Philip Norris

Phil Norris, a native of Pennsylvania, has served as Professor of Music at University of Northwestern—St. Paul since 1993, where he has taught courses in instrumental music education, music theory, trumpet, music technology, and music history. In 2004 he received the UNW Excellence in Teaching Award.

Dr. Norris’ music study has included Grace College (BME) Winona Lake, Indiana, Northwestern University (MM-trumpet), and University of Minnesota (DMA-trumpet). He has studied under Jerry Franks, Luther Didrickson, Vincent Cichowicz, David Baldwin and Gary Bordner (trumpet), John Paynter (band/conducting), and Arnold Jacobs (wind respiration and brass).

Norris has published over 25 band and brass pieces with Volkwein, Columbia Pictures, and David E. Smith publishers. John Paynter wrote of his music, “…absolutely superb! Such great imagination, musicianship, practicality, and general effectiveness.” Robert Page of the Cleveland Symphony Chorus said of Norris’ Psalm 90, “Wonderful festival piece.”

Crown Music Press Chicago has published his Top 50 Orchestral Audition Excerpts for Trumpet, now in its third printing and endorsed by Adolph Herseth, and his Uncommon Ceremonial Works for Trumpet, a collection of ten original works for trumpet and organ/keyboard.

In 2007 he completed an orchestration of Eric Ewazen’s Sonata for Trumpet which is available on rental from Southern Music Co. as Concerto for Trumpet. Norris has also published several brass works with Art of Sound Music and published with Triplo Press two volumes of companions to Robert Getchell’s two books of Practical Studies. In addition to music publications, he served as the Brass Space editor-writer for David E. Smith Publications Newsletter for over ten years and has published articles in the Instrumentalist magazine and the International Trumpet Guild Journal (ITG).

In 2015 Dr. Norris wrote and published a faith-based music appreciation textbook, Western Music SDG: A Concise Overview, with Kendall Hunt Publishing Company (Dubuque, IA).

Norris is an active performer in the Twin Cities including appearances with the Minnesota Orchestra and the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra. He frequently speaks and has published articles on wind instrument pedagogy for state, national, and international conferences, including the The Midwest Clinic: International Band and Orchestra Conference and the ITG.

Phil and his wife, Julie, have three children and three grandchildren.

Faculty member since 1993; also teaches trumpet for UNW Academy of Music