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Featured Musician
Dr. Larry Wells – Second Trumpet
Dr. Larry Wells holds a Bachelor of Arts in Music and a Bachelor of Science in Education from Washington State University (1990). He holds a Master of Science in Teaching Music from Portland State University (1996), and completed a Doctor of Musical Arts in Trumpet Performance/Wind Conducting from the University of North Texas (2006). His dissertation is entitled Construction Applications, Practices, and Techniques of Natural Trumpets; A Comparative Analysis of Baroque and Modern Era Trumpet Construction Methods.
Currently, Larry holds the Union-Zukowski Endowed Professor of the Fine Arts position at Methodist University as the Professor of Music and the Director of Instrumental Studies/Trumpet. Prior to his appointment at Methodist, Larry taught for one year at Southeastern Oklahoma State University and three years at Southwestern Oregon Community College.
In addition to teaching, Larry is the co-music director for the Fayetteville Symphony Youth Orchestra. Previously, Larry was the General Manager and Associate Conductor for the 500+ member Metropolitan Youth Symphony in Portland, Oregon. Larry also spent four years working for the David. G. Monette Corp. building custom trumpets for notable players such as Wynton Marsalis, Manny Laureano, Terrance Blanchard, the late Adolph Herseth, and Maynard Ferguson.
As a performer, Larry holds a position in the Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra, and the Carolina Philharmonic. In addition, he has played numerous times with the Cape Fear Regional Theater, North Carolina Symphony, Portland Opera, the Oregon Symphony, the Eugene Symphony and Opera, and the Salem Chamber Orchestra. While at the University of North Texas, Larry played with the UNT Symphonic Band, UNT Baroque Orchestra, and the UNT Opera Orchestra. He has performed with Marie Osmund, The Moody Blues, Mannheim Steamroller, and as a guest musician with the Jordanian National Symphony in Amman, Jordan.
As a soloist, Larry completed a recital tour in Italy during the summer of 2013. During that tour he played in Bologna, Florence, and Trent. In May of 2014, Larry recorded his first CD, using repertoire from the Italy tour along with some added material.
Larry regularly serves on the faculty of various summer camps and festivals. These include The Methodist University “Summer Jam”, the Fayetteville Symphony’s “Summer Music Festival”, The Presbyterian Music Association’s “Montreat Camp”, and The Oregon Coast Music Festival.
Outside of music, Larry’s interests include playing golf, woodworking, and exploring New Orleans with his wife Tracey and three children: Pruette (16), Harrison (14), and Daulton (11).
