Past Members

(*) = CURRENT member of the trumpet "dream team"

Quick Jump:
Josef Burgstaller (*)
Ronald Romm (*)
Ryan Anthony (*)
Stuart Laughton (*)
Justin Emerich
Jeff Nelsen
Frederick Mills
David Ohanian
Martin Hackleman
Jens Lindemann
Christopher Cooper
Graeme Page

Josef Burgstaller, Trumpet, 2001-2004,
member of the trumpet "dream team" 2006

When he joined Canadian Brass in 2001, Josef Burgstaller was North America’s busiest trumpet soloist, performing over 50 solo concerts every season.

Joe was one of the all-time most popular soloists at Community Concerts (a network boasting Jascha Heifetz and Van Cliburn as alumni). As a Yamaha Artist, Joe reached upwards of 7,000 students every solo season, and has appeared at over 60 universities, conservatories and colleges.

Joe was also a member of NYC’s Meridian Arts Ensemble, and with the group received the ASCAP Adventurous Programming Award (over the Kronos Quartet) and recorded several of his own compositions and arrangements. Gramophone Magazine heralded Joe’s original work Lullaby as “an understated gem.”

Thanks to his early training in jazz and his later classical training, Joe has enjoyed a wide and varied crossover career ranging from NYC’s Knitting Factory and CBGB’s to Amsterdam’s Bimhuis, as well as recordings with Dweezil Zappa and with the CB a recent Top 30 version of “The Little Drummer Boy” featuring Joe on flugelhorn and piccolo trumpet.

Joe began the cornet in Chicago at age six, by twelve was soloing with area bands and jazz clubs, and by fifteen was the youngest professional in the Virginia Opera Orchestra. He studied at Arizona State University (with David Hickman), and in 2003 was awarded ASU’s Inaugural “Distinguished Alumnus Award” (2002 had brought the inaugural “Outstanding Alumnus Award” from Eastern Music Festival).
Visit his web site.

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Ron Romm, Trumpet, 1971-2000,
member of the trumpet "dream team" 2006

Ron Romm, the superb trumpet player in the Canadian Brass since 1971, was a born musician. All members of his family in California played music - from classical to jazz - and for a while made music together as the dance band The Romm-Antics. On a scholarship at the University of Southern California, Ron played with the Los Angeles Philharmonic. He continued free-lancing in New York where he received two music degrees from The Juilliard School of Music.

I grew up listening to everything, from opera to rock'n'roll, and I played both Broadway and classical concerts in New York, so when The Canadian Brass called it was the perfect match for me, says Ron. Canadian Brass had radical ideas, mixing styles and reaching audiences with acting and humor, though the music always was seriously well played. Ron's unerring technique and beautiful tone fit right in. His warmth and laid-back California style have audience appeal, as he continues to turn the trumpet into the music itself. In June 2000 he left the group to give his career a new direction. Ron is Professor of Trumpet at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Visit his web site.

Ron Romm Interview from our Features Archive

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Ryan Anthony, Trumpet, 2000-2003,
member of the trumpet "dream team" 2006

Ryan Anthony was assistant professor of trumpet at the prestigious Oberlin Conservatory when he was called to the Canadian Brass, at age 31 in the summer of 2000. He already had ties to the group, because he played much of the Canadian Brass repertoire as a student and had even shared the stage with the group in a high school workshop performance.

"My first professional job was playing Canadian Brass' quintet repertoire. We so admired them! It's a dream come true to be a member of the group that most influenced me as a student," says Ryan. The admiration goes both ways. Chuck Daellenbach had kept the sound of the young Ryan's trumpet in mind and recalled his charismatic stage presence for 15 years. That's how Ryan was called to fill the shoes of Ron Romm, who played with the Canadian Brass for 29 years. After three years with the Brass, Ryan is leaving so he can spend more time at home with his family. Even though Ryan is leaving "active duty" with us, we are already discussing ways we can collaborate in the future.

Ryan was born into a musical family in San Diego, California, that boasts seven generations of musicians. He began with violin, but was irresistibly drawn to the trumpet from an early age. Numerous national awards and bachelor's and master's degrees in performance at the Cleveland Institute of Music opened the doors to major American orchestras. Aside from being an orchestra musician, he has performed as soloist in the Bach and Hummel trumpet concertos with the Cleveland Orchestra and Detroit Symphony, and he was guest artist at the 1998 Pan Pacific Music Festival in Sydney, Australia. Composer Donald Erb wrote and dedicated two solo works for Ryan Anthony.

