Robert Sullivan
Professor of Music
Bio
Robert Sullivan is Professor of Trumpet at the University of Michigan School of Music, Theater and Dance and faculty at the Brevard Music Festival. A graduate of the University of Michigan, Robert studied trumpet with Armando Ghitalla and was the recipient of the Earl V. Moore scholarship award at U of M.
Robert recently retired from his position as Principal Trumpet of the Cincinnati Symphony and Pops Orchestras to focus on his teaching at the University of Michigan. Previous orchestral positions have included tenured appointments as associate principal trumpet with the New York Philharmonic and The Cleveland Orchestra and second trumpet with the Charleston (SC) Symphony, and regular appearances with the Chicago Symphony and Lyric Opera Orchestra of Chicago. He has also been a member of the US Air Force Band, and a faculty member at Northwestern University, Indiana University, the Cleveland Institute of Music, the Manhattan School of Music, and the Mannes College of Music.
In Cincinnati, Mr. Sullivan has been featured as soloist with the orchestra on nearly a dozen occasions. He has performed newly commissioned works by Peter Boyer and Christopher Cerrone, as well as works by John Adams, John Williams and concertos by Neruda, Hummel and William Perry, among others. His playing has been hailed by the Cincinnati Post and Gazette as “polished and engaging….displaying superb control, technical artistry and silvery tone.”
Robert is an active recitalist and clinician. Recent solo performances outside of Cincinnati include appearances with the Chicago Philharmonic and Hilton Head Symphony. He was a member of the Principal Brass of the New York Philharmonic, has collaborated with the Canadian Brass and German Brass, recorded and performed with Summit Brass and Empire Brass, and can be heard on the soundtracks of dozens of Hollywood film scores. Prior to joining the New York Philharmonic, Robert toured the US for three years as solo trumpet with the Chicago Chamber Brass and the trumpet and organ duo Toccatas and Flourishes. Mr. Sullivan’s first two recordings of repertoire for trumpet and piano are available on the Summit Records label, and his newest release, Eternal Spring, was recently released on Fanfare Cincinnati, the record label of the Cincinnati Symphony.
In 2000 Robert was awarded the “Special Citation from the Congress of the United States in recognition of community service”.
Mr. Sullivan is a Yamaha Performing Artist, and was the artist collaborator for the Yamaha New York Artist model trumpets.
