Trumpet Player
Rolf Smedvig
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He has performed as soloist with many orchestras, among them the Boston Symphony Orchestra, the National Symphony, Cambridge Chamber Orchestra, the New World Symphony, and the NHK Orchestra of Japan, performing there under the direction of Seiji Ozawa. In 1995 Mr. Smedvig made his debut with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra at the Ravinia Festival. In 1997 he appeared on tour with the Atlantic Classical Orchestra and was a guest at the 41st Eastern Band Festival. He has been a frequent guest at festivals: at Tanglewood, Wolf Trap, Chautauqua, at the Bach Festival in Marlboro and the Casals Festival in Puerto Rico.
As a founding member and first trumpet of the Empire Brass Quintet, Mr. Smedvig has toured 35 countries in North and South America, Japan, Russia, Europe and Great Britain. The quintet is not only an acclaimed chamber group; it also performs with orchestras like the Chicago Symphony, New York Philharmonic, Cincinnati Symphony, St. Louis Symphony, Minnesota Orchestra, Philadelphia Orchestra and the Boston Symphony. It is a frequent guest of nationally syndicated radio programs including St. Paul Sunday Morning and Traditions and has been televised on Good Morning America, the Today Show and Mr. Roger's Neighborhood. In 1996 at the Pacific Music Festival he was named International Principal with members of the Berlin and Wein Philharmonic.
Mr. Smedvig's CD of virtuoso trumpet concertos with the Scottish Orchestra, the first of an exclusive contract with Telarc Records earned a grammy nomination . The following year he toured North America as soloist with that orchestra. Other Solo Recordings include Virtuoso Trumpet featuring the Bach Brandenburg Concerto #2 and the 2nd Orchestral Suite. With Organist Michael Murry he recorded the critically acclaimed Ceremonial Music for Trumpet and Organ all on the Telarc Label.
"Absolutely gorgeous playing with phrasing that sounds squeezed out of a tube. This release should help establish Rolf Smedvig as one of the finest trumpet players now before the public....." American Record Guide
In addition to recordings on the Sony/CBS Label , Angel EMI His recordings as first trumpet of the Empire Brass on Telarc include Royal Brass; Braggin' in Brass; The Empire Brass: Gershwin, Bernstein, Tilson Thomas; Music for Brass, Organ and Percussion; Class Brass; Romantic Brass; Class Brass: On The Edge; Empire Brass: On Broadway; Music of Gabrieli; Mozart For Brass; Passage; King's Court and Celtic Fair and The World Sings an Empire Brass Christmas. In 1996 the Boston Ballet presented the World premier of the Ballet "Passage" music written, arranged and adapted by Rolf Smedvig . The Telarc CD "Passage" was Co -Produced by Mr. Smedvig.
Mr. Smedvig has served as Music Director of the Williamsport Symphony and has also conducted the Cambridge Chamber Orchestra. Other recent conducting engagements include the Honolulu Symphony, Northwest Chamber Orchestra, Tohnhalle Orchestra of Zurich, and the Simon Bolivar Orchestra of Caracas, Venezuela. With the Venezuelans he has appeared numerous times and on tour. Mr Smedvig was instumental in bringing the entire orchestra to Tanglewood for instruction with Seiji Ozawa. Rolf Smedvig also conducted a full length CBS television broadcast from Boston's Government Center. During the 95,96, and 1997 concert season Smedvig was a frequent guest of the New World Symphony Orchestra where he served as conductor and soloist.
He was born in Seattle and made his debut as a soloist with the Seattle Symphony when he was 13. He studied at Boston University with such teachers as Armando Ghitalla, Raphael Mendez, and Maurice Andre. While studying at Tanglewood in 1971 he was invited by Leonard Bernstein to perform as soloist in the world premiere of the composer's Mass that marked the opening of the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. At the age of nineteen he was appointed Assistant Principal Trumpet of the Boston Symphony by Seiji Ozawa, becoming the youngest member of the orchestra. Having served the orchestra in performance and recordings for eight years, in 1979 he was appointed Principal Trumpet and held that position until 1981 when he left to pursue a career as soloist and chamber music player.
Mr. Smedvig has served on the faculty of Boston University and the Tanglewood Music Center and he founded the Empire Brass Seminar at Tanglewood. Currently he holds the International chair at the Royal Academy of Music in London, and is a clinician for the Selmer Company. He is an accomplished arranger/composer, with hundreds of works recorded and published by the G. Schirmer , KRS Publishing and the International Music Company. In 1996 he was featured in the Warner Brother's Video the 21st century Band Method.
