Phil Noris

An accomplished professional player who started himself in 1968 in his school band program, Phil came up playing in band all thru his scholastic career, which included the “Big Brown Music Machine” at Cal State Long Beach. Add to this the youth bands and drum & bugle corps he grew up with thus he is all too familiar with the requirements that local school bands want from students.  He studied trumpet with several teachers but stayed for 24 years with Bob Valle.  Bob, an accomplished player/soloist and former 12 year veteran Claude Gordon student, taught him all about how the trumpet embouchure really worked and all about the “physical approach” to playing. 

As a professional player, Phil is in demand with many bands in the LA, OC and IE area and plays various California venues from Palm Springs to San Diego to San Francisco, not to mention out of state events in New York, Chicago, Reno and Las Vegas.   He’s backed acts as the Drifters, Coasters, Freda Payne, Ink Spots, the Platters, the Shirelles, the Temptations, David Foster and John Tesh.  He’s also played principal trumpet for many pit orchestra gigs for musicals such as “Annie”, “No No Nannette”, “Anything Goes”, and “Chicago”,etc.  He is currently a performer and soloist with Zoot Suit Revue, Platinum Groove and “Colour My World” a tribute to Chicago.  Phil was also a herald/fanfare trumpeter in the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Opening Ceremonies. 

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I come from the Claude Gordon, Pappy Mitchell, and Louis Maggio school of trumpet.  Excersises to build strong embouchures and range, based upon warming up on notes on the trumpet rather than the mouthpiece.