Ryan's home is in Memphis, TN, where he lives with his wife Niki and their little daughter Lili. For more information visit Ryan's website www.ryananthony.com

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Stuart Laughton, Trumpet, 1970-71, 2003-05,
member of the trumpet "dream team" 2006

Stuart left Canadian Brass in 1971 after one year to pursue formal studies at the Curtis Institute of Music.  He had been chosen by Gene to be part of the startup Canadian Brass in the fall of 1970.   ”I joined Canadian Brass right out of high . . . . . so when Philadelphia's Curtis Institute accepted my application I felt that I owed it to myself to attend."

Immediately following his tenure at Curtis, Stuart was appointed Principal Trumpet at La Scala Opera House in Italy, by Claudio Abbado. Stuart subsequently returned to Canada where he began a family and developed an impressive career.  He is of course well-known throughout North America as a successful trumpet soloist.

Along with his own performing skills, Stuart has made a significant contribution to the Canadian classical music scene by establishing Opening Day Recordings , a label that has given many fine Canadian classical artists an opportunity to be heard on an international stage.

In an unusual turn in the musical world, Stuart returned to play two and a half years with the group he left in 1971; he traveled the world with the Canadian Brass from 2003 through 2005.

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Trumpeter Justin Emerich brought a wealth of performing experience to Canadian Brass, joining the ensemble in September, 2005. A native of California, Justin earned degrees from the Harid Conservatory / Lynn School of Music and the prestigious Juilliard School.

He has performed extensively with orchestras such as the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra and the Seattle Symphony and recently performed Wagner’s Ring Cycle with the Seattle Opera. Justin has worked on Broadway, performed with Diana Ross at the 2000 US Open Women’s Finals and toured internationally with the European chart-topping Pink Martini. Since 2001 he has also performed in America and the Far East with Burning River Brass.

For two summers he studied at the Music Academy of the West, Santa Barbara, where he studied with Canadian Brass and legendary orchestral trumpeter Adolf Herseth.

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Jeff Nelsen, Horn, 2000-2004, 2007-

Internationally acclaimed Canadian hornist Jeff Nelsen’s eclectic career comprises a true cross-section of the music industry. He is equally successful in both classical and contemporary genres and in the roles of both musician and mentor. As a performer, Jeff is best known as the hornist of the world famous Canadian Brass. He is in his fifth season with them. As a pedagogue, Jeff teaches horn, chamber music, and trains people in what he calls “Fearlessness” at the prestigious Indiana University Jacobs School of Music.

Jeff has held positions in the Montreal, Vancouver, and Winnipeg symphony orchestras. Among his other appearances as orchestral performer are those with the New York Philharmonic, Boston Symphony Orchestra, National Symphony (Kennedy Center, D.C.), National Arts Center Orchestra, Edmonton, Calgary, and Quebec Symphonies, and the Canadian Opera Company. As a member of Canadian Brass, in addition to the hundreds of quintet recitals performed all over the world, Jeff has been featured with countless symphony orchestras including Atlanta, Baltimore, Detroit, Houston, Minnesota, Philadelphia, Seattle, and St. Louis.

Jeff’s pops show “Dancing and Romancing: An Evening with Jeff Nelsen” for solo horn and orchestra recently premiered with rave reviews and is in demand on orchestral pops series across North America. Nelsen has performed on Broadway, and toured with popular entertainers including Michael Bolton and Barry Manilow. Jeff has an extensive discography ranging from film, TV, Broadway show and video game soundtracks, pop and jazz music, solos, chamber, symphonic, and operatic repertoire. These recordings are on labels such as Sony Classical, Warner, Blue Note, London/Decca, Disney, Summit Records, C.B.C. and Opening Day Records. Jeff continues to attract rave reviews as a featured soloist on the Canadian Brass release “Magic Horn.” This CD was nominated for the 2006 Juno Award (Canadian equivalent to the Grammy Award) for “Best Classical Album of the Year: Solo or Chamber Ensemble.”

Intensely active as a soloist, chamber musician, and clinician, Mr. Nelsen has appeared at numerous international music festivals including Ravinia, Tanglewood, Blossom, Music Academy of the West, Banff, Las Vegas, and St. Barthlélemy.

Born and raised on a pig farm in rural Western Canada, Jeff grew up surrounded by music. His parents, Ron and Diane, are both accomplished opera singers. His eldest sister Lisa resides in England where she is a freelance flutist while his sister Suzanne, a bassoonist, is a member of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Suzanne is also married to former CB hornist David Ohanian. Aside from creating musical magic, Jeff is an enthusiastic magician, and often adds touches of illusionary arts to performances.

Prior to joining the faculty at Indiana University, Jeff had been on faculty at the Universities of Toronto, British Columbia, Victoria, and McGill University in Montreal. He has recurring articles focusing on “Fearlessness” in the magazines for the International Horn Society and the British Horn Society and his debut publication, “Fearless Auditioning – Making Simple Easier” is due for release in 2008. Mr. Nelsen is a Yamaha performing artist and clinician.

