Craig Morris is currently the Professor of Trumpet at the University of Miami, Frost School of Music, where he devotes himself to his teaching and his career as a soloist and chamber musician.  Craig has been a prominent orchestral musician, most notably holding the prestigious post of Principal Trumpet in the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.  He came to Chicago from the San Francisco Symphony where he held the position of Associate Principal for three years.  Prior to joining the SFS, he was briefly a member of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, performing as Fourth/Utility Trumpet in 1998.  Craig has recorded extensively with both the San Francisco Symphony and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, including the Grammy nominated recording of Furtwangler’s 2nd Symphony.  He was also featured as principal trumpet on the SFS recordings: Copland the Populist; Charles Ives the American Journey; American Mavericks: Visionaries, Pioneers, Iconoclasts; and Aaron Copland: The Essence of America.  Craig toured with both orchestras and enjoyed many performances in the world’s finest concert halls, including New York’s Carnegie Hall, Vienna’s Musikverein, Amsterdam’s Concertgebouw, Boston’s Symphnony Hall, London’s Royal Albert Hall, and Lucerne Switzerland’s Kultur & Kongresszentrum.

Mr. Morris has also been a member of the Dallas Brass, an international touring brass quintet, and was Principal Trumpet of the Sacramento Symphony Orchestra, Opera and Ballet.  He also performed with the band Metallica on their collaboration with the San Francisco Symphony, which was released on CD and video, and has been featured on MTV and VH1. 

Craig has a burgeoning solo career having been featured as soloist with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, playing Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No. 2 and Stravinsky’s L’Histoire du Soldat with Pinchas Zukermann in Orchestra Hall, and giving a repeat performance of the Brandenburg at the CSO’s summer home at the Ravinia Festival.  Craig was also a featured soloist at Festival Miami, performing the world premier of the Concerto for Trumpet by composer Thom Sleeper, in October 2003.  Other solo engagements include performances with the San Francisco Symphony, Sacramento Symphony Orchestra, Miami Bach Society, Northbrook Symphony, Highland Park Strings, Austin Handel-Haydn Society, Diablo Symphony Orchestra, and the San Francisco Old & New Music Ensemble.

A Texas native, Mr. Morris was raised in a musical family.  His late father, Cecil Morris, a band director and tuba player, was a major musical influence.  Craig earned his Bachelor’s degree in music from the University of Texas, where he studied with Raymond Crisara.  He continued his studies, earning his Master’s degree at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music in 1991, studying with Glenn Fischthal, Principal Trumpet of the San Francisco Symphony.  After returning to Texas, Craig studied with Don Jacoby, a former Chicago freelance artist, and James Wilt, Associate Principal Trumpet of the Los Angeles Philharmonic.

For information on the instrumental performance program at the Frost School of Music, University of Miami, please visit:  www.music.miami.edu.