Robert Birch
Trumpet
rmbirch@gwu.edu
ext. 49036
Phillips Hall B-110
Bachelor of Music (cum laude), 1976, The University of New Hampshire;
Master of Music, 1978, The Ohio State University;
Doctor of Musical Arts, 1991, The Catholic University of America
Professor Birch joined The George Washington University faculty in 1990. In addition to his duties as Instrumental Studies Coordinator, he teaches trumpet, directs the University Trumpet Ensemble, and works with the University bands. While at Ohio State, Prof. Birch was a member of the Columbus Symphony Orchestra, and then taught briefly at Indiana State University. Prof. Birch was principal trumpet and soloist with the United States Navy Band in Washington, DC from 1979 until his retirement in 1996. As a soloist in the Navy Band, he performed in some of the finest concert halls in the US, including Carnegie Hall in New York, Meyerhoff Hall in Baltimore, Orchestra Hall in Minneapolis, the Kennedy Center in Washington, and Meyerson Symphony Center in Dallas. With the Navy Band, he recorded solos for a PBS broadcast and a compact disc. Prof. Birch has also performed as a soloist at Symphony Hall in Boston with the Boston Pops Orchestra under the direction of John Williams. He was a guest artist at the 1985 International Trumpet Guild (ITG) Conference in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and performed a full recital at the ITG Conference in Baton Rouge, Louisiana in 1991. In May 1996, Prof. Birch toured Germany as a soloist and clinician and, in July 1996, he toured Japan with Keith Brion's New Sousa Band. In 1998, he performed in Great Britain with the Brass Band of Battle Creek. Locally, he has performed with the Baltimore Opera, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Wolf Trap Opera, Washington Chamber Symphony, Washington Bach Consort, Concert Artists of Baltimore, and Annapolis Chamber Orchestra. He also performs and records with the Bowie Brass Quintet. He is an active studio musician and has recorded movie and television scores for the Discovery Channel, the Learning Channel, the History Channel, National Geographic, Fox TV, and ABC Sports.