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Fred Mills, Trumpet, 1972-1996

W. Fred Mills was born in Guelph, Canada and began his brass studies on a cornet purchased from a traveling salesman. He studied at The Juilliard School in New York City and went on to play with the American Symphony Orchestra, Symphony of the Air, New York City Ballet Orchestra, Musica Aeterna Orchestra of the Metropolitan Museum, Marlboro Festival Orchestra, Casals Festival Orchestra, and the New York City Opera Orchestra.

Almost a founding member of the Canadian Brass, he joined The University of Georgia School of Music brass faculty in September of 1996 after 24 years with the Canadian Brass. As a professor of trumpet and brass chamber music, Mills is continuing that long-standing commitment to music education. He remains active in faculty and student brass chamber ensembles at UGA, as performer, arranger, and coach.

Mills also coaches a graduate brass quintet, The Bulldog Brass Society, that is comprised of graduate assistants specifically selected in a national competition. The brass faculty of the University of Georgia School of Music plans to produce chamber music concerts and international festivals that comprehensively explore the literature of brass instruments.

Fred asks all brass quintets around the world to register at UGA.

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David Ohanian, French Horn, 1986-1998

David Ohanian was born into a musical family. He began playing the French horn at the age of 11 and progressed quickly, playing with the Norwalk Symphony by the age of 12 and winning a scholarship to study in Fontainebleau, France, at 15. After graduating from the New England Conservatory on a full scholarship, Ohanian won auditions with two of the world's finest orchestras -- the Chicago Symphony and the Boston Symphony.

His growing up in New England made a difficult decision a little easier. After 11 years with the Boston Symphony, Ohanian helped form the Empire Brass Quintet, which gave him excellent experience before joining Canadian Brass in 1986. In August 1998, David left the Canadian Brass to teach at the University of South Florida in Tampa.

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Marty Hackleman, French Horn, 1983-1986

Martin Hackleman began playing the horn at age sixteen, studying with Caesar LaMonaca of the Houston Symphony. He also later studied with Barry Tuckwell, and with Roland Berger of the Vienna Philharmonic. In 1972 (at 19 years of age) he won the Principal Horn position in the Calgary Philharmonic, and in 1974 won the same position with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra. In 1983 Hackleman joined the world-renowned Canadian Brass. His three years with this group saw many outstanding recordings and tours across the United States, Canada, Europe, and the Far East.

In 1986 Mr. Hackleman joined the Empire Brass Quintet whose touring and recording schedule allowed more time for solo work and teaching. In 1989 he returned to his former position of Principal Horn with the Vancouver Symphony as well as becoming an Adjunct Professor at the University of British Columbia. Marty and Jeff Nelsen played together in the Vancouver Symphony horn section beginning in 1997, until in 1999 when Mr. Hackleman was invited to play Principal Horn in the Montreal Symphony under Charles Dutoit.

He is presently the Principal Horn in the National Symphony Orchestra in Washington D.C. and is on the faculty at the University of Maryland. He has five solo CDs out and can be heard on current recordings of the Washington Symphonic Brass as well as the Summit Brass. Hackleman is also a very active chamber musician performing throughout the world, and is frequently heard on the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. He has published two etude books for horn with BIM in Switzerland.

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Jens Lindemann, Trumpet, 1996-2001

Ronnie and Fred were a unique team in music history - two incredible trumpet players, each with his own remarkable style and history, yet matched perfectly for the brass quintet era they helped start. When Fred went to Georgia in 1996 he left behind huge shoes to fill. The next guy to step up to the plate was Jens.

Like all brass players today, Jens grew up listening to the Canadian Brass -- he even had a poster of the group on his bedroom wall! His path to joining Canadian Brass was through McGill University in Montreal (where Jeff Nelsen was also a student) and music school in New York. He spent his twenties preparing solo repertoire for competitions and won an array of prizes. Jens left the group in May 2001.

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Chris Cooper, French Horn, 1998-2000

When Chris Cooper, French hornist, joined the world-renowned quintet in summer 1998 at age 31, the search was made easy because his name had cropped up time and again.

Chris was born in California and grew up in Rockport, Massachusetts. He studied at Boston University and eventually returned to California to study at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music under the eminent hornist David Krehbiel.

Chris left the group in August 2000, now spending more time at home and with his wife, Gina Feinauer, who is a violist with the San Francisco Symphony. By a stroke of really good fortune, Chris is currently in the orchestra with his wife!

Chris Cooper Interview from our Archives

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Graeme Page, French Horn, 1970-1983

Helping to start the group in 1970, Graeme was with Canadian Brass for 13 years. Graeme had come to the group, not with a music degree, but a business degree from the University of Toronto. After 13 years getting to play the horn, he has returned to his original calling, working for The Banff Centre business school as a consultant.

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