Chamber music Stl

Thomas Drake

A native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Tom Drake joined the St. Louis Symphony in 1987 as Associate Principal Trumpet. He served as Acting Principal Trumpet from 2010-2013. Prior to accepting the position with St. Louis, Tom was Principal Trumpet of the North Carolina Symphony from 1985-1987. A graduate of the Eastman School of Music, he began his professional career as fourth trumpet with the Rochester Philharmonic under David Zinman after winning that position as a sophomore.
During the summer, Tom is a member of the artist/faculty at the Aspen Music Festival in Aspen, Colorado. In previous summers, he instructed young musicians at the Interlochen Arts Camp in Interlochen, Michigan, the oldest such camp in the nation.
Tom’s interests lie in the recording field as well as he is producer for AAM Recordings and Arch Media. He has used his keen ears and special talents towards producing recordings for the St. Louis Symphony and several of its individual musicians including Concertmaster David Halen, clarinetist Diana Haskell and retired orchestra members, English horn/oboist Marc Gordon and violinist Haruka Watanabe. He has also helped produce the orchestra’s National Public Radio broadcasts from 1996-2000.
Tom and his wife Marian, a frequent substitute cellist with the Symphony, have a daughter, Sarah, and a son, Michael.