Dr. Derek Ganong
Trumpet
Originally from the mountains of California, Dr. Derek Ganong is a trumpeter, collaborator, engineer, and educator dedicated to breaking down boundaries between genres, disciplines, audiences, and artists. Derek serves as a mentor and an advocate for innovation in higher education through his position as Assistant Professor of Jazz and Classical Trumpet at the University of South Florida. In this role, he leads the dual-specialty trumpet studio and integrates music technology into applied performance instruction.
Derek is at the forefront of brass pedagogy and is regarded as a leading authority on the trumpet method of the late Laurie Frink. Dr. Ganong holds a Doctorate of Musical Arts in Jazz and Classical Trumpet from the University of Miami, a Master of Music in Studio Music and Jazz from NYU, and a Bachelor of Arts in Ethnomusicology with a Cognitive Science minor from UCLA.
Derek is internationally recognized for his multifaceted skillset and is in high demand as a performer capable of playing at the highest level across all musical settings. He has extensive experience spanning symphonic, commercial, jazz, and studio realms.
Dr. Ganong performs regularly across Florida, playing with The Florida Orchestra and the Sarasota Orchestra, while serving as the flugelhornist with the Tampa Brass Band. He has also performed with the Brass Band of Central Florida and maintains performance ties with Opera Idaho, the Boise Baroque Orchestra, and the Brass Band of the Treasure Valley. As a founding member of NewStream Brass, Uncharted Trio, Vice City Brass, and CTO of the Brass Institutes of America, Derek continually pushes the boundaries of brass performance, chamber music, and pedagogy. He is frequently engaged for film scores, video game soundtracks, contemporary solo music, and crossover studio projects.
Dr. Ganong is also an active music technologist and audio engineer, integrating advanced digital audio workstation workflows, microphone modeling, and production into both his studio instruction and creative research. His broad skills in audio engineering, technology, and project management allow him to produce and engineer projects of any scale, equipping the next generation of 21st-century musicians with essential industry tools.
Dr. Ganong remains committed to the multifaceted nature of the trumpet and to the ever-broadening scope of modern music careers. A lifelong learner and dedicated collaborator, Derek strives to be an impactful performer, educator, technologist, and leader in the field. #DrG