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The French trumpeter, Dominic Derasse, was born in Paris and grew up in Nice. He studied trumpet with Gaston Cagnon, solfege and theory at the Nice conservatory of music. During that time he was playing with “Nice La Belle” (a local folkloric group) at 13 traveling across Europe and even performing at the 1972 Munich olympics. By 14 he was playing regularly with a dance band and at 15 played his first professional job with the Nice opera performing in the stage band for La Boheme. After graduating from high school, he spent the summer of 1976 studying at Boston University’s Tanglewood Institute: Young Artists’ Orchestra where he was involved in daily orchestra rehearsals as well as chamber music and private lessons with Roger Voisin. Some of the conductors that summer were Leonard Bernstein, Seiji Ozawa, Klaus Tennstedt. Upon his return to France, he fulfilled his national duties in the military service and was enlisted in the band of the 8th Infantry at the “Mont Valerien” just outside Paris. While in the service, he studied with Roger Delmotte at the Versailles conservatory before entering the Paris National Conservatory of Music in autumn 1977 in Pierre Thibaud’s class. During his years at the Paris Conservatory, he became very active professionally in Paris, free-lancing in recording sessions, shows, symphony orchestras and operas. He graduated from the Paris conservatory with 1st Prize in 1979.
In the summer of 1979 Dominic Derasse toured South Africa, Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) and Mauritius Island with a brass quintet that included Roger Delmotte, Pierre Dutot, Michel Becquet and Jacky Fourquet. He received a Fulbright scholarship from the “Commission Franco-Americaine” in Paris that fall and went to Boston to study jazz at Berklee College of Music for two semesters. This would turn out to be a very important time in his life. On recommendation from Jon Faddis, whom he had met at the Nice Jazz Festival, he studied with Carmine Caruso in New York City. Mr. Caruso’s techniques and philosophies became so important to Dominic that he traveled by bus twice a week, from Boston, to study with the Master.
Upon returning to France, Dominic Derasse quickly became very much in demand on the French musical scene touring that summer of 1980 with two french “Pop Stars”: Enrico Macias and Francois Valery. In October 1980, he won two orchestral auditions, one for principal trumpet of the Nice Orchestra (his hometown) that he turned down upon winning the position with the “Orchestre Colonne” in Paris. In late 1981, he played lead trumpet for the Broadway production of Leonard Bernstein's West Side Story that was on tour in Paris. In 1982, he became Lead Trumpet of the “Folies Bergere” show in Paris in addition to becoming one of the most sought after studio musicians. He also was the 1982 laureate of the French National Teaching Diploma in trumpet and began to teach at the Vernon (Eure) and Vaulx le Penil (Ile De France) music conservatories.
In the summer of 1984, Dominic Derasse was invited by Roger Voisin and Gunther Schuller to participate in the Berkshire Music Center at Tanglewood where he met Charles Schlueter. The seeds for Dominic Derasse’s decision to move to the USA were planted there that summer. He made that move on April 21, 1985 leaving behind his family and his busy work schedule. In August 1985, he won the position of principal trumpet with the Charleston Symphony Orchestra in South Carolina under the baton of David Stahl and remained there until May 1987 when he made his permanent move to New York City. Since moving to New York, he has fast become one of the most sought after trumpet players and educators in the area. In addition to his position as principal trumpet with the now defunct Eos Orchestra, his versatility has allowed him to perform with a wide variety of musical organizations, such as the New York Philharmonic Orchestra, Orchestra of St. Luke's, American Symphony Orchestra, New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, Concordia and over 30 Broadway shows. He has performed live with Sting, Elton John. James Taylor, Stevie Wonder, Ray Charles, Al Jarreau, Tony Bennett, Dionne Warwick, Julie Andrews and many others. He was the trumpet player who introduced the german rotary piccollo trumpet from Scherzer at Broadway theaters. He was also the trumpet player who played taps at ground zero after 9/11! He was the mystery bugler at Ground Zero.
Dominic Derasse has appeared on numerous musical recordings from Stephen Sondheim to John Corigliano as well as the critically acclaimed recordings with the Eos Orchestra. He can be heard on the soundtracks for more than 70 motion pictures and in commercials for over 100 different companies. His most recognizable TV theme performance is probably for the "NBC Nightly News".
Dominic Derasse has performed as a classical soloist and has presented master-classes and lectures in Europe, the USA, Japan, Africa and South America. As a soloist he has performed world premieres of three works: One by Claude Lefebvre in Germany, 1984, one by David Chesky in Charleston, 1987 and more recently a work by Eric Ewazen in Paris, 2009. His 1998 solo performance at the Washington Square Music Festival was preceded by a live performance broadcast on WNYC radio in New York. He was a featured soloist at Carnegie Hall on March 18, 2002 performing music by H.K. Gruber and has appeared with the Craftsbury (Vermont) Chamber Players every summer (except 2004) since 2001. He also served as President of the NY Chapter and Vice-President of the International RMA (Recording Musician's Association) from 1999 to 2001. He is now living at Arizona. |
