TJ Perry is the Assistant Professor of Trumpet at Arkansas Tech University and the Principal Trumpet with the progressive chamble ensemble The Detroit Brass Company. TJ has held the positions of Principal Trumpet with the Johnson City (Tennessee) Symphony Orchestra, Second Trumpet with the Brasswind Quintet and Interim Second Trumpet of the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra. He has previously served on the faculties at Albion College, Spring Arbor University, Grand Valley State University and the Flint Institute of Music.
In February of 2014, TJ performed with the Michigan State University Wind Symphony as Principal Trumpet in the 10-year anniversary celebration of Pulitzer Prize winning composer John Corigliano's Symphony 3: Circus Maximus at Carnegie Hall. As a member of the Michigan State University Trumpet Ensemble, TJ has participated in the Orvieto Musica Trumpet Festivalin Italy, Exploring Trumpet in Greece with Vince Dimartino and Gerassimos Ioannidis and the 2013 International Trumpet Guild Conference. As a member of the Cross Street Jazz Ensemble, TJ performed at the 2009 Detroit International Jazz Festival. Additionally, TJ has performed with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, the Windsor Symphony Orchestra, the Lansing Symphony Orchestra, the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra, the Oak Ridge Symphony Orchestra, former Tonight Show bandleader and international soloist Doc Severinsen, international trumpet soloist Vince DiMartino and Detroit based jazz legend Marcus Belgrave. In 2010, he was a semi-finalist for the graduate division of the National Trumpet Competition.
TJ graduated from Michigan State University with a Doctor of Musical Arts in Trumpet Performance in the spring of 2016. His research focused on healthy performance habits for musicians and the integration of multi-media into live performance. He previously attended the University of Tennessee, Knoxville for his Master of Music as a Graduate Teaching Assistant and Eastern Michigan University in Ypsilanti, Michigan for his Bachelor of Music.
His principal teachers have included Rich Illman (Michigan State University), Justin Emerich (Michigan State University), Dr. Cathy Leach (University of Tennessee), Carter Eggers (Eastern Michigan University) and Dr. Judy Palac for Healthy Musicianship and Body Mapping (Michigan State University). TJ's additional instruction has come from Mark Byerly (University of Toledo), Vince DiMartino (international soloist), Doc Severinsen (international soloist), William Campbell (University of Michigan) and John Hagstrom (Second Trumpet, Chicago Symphony Orchestra).
He resides in Russellville, Arkansas with his wife Jessica and two sons, Jackson and Lucas.
TJ is a Yamaha Performing Artist.
