Derek Ganong

Session: Laurie Frink’s Trumpet Drills

A California native, Derek is highly regarded as both a jazz and classical trumpeter and has developed a reputation for professionalism and excellence in all areas of music and production. Dr. Ganong holds a Doctorate of Music in Jazz and Classical trumpet from the University of Miami, as well as a Master of Music in studio music from NYU, and a Bachelor of Arts in Ethnomusicology and Computational Cognition from UCLA.

As an assistant professor of music at Boise State University, Derek teaches courses in music technology as well as leading the jazz/commercial music area, directing the Boise State Jazz Orchestra, running the Gene Harris Jazz Festival, teaching jazz techniques, jazz improvisation, and applied trumpet. He co-leads a progressive trumpet studio and is at the forefront of trumpet pedagogy and performance practice.

As a performer, Dr. G has extensive experience in both the symphonic and commercial realms. He can be heard playing the trumpet in all styles, genres, registers, and disciplines across the country and as a recording artist. He currently holds the position of principal trumpet with the Boise Baroque Orchestra, Principal trumpet with Opera Idaho, founding member of the Nexus Trumpet Collective, and founding member of the Vice City Brass. He frequently records and engineers from his home studio.

As a member of the Brass Institutes of America, Derek is constantly seeking to push the boundaries of brass performance, chamber music, and pedagogy. Derek is the foremost authority on the trumpet method of the late Laurie Frink and authored a wildly successful DMA essay covering her groundbreaking system. Derek is in high demand as both a teacher and a performer on film scores, game soundtracks, contemporary solo music, jazz, and everything in-between.

Dr. Ganong is committed to the multifaceted nature of the trumpet, and to the ever-broadening scope of professional music. A lifelong learner, Dr. Ganong has added audio and video engineering to his toolbox and has produced four full-length albums since 2020. He has since become committed to the alignment of music education with the music industry in order to prepare his students for a wide range of careers in music and the arts.

Derek is a Conn-Selmer performing artist and performs exclusively on Bach trumpets.