonderful assistants that helped with routine membership and conference registration duties.  

Music, especially the trumpet, has always been a love of Dixie’s. She began playing trumpet in fifth grade and played in ensembles through college at Augustana College, Rock Island, IL. Following graduation Dixie worked in the banking industry and for Caterpillar Tractor. She continued her varied career as a kitchen designer and spec home builder with her husband at their family-owned lumber yard in Davenport, IA. She started college as a music education major, later switching to an accounting/business administration double major. This skill set was a perfect fit for her future work with ITG. Prior to working for ITG she used these skills to further local music education and educators by providing administrative support to the founder of a regional junior high jazz band and summer jazz band camp. She reconstructed financial records to support the successful application for nonprofit tax status of a high school band. In 2004, she was honored to receive the inaugural North Scott Community Arts Patron award for Outstanding Service to Enhance the Arts.

Outside of her career supporting the arts Dixie has built a loving community of friends and family. Dixie is the proud mother of two sons and grandmother to one grandson. She enjoys planning thoughtfully coordinated menus when entertaining friends and family as well as gardening and attending local music events. Dixie enjoys traveling around the world to experience art and culture with family, friends and groups from the Figge Art Museum. On quiet(er) days Dixie enjoys walking her dog with her husband of 47 years, Bill.