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Trumpet Players at the BSO

Milliens piccolo trumpet serial number 1

The trumpet was donated to the BSO Archives by Patrick Lorini in memory of his trumpet teacher Patrick Renzi. Renzi studied trumpet with Roger Voisin at the New England Conservatory in the early 1960s when Voisin was also working with the Milliens company to design their piccolo trumpet.

BSO Trumpet Players, 1881 – Present

The early years

Photographic collage depicting conductor Georg Henschel standing on a podium with musicians, including two trumpet players, sitting behind him — Close-up of the trumpet section from the inaugural season of the BSO (1881-82), under Georg Henschel, conductor

Ezra M. Bagley was principal, with Benjamin Bowron playing second trumpet. During its first 10 seasons, the orchestra had no more than two permanent trumpet players (today there are four musicians in the section). (Collage by James Notman)

Photograph of a man wearing a military style cap and coat — Portrait of Edward N. Lafricain (BSO Principal Trumpet 1887-1893, section trumpet 1896-1897 and 1900-1902)

Trumpet player Edward Lafricain was a native of Montreal, Quebec. (Photographer unknown)

Gustav F. Heim (BSO Principal Trumpet, 1914-1920) poses with his instrument

(Carl J. Horner)

Portrait of Georges Mager, BSO Principal Trumpet (1920-1950)

(Carl J. Horner)

Nine circular medals in silver color and bronze, with various insignia and French language inscriptions, sit against a red background — Georges Mager’s Medals

Georges Mager played viola with the BSO for one year before becoming principal trumpet in 1920. This versatility in Mager’s musicianship can be seen in the medals he won as a student in France (at the Academie de Musique, Ville de Tourcoing, and the Conservatoire National de Musique et Declamation). Not only did he win first prize in cornets and trumpets, but he also took home prizes for violin and solfege. (Gift of Boyd Herforth and Colin Herforth, 2014)

A sepia-toned postcard of several men in two rows and holding brass instruments, with the first row seated and the back row standing — Formal group photograph of the brass players of the Boston Symphony Orchestra during the 1925-26 season

The trumpets include Louis Kloepfel (former principal from 1900-1914), standing in the back row, with Joseph Mann, Kurt Schmeisser, Gustav Perret, and principal Georges Mager seated left to right in the front. (Carl J. Horner)

1930s-1970s

Four men in suits standing under spotlight holding their trumpets to their mouths, ready to play — BSO trumpet section, January 1936

From left to right: principal Georges Mager, Marcel LaFosse, Roger Voisin, and René Voisin. Father (René) and son (Roger) Voisin played together for over a decade and a half before René passed away in 1952. (Apeda Studio, NY, gift of Roger Voisin, 2001)

Roger Voisin, a member of the trumpet section from 1935-1973, served as principal from 1950-1965.

(Photographer unknown, gift of Roger Voisin, 2001)

Four men in casual clothing sit in front of music stands, holding their trumpets up — BSO trumpet section, ca. late 1950s

Armando Ghitalla, André Côme, Roger Voisin, and Gerard Goguen lift their instruments to pose for a group photo. (Photographer unknown)

A man sits near the window of an airplane holding a trumpet with a mute fitted inside. He is wearing a suit, but the tie is unknotted, and the top buttons of his shirt are undone for a relaxed fit — Armando Ghitalla practices his trumpet en route to Toyko during the BSO’s 1960 tour

Perhaps he is using the mute for the comfort of his fellow passengers. Ghitalla became principal trumpet in 1965. (George Humphrey)

Four men stand together in suits and wide ties, each holding up a trumpet — 1971-1972 BSO trumpet section

Gerard Goguen, Roger Voisin, André Côme, and Armando Ghitalla played together for 16 years, under four music directors (Munch, Leinsdorf, Steinberg, and Ozawa). This was the longest period in which the same musicians played together in the BSO trumpet section.

Photograph by Photography Incorporated, gift of Roger Voisin, 2001

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1980-present

A man sits in a tuxedo and bowtie, resting a trumpet on his knee — Rolf Smedvig joined the trumpet section in 1973 and served as principal from 1980-1981

He left the BSO to devote more time to the Empire Brass, an ensemble he co-founded. (Stephen Hawkins)

Charles Schlueter served as principal trumpet from 1981-2006

(Bela Kalman)

A man stands in a darkened balcony at Symphony Hall, illuminated by a spotlight while he plays a trumpet — BSO Principal Trumpet Tom Rolfs (2006-present) plays a trumpet solo from the balcony during a BSO performance of Charles Ives’ The Unanswered Question at Symphony Hall, March 3, 2022

(Aram Boghosian)

Four men in tuxedos stand on Symphony Hall stage holding trumpets — Current BSO trumpet section: Thomas Siders, Michael Martin, Tom Rolfs, and Benjamin Wright

(Stu Rosner)