R. Douglas Wright

R. Douglas Wright, the Minnesota Orchestra’s principal trombone since 1995, has performed a variety of trombone concertos with the Orchestra, including the 2002 world premiere performances of Kurt Schwertsik’s Trombone Concerto, a work written for him. In June 2018, Wright and his Minnesota Orchestra low brass colleagues premiered James Stephenson’s Low Brass Concerto with the Orchestra. Prior to joining the Minnesota Orchestra, Wright was a member of the Empire Brass Quintet, performing concerts and teaching master classes around the world. He has served as principal trombone of the Cleveland Orchestra, second trombone of the Boston Pops Orchestra, and principal trombone of the Rhode Island Philharmonic. Wright received his training at the New England Conservatory of Music, where he studied with Norman Bolter. He holds a master’s degree from Boston University, where he has also served as adjunct professor of trombone. A committed educator, Wright is on faculty at the Bienen School of Music at Northwestern University. Wright’s work is heard on recordings of the Minnesota Orchestra, Boston Pops, and Boston Symphony Orchestra, as well as the Empire Brass. In a brief departure from his concert and orchestral role, he appeared in an MTV music video with the rock group Aerosmith.