Bobby Thorp

About:

Bobby Thorp, hailing from Norman, Oklahoma, began his professional career at the age of 17, performing in the Blues Alley Youth Orchestra, an ensemble founded by Dizzy Gillespie. He has performed at many of the Nation’s most prominent music festivals, including: Tanglewood Music Festival, Ravinia Music Festival, Chautauqua Chamber Music Festival, Bethlehem Music Festival, and The Boston Early Music Festival. In addition, he has performed with distinguished artists including the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, The Boston Pops, Joe Strummer and Natalie Cole.

As an educator, Mr. Thorp has taught at Shenandoah Conservatory (Winchester, VA), Boston University Tanglewood Institute (Lenox, MA), Festival de Musica de Camara (Aguascalientes, Mexico), and the International Institute and Festival at Round Top (Round Top, TX). He is a clinician for the Conn- Selmer Company and Denis Wick London, and has presented numerous master classes and clinics around the world including: Tokyo Conservatory, Osaka Conservatory, Nagoya Conservatory, Manhattan School of Music, Rice University, Northwestern University, San Francisco Conservatory, University of North Texas, and Mannes College of Music. He currently teaches trumpet at Gordon College in Massachusetts.

An advocate for New Music, Mr. Thorp has premiered and commissioned numerous works, including Sonata for Trumpet by Daniel Pinkham and Transfiguration: An Ecumenical Mass by Samuel Adler and Four New York Sketches by Robert Martin. He has studied under Terry Everson, Chris Gekker, Rolf Smedvig and holds degrees from the University of Maryland.

Mr. Thorp performs exclusively on Bach Trumpets, Denis Wick London mouthpieces/mutes. He travels using Raw Brass cases and performs in F.J. Miller Suits. He can be heard on recordings on the Paraclete and RAI labels and has appeared on National Public Radio, NBC, ABC and the Hallmark Channel.