Rob Rohlfing

Trumpet Performer

Trumpet Instructor

Based in Madison, Wisconsin

Friendly
Courteous
Pleasant
Positive Attitude
Experienced and Professional

Offering Individual Private Lessons in either Conservatory Style, or for broad-based musical enrichment and fulfillment, or a combination of both! All ages accepted, beginner to adult.

Musician Contractor and Music Arranger

My Musical Performance and Musician Contracting Services are available for your Wedding, Anniversary, Worship Service, Funeral, Celebration of Life, as well as Corporate or Business Event, or any other Celebration!

Available Services:

Trumpet Solo (Unaccompanied) Performances
Trumpet with Piano
Trumpet with Harp
Trumpet with Organ
Brass Quartet
Brass Quintet
Brass Ensembles
Trumpet with String Quartet

Musical History

My educational credentials include my Doctorate of Musical Arts degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where I was privileged to be a student of the esteemed trumpet professor and performer, John Aley.

My Master of Music degree is from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor where I was a student of the legendary former Principal Trumpet of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Armando Ghitalla.

After I received my Masters degree, I remained in Ann Arbor for a period of time, and studied extensively with a fabulous musician; the Principal Trumpet of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Ramón Parcells.

I was fortunate to have as my first professional trumpet instructor, the former Third Trumpet of the Louisville Orchestra, Thomas Giles, at Mankato State University in Minnesota, where I received my Bachelor of Music degree. During my undergraduate studies, I was twice winner of the MSU Department of Music Honors (Concerto) Competition.

While living in the Twin Cities in the mid-1990’s, I spent two years as a student of Manny Laureano (Principal Trumpet of the Minnesota Orchestra) who remains a very important musical mentor.

During my professional career, I have performed on numerous occasions with some of the finest orchestras in the United States, such as The Minnesota Orchestra, and other top tier orchestras from East to West Coast.

While yet an undergraduate, I was appointed 2nd trumpet of the Mankato Symphony Orchestra, and later won the Principal Trumpet chair, a position which I enjoyed for eight seasons. I was a founding member of the Minnesota Valley Brass Quintet (with Tom Giles, Trumpet, David Schultz, Horn, Dean Menten, Trombone, and Jeff Hodapp, Tuba), an organization for which I composed and arranged many works.

Since locating in Madison Wisconsin, I have performed extensively with the Milwaukee Ballet Orchestra and the Bel Canto Chorus Orchestra. For several years, I was a member of the University of Wisconsin Whitewater Faculty Brass Quintet.

Although my formal training is primarily in classical music, I have enjoyed many performance opportunities in shows and commercial music, including performing with ensembles backing such stars as Art Garfunkel, the Pointer Sisters, and the rock group, Yes.

My musical arrangements have gained prominent notice. As an undergraduate, I was awarded a Special Citation of Merit from the former chief arranger for Radio City Music Hall, Rayburn Wright, for my big-band arrangement of the Lennon-McCartney song, Day Tripper, at the UW-Eau Claire Jazz Festival.

My Doctoral Minor at UW-Madison was in Music History. I have an avid interest in current and historical music performance trends and style in orchestral and solo music. The title of my dissertation is Trumpet Performance Legacy in American Orchestras in the Music of Ludwig van Beethoven: with Emphasis on Editorial Changes in Symphony No. 9.

Currently, I am Second Trumpet of the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra, and a regular performer with the Madison Symphony Orchestra. I am also frequently heard in solo performances at St. Raphael’s Cathedral of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Madison.

The Wisconsin State Journal has taken notice of my performances, citing my “brilliant playing” in The Trumpet Shall Sound from Handel’s Messiah.

My trumpet students have excelled in all levels of performance, having achieved the highest possible ratings in High-School State Solo and Ensemble performances (in both Wisconsin and Minnesota), as well as having been placed in the top tier orchestra of Wisconsin Youth Symphony Orchestra (WYSO) organization.

The trumpets and mouthpieces I prefer are those made for me by the David G. Monette Corportation, of Portland, Oregon. Personal favorites are either my Monette Ajna II C trumpet (built in 2000), or my Monette Prana STC1 C trumpet (built in 2004). I also still enjoy playing my older, more nostalgic (1991), Monette STC4 C trumpet (in satin-silver plate). Each of these instruments is uniquely beautiful to me, and it is my belief that my Monette trumpet equipment allows me to most completely express and effectively communicate music.

For any of my musical services, please initially contact me via e-mail, and if you would, please provide your contact information and method of contact preference. I am usually able to return e-mails within 24 hours.

Thank you!

Rob Rohlfing

Dedicated to the memory of Jeffrey P. Hodapp 7/5/1957 to 12/30/2009†

Man of Faith, Complete Musician, Closest Friend

† Resquiescat in Pacem. Wiedersehen ist unser Trost †

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