In his 22nd year with the WCO, Robert Rohlfing has performed with some of the finest orchestras in the US
Robert Rohlfing has been 2nd trumpet of the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra since 1998. He is also a regular performer with the Madison Symphony Orchestra and has performed on numerous occasions with some of the finest orchestras in the United States, including the Minnesota Orchestra, the Oregon Symphony Orchestra, and the Charleston Symphony Orchestra.
While yet an undergraduate at Mankato State University in Minnesota, Robert was appointed 2nd trumpet of the Mankato Symphony Orchestra and later won the Principal Trumpet chair, a position which he enjoyed for eight seasons. Rob was a founding member of the Minnesota Valley Brass Quintet, an organization for which he composed and arranged many works. At Mankato State, Robert was fortunate to have as his first professional trumpet instructor, the former Third Trumpet of the Louisville Orchestra, Thomas Giles. During his undergraduate studies, Robert was twice winner of the MSU Department of Music Honors (Concerto) Competition.
Robert’s Master of Music degree is from the University of Michigan where he was a student of the legendary former Principal Trumpet of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Armando Ghitalla. After graduating, he remained in Ann Arbor for a period of time and studied extensively with a fabulous musician; the Principal Trumpet of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Ramón Parcells, and performed with the Flint, Lansing, and Battle Creek Symphony Orchestras.
Robert’s educational credentials also include his Doctorate of Musical Arts degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he was privileged to be a student of the esteemed trumpet professor and performer, John Aley. Since locating in Madison, Wisconsin, Robert has performed extensively with the Milwaukee Ballet Orchestra and the Bel Canto Chorus Orchestra. For several years, he was a member of the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Faculty Brass Quintet. While living in the Twin Cities in the mid-1990’s, Robert spent two years as a student of Manny Laureano (Principal Trumpet of the Minnesota Orchestra), who remains a very important musical mentor.
Although Robert’s formal training is primarily in classical music, he has enjoyed many performance opportunities in shows and commercial music, including performing with ensembles backing such stars as Art Garfunkel, the Pointer Sisters, Lee Greenwood, Sandy Patti, and the rock group, Yes. Robert’s musical arrangements have also gained prominent notice. As an undergraduate, he was awarded a Special Citation of Merit from the former chief arranger for Radio City Music Hall, Rayburn Wright, for his big-band arrangement of the Lennon-McCartney song, Day Tripper, at the UW-Eau Claire Jazz Festival.
