About Dr.G

Dr. Derek Ganong is a boundary-breaking trumpeter, technologist, and educator dedicated to redefining the role of the modern musician. Based in Boise, Idaho, Derek serves as Associate Professor of Trumpet and Director of Jazz at Boise State University, where he leads the Jazz and Music Production areas and serves as Executive Director of the Gene Harris Jazz Festival.
 

Performance & Versatility
Renowned for his stylistic fluidity, Dr. Ganong is a rare "cross-over" artist equally at home in symphonic, commercial, and experimental settings. He currently serves as Principal Trumpet for both the Boise Baroque Orchestra and Opera Idaho, and is the Eb Soprano Cornet for the Brass Band of the Treasure Valley. His performance credits span the spectrum from elite orchestral and chamber ensembles to film scores and video game soundtracks. As a founding member of NewStream Brass and Uncharted Duo, he continually pushes the limits of contemporary brass performance and chamber music.
 

Pedagogy & Leadership
At the forefront of modern brass pedagogy, Dr. Ganong is recognized as the foremost authority on the trumpet method of the late Laurie Frink with his dissertation on her method nearing 20,000 downloads globally. His teaching philosophy bridges the gap between traditional excellence and 21st-century innovation. He holds a Doctorate of Musical Arts in Jazz and Classical