Dr. TJ Perry

TJ Perry is the Assistant Professor of Trumpet at Arkansas Tech University in Russellville, Arkansas. Equally at home in the Classical, Jazz, and Commercial worlds, TJ enjoys an active career as a soloist, clinician, and educator. TJ recently held the positions of principal trumpet with the Johnson City (TN) Symphony Orchestra, second trumpet with the Brasswind Quintet, and is the current principal trumpet with the progressive chamber ensemble The Detroit Brass Company. Previously, he served on the faculties of Albion College, Spring Arbor University, and Grand Valley State University.

In February of 2014, TJ performed with the Michigan State University Wind Symphony as principal trumpet in the 10-year anniversary celebration of Pulitzer Prize winning composer John Corigliano’s Symphony 3: Circus Maximus at Carnegie Hall. As a member of the Michigan State University Trumpet Ensemble, TJ has participated in the Orvieto Musica Trumpet Festival in Italy,Exploring Trumpet in Greece with Vince Dimartino and Gerassimos Ioannidis, and the 2013 International Trumpet Guild Conference. As a member of the Cross Street Jazz Ensemble, TJ performed at the 2009 Detroit International Jazz Festival.  Additionally, TJ has performed with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, the Windsor Symphony Orchestra, the Lansing Symphony Orchestra, the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra, the Oak Ridge Symphony Orchestra, former Tonight Show bandleader and international soloist Doc Severinsen, international trumpet soloist Vince DiMartino, and Detroit based jazz legend Marcus Belgrave. In 2010 was a semi-finalist for the graduate division of the National Trumpet Competition.

In the spring of 2016 TJ completed the Doctor of Musical Arts degree from Michigan State University, where he served as the Doctoral Teaching Assistant for the trumpet studio. His secondary focus area was Musician Health and Wellness, and the exploration of immersive performance concepts using extra-musical elements like lighting, multimedia, and original graphic elements. TJ studied at The University of Tennessee- Knoxville for the Master of Music degree as the Graduate Teaching Assistant and Eastern Michigan University in Ypsilanti, MI for his bachelors degree.

Principal teachers have included Rich Illman (Michigan State University), Justin Emerich (Michigan State University), Dr. Cathy Leach (University of Tennessee), Carter Eggers (Eastern Michigan University), and Dr. Judy Palac (Michigan State University- Healthy Musicianship and Body Mapping). Additional instruction has come from Mark Byerly (University of Toledo), Vince DiMartino (international soloist) Doc Severinsen (international soloist), William Campbell (University of Michigan), and John Hagstrom (second trumpet, Chicago Symphony Orchestra).