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Trumpeter Craig Morris emerged onto the international orchestra scene by winning the prestigious position of Principal Trumpet in the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, taking over that post from the legendary Adolph “Bud” Herseth. Prior to his appointment in Chicago, Craig was the Associate Principal Trumpet of the San Francisco Symphony under the baton of Michael Tilson Thomas. During his time in these two premier ensembles, Morris performed in the world’s greatest concert halls with the leading musicians of our time. He recorded extensively as Principal Trumpet with both of these orchestras, including the Grammy nominated recording of Furtwangler’s Symphony No. 2 with the CSO and Daniel Barenboim. While in San Francisco, Craig was featured on the SFS recordings: Copland the Populist; Charles Ives the American Journey; American Mavericks: Visionaries, Pioneers, Iconoclasts; and Aaron Copland: The Essence of America. In addition to these positions, Craig has held the position of Fourth Trumpet in both the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and the Boston Symphony, and Principal Trumpet in the Sacramento Symphony Orchestra.
In 2003 Craig left his position in the CSO to pursue a burgeoning solo career. As a soloist, he has been featured with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the San Francisco Symphony, the Beijing Modern Music Festival, the Sacramento Symphony, the Miami Bach Society, and many more. With the Chicago Symphony he was featured as soloist on Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No. 2 and Stravinsky’s L’Histoire du Soldat with Pinchas Zukerman in Chicago’s Orchestra Hall. He also gave a repeat performance of the Brandenburg Concerto at the CSO’s summer home at the Ravinia Festival. Additionally, Craig has been a featured soloist at Carnegie Hall, the Beijing Modern Music Festival, the American Bandmasters Association Convention, and the International Computer Music Conference, to name a few. In 2009, Craig will be giving the American Premier of Desolation Wilderness, a trumpet concerto by Joby Talbot. The premier will take place in August at the Cabrillo Festival for Contemporary Music, under the baton of Marin Alsop. 2009 will also see a performance of Desolation Wilderness with the Venezuela Symphony Orchestra. Permit Me Voyage is Craig’s debut solo CD and features the music of Debussy, Schumann, Brahms, and Barber. This recording follows the widely acclaimed 2007 Naxos release, Reflections, where Craig was the soloist on Thom Sleeper’s Concerto for Trumpet.
Craig 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.
A Texas native, Craig grew up in a musical family. He attended the University of Texas for his undergraduate studies and the San Francisco Conservatory of Music for his graduate work. His principal teachers include Ray Crisara (Professor, University of Texas), Glenn Fischthal (former Principal Trumpet, San Francisco Symphony), and Jim Wilt (Associate Principal Trumpet, Los Angeles Philharmonic).
