Welcome to THE PLYLAR TRUMPET ACADEMY…
We are very pleased that you are taking the time to find out more about us as professional teachers and performers. It is our wish to communicate and to instill a love of music and a passion for excellence in musical performance to students, parents, and music educators. Our experience as professional musicians, professional students, and as professional teachers comes together to benefit the members of The Plylar Trumpet Academy.
Students join the Academy for a variety of reasons. Usually, the student wants to improve his/her trumpet playing to enjoy the musical experience in school ensembles or community groups at a higher level. We are committed to helping students of all ages set goals, have fun, and achieve musical excellence. Those who wish to continue in music as a career have found a home in the Academy.
Many thanks to our dear friends and mentors listed below. They gave us so much. It is our goal to honor them by conveying their high standards to students of The Plylar Trumpet Academy.
J. Russell Plylar, Jr.
Professional Teaching
Plylar Trumpet Academy for 32 years
Faculty Associate (teaching classical and jazz trumpet performance majors) at Arizona State University for 5 years
Principal Teacher at Brevard Music Center for 6 summers
Teacher in Louisville Prep Department at the University of Louisville for 3 years
Professional Performing
Principal Trumpet and Music Director of the Southwest Brass for 32 years
Solo Performances with symphony orchestras and various venues for 40 years
Principal Trumpet – Phoenix Symphony Orchestra for 10 years
Second Trumpet – Louisville Orchestra for 3 years
Third Trumpet – Louisville Orchestra for 2 years
Principal Trumpet – Brevard Music Center Orchestra for 6 summers
Second Trumpet – Louisville Brass Quintet for 3 years
Utility and Second Trumpet – Aspen Festival Orchestra and Aspen Chamber Orchestra for 3 summers
My Teachers, 1965 – 1973
Saul Caston – Principal Trumpet, Philadelphia Orchestra
Charles Brady – Principal Trumpet, National Symphony Orchestra
Leon Rapier – Principal Trumpet, Louisville Orchestra, University of Louisville
Samuel Krauss – Principal Trumpet, Philadelphia Orchestra
Gerard Schwarz – Principal Trumpet, New York Philharmonic, American Brass Quintet
Isolated Study (Brief Associations), 1969 – 1982
Charles Geyer – Chicago Symphony
Louis Opalesvsky – Philadelphia Free Lance Musician
Frank Kadarabek – Principal Trumpet, Detroit Symphony, Philadelphia Orchestra
James Stamp – Los Angeles
Carmine Caruso – New York City
Renold Schilke – Chicago Symphony
Other Major Influences (Clinics, Recordings, and Live Concerts)
Adolph Herseth – Principal Trumpet, Chicago Symphony
Maurice Andre – International Trumpet Soloist
Rafael Mendez – International Trumpet Soloist
Al Hirt – Dixie Land Soloist
Doc Severinson – Lead Player and Soloist
Herb Alpert – Band Leader and Trumpet Soloist
Armando Ghitalla – Principal Trumpet, Boston Symphony Orchestra
Roger Voisin - Principal Trumpet, Boston Symphony Orchestra
Institutional Education
High School Diploma from the North Carolina School of the Performing Arts
Bachelor of Music in Trumpet Performance with a Piano minor, from the University of Louisville
Deborah Koch Plylar
Professional Teaching
Plylar Academy, Trumpet, Horn, Trombone, Euphonium, Tuba – Instructor & Clinician 1982 to Present
Grand Canyon University, Phoenix, AZ – Instructor, Clinician, & Coach
Mesa Community College – Instructor
AZ Brass Workshop – Faculty & Administrator
Professional Performing
Southwest Brass, Trumpet & Executive Director - 1982 to Present
Freelance Orchestras, Phoenix Metropolitan Area, Principal & Section Trumpet - 1982 To Present
Sun Cities Symphony, Second trumpet
Phoenix Symphony, Utility Trumpet
Winston-Salem Symphony, Co-Principal Trumpet
Piedmont Opera Orchestra, Principal Trumpet
Brevard Music Center Orchestra, Asst. Principal, Second, and Third Trumpet
Spoleto Festival Brass Quintet, Trumpet
Stowe Festival Orchestra, Trumpet
Lansing Symphony, Utility Trumpet
Primary Instructors
Armando Ghitalla - Principal Trumpet, Boston Symphony
Gilbert Johnson - Principal Trumpet, Philadelphia Orchestra
Edward Hoffman - Asst. Principal Trumpet, Baltimore Symphony
Raymond Mase - Principal Trumpet, American Brass Quintet, Aspen Festival
Secondary Instructors
Carmine Caruso, New York, NY
Richard Giangulio, Dallas Symphony
Harry Glantz, NBC Symphony
Renold Schilke, Chicago Symphony
James Stamp, Los Angeles, CA
Thomas Stevens, Los Angeles Philharmonic
Education
North Carolina School of the Arts, Winston-Salem - Bachelor of Music, Trumpet Performance, Giannini Scholar
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor - Principal Trumpet Symphony, Wind Ensemble, & Opera Orchestra
University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL – Presidential Scholar
Eastern Music Festival, Greensboro, NC
Boston University Brass Clinic, Boston, MA