Gordon Cherry
Trombonist, Educator, Conductor & Publisher of Music for Brass Gordon Cherry performed as the Principal Trombonist of the Vancouver Symphony and C.B.C. Vancouver Radio Orchestra from 1974 to 2009 working under conductors Kazuyoshi Akiyama, John Avison, Rudolf Barshai, Sergui Comissiona, Bramwell Tovey and Alain Trudel as well as hundreds of guest conductors. Previously, he performed in the same capacity with the National Arts Centre Orchestra under Maestro Mario Bernardi. Gordon was a student of Emory B. Remington, graduating from the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York. Studies at the Royal Conservatory in his hometown of Toronto and the National Youth Orchestra of Canada added a strong background to his early training.
He taught on the Faculty at the UBC School of Music from 1975 to 2007, graduating many students who have prominent positions in Orchestras and Educational Institutions around North America.
During the summers Gordon has taught at the Banff Festival, Courtenay Music Centre, Saskatchewan Summer School, the Waterloo Festival Orchestra, under the baton of Gerard Schwarz in New Jersey, the S.O.A.P Festival. Currently he is a faculty member of the PRISMA Festival in Powell River and the VSO Institute of Music Festival in Whistler, BC.
Gordon was the recipient of two Canada Council Awards, a four-year Eastman School of Music Scholarship and was twice a finalist in the C.B.C. Talent Festival. As a soloist he has performed with orchestras, bands and chamber groups including the Vancouver Symphony, the CBC Radio Orchestra, the National Arts Centre Orchestra, the VSO Brass Quintet, the Vancouver New Music Society, the UBC Wind Ensemble and most recently, the Northern Symphony in Prince George.
Gordon has also performed for many movies and TV specials as a recording artist. He performs on a Shires (tenor) and Yamaha (alto & bass) trombones.
His wife Joyce, also an accomplished musician has been his longtime partner for over 47 years as well as his accompanist on the piano.