San Diego Symphony Section

Session 

CHRISTOPHER SMITH
Christopher Smith brings nearly 20 years of major orchestral and ensemble experience to the role of Principal Trumpet of the San Diego Symphony Orchestra. Prior to joining the SDSO, he was 4th/Utility Trumpet with l’Orchestre symphonique de Montréal (OSM) for 11 years, and served as Acting Associate Principal Trumpet from 2015-18. He has performed with OSM on eight international tours (two as Associate Principal Trumpet), numerous live broadcasts on Mezzo TV and Medici.tv (several as Principal Trumpet), and five recordings, including as lead trumpet on MIKA et l’Orchestre symphonique de Montréal.

Prior to joining OSM in 2008, Mr. Smith performed for eight years in “The President’s Own” United States Marine Band, one of the world’s finest wind ensembles and America’s oldest continuously active professional musical organization. The Marine Band’s mission is to provide music for the President of the United States and the Commandant of the Marine Corps, performing at The White House for The Presidential Inauguration, events of national importance, holidays and ceremonies. Members of The Marine Band also participate in state funerals and full honors funerals at Arlington National Cemetery, including live trumpet performances of “Taps” on national television, which Mr. Smith provided on numerous occasions. He also performed on five U.S. tours totaling over 40 concerts and, as an E-7 Gunnery Sergeant, supervised and mentored junior Marines. Mr. Smith also led small ensembles and was a co-founder of the Valor Brass quintet, which performed two tours and over 10 recitals, including a standing-room-only recital at The Midwest Clinic in Chicago. As a decorated veteran of the Marine Corps, Mr. Smith is a strong supporter of the United States military and is thrilled to connect as a member of the SDSO with the military community in the greater San Diego area.

In addition to his tenured roles in OSM and The United States Marine Band, Christopher Smith has served as Associate Principal Trumpet in the Seattle Symphony (2011-12 season), Acting Principal Trumpet in the Pacific Northwest Ballet (2017-18) and 2nd Trumpet with the Des Moines Metro Opera (2010-11). He has also performed as Guest Principal Trumpet with the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra and Grand Rapids Symphony; lead trumpet with the singer MIKA; guest performer with the group Pink Martini. He has taught as an adjunct instructor at McGill University, led over 30 masterclasses throughout North and South America and privately coached both professional and collegiate trumpet players.

RAY NOWAK
San Diego Symphony Orchestra trumpeter Ray Nowak was born in Los Angeles and has performed a wide variety of trumpet freelance engagements throughout Southern California. Mr. Nowak was an active and founding member of the Presidio Brass Quintet, and has also performed with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the La Jolla Music Society SummerFest, the London Philharmonic, the Pacific Symphony, Opera Pacific, the Canadian Brass and the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra.

Mr. Nowak was Assistant Principal Trumpet of the Orquesta Sinfonica de Tenerife for five years in the Canary Islands, Spain, and has also held positions with Orquesta Sinfonica de Galicia, Spain, the Santa Barbara Symphony, Festival della Valle d’Itria, Martina Franca, Italy, Orquesta de Baja California in Tijuana, Mexico, the California Philharmonic and the Royal Band at Huis Ten Bosch, Nagasaki, Japan.

Mr. Nowak is an adjunct trumpet teacher at Long Beach City College and Southwestern College. In addition, he has taught and coached for several middle school and high school band programs throughout Southern California. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music from the California State University at Long Beach, Bob Cole Conservatory of Music and a Master’s Degree in Music Performance from UCLA.

JONAH LEVY
Jonah Levy is a Los Angeles-based trumpet player, teacher, recording artist and soloist, and is now thrilled to be joining the San Diego Symphony as Acting 2nd Trumpet. He recently held positions as Associate Principal Trumpet of the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra, Third/Associate trumpet of the Tucson Symphony Orchestra and Guest Principal Trumpet of the Orquesta Filarmonica de Jalisco. Mr. Levy is equally at home in the worlds of studio recording, contemporary classical music, jazz and experimental art, and was lauded by The New Yorker’s Alex Ross as an “assassin of the ordinary” for his appearance on a rooftop in The Industry’s opera Hopscotch.

Mr. Levy is currently solo trumpet with the Grammy-nominated chamber music group WildUp, LA’s premiere modern music collective, and has been heard as a frequent substitute musician with the Los Angeles Philharmonic and Los Angeles Opera. He has also appeared as a guest with Mainly Mozart, Festival Mozaic, St. Louis Symphony, Hawaii Symphony, LA Master Chorale, Santa Barbara Symphony, Long Beach Symphony and the Fresno Philharmonic. As a studio musician, he can be heard on shows such as Agents of SHIELD, Umbrella Academy, Star Trek: Discovery, Star Trek: Picard, Star Trek: Lower Decks, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, DC’s Stargirl, Guardians of The Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind at EPCOT and Barbra Streisand’s album Encore. He recently appeared at Coachella and the Hollywood Bowl with Danny Elfman.

Jonah Levy’s studies included participating in the Lucerne Festival Academy, Orford Arts Academie, Spoleto Festival USA and the Center for Advanced Musical Studies at Chosen Vale. He was also Principal Trumpet of both the YMF Debut Orchestra and American Youth Symphony during his training. His primary teachers have been James Thompson at the Eastman School of Music, Edward Carroll at the California Institute of the Arts and James Wilt at the Colburn School.