Tony Ellis

 He can also be heard performing as principal trumpet with the Pacific Symphony on several performances including Stravinsky’s “Petrushka,” Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 5, and Moussorgsky’s “Pictures at an Exhibition,” live broadcast on KUSC radio. He frequently performs with other groups including Mainly Mozart, the Long Beach Symphony, LA Opera, the Cabrillo Music Festival,  the Mozart Classical Orchestra, Pasadena Pops and the Pasadena Symphony. Tony was appointed the position of second trumpet with the Opera Pacific Orchestra in 1995 and won the position of principal trumpet with the company in April, 2007.

Tony has performed as solo trumpet with Southwest Chamber Music since 2000. He can be heard on several of this groups CD recordings: “Music of Mel Powell,” “Carlos Chavez: Complete Chamber Works,” volumes 2 and 3, and “William Kraft: Encounters,” all on the Cambria Masterworks label. The Chavez Chamber works, Volume 2 won a GRAMMY for the Best Small Ensemble Performance, Classical Category, in February, 2005.

Tony has made solo appearances with local universities and colleges including the California State University Fullerton Brass Ensemble, Pacific Brass of Long Beach, Fullerton College Community Concert Band, Irvine Valley College Wind Ensemble and Saddleback College. He commissioned a solo work for trumpet and brass ensemble, “Reinvention,” composed by Steven Mahpar, which was premiered in 2001.

Tony is a graduate of California State University, Fullerton, where he earned both his Bachelor of Music and Master of Music degrees in Trumpet Performance. He resides in Brea with his wife, flutist Cynthia Ellis, and their three Labrador Retrievers Tosca, Summer and Piper. He is an avid golfer and auto-racing enthusiast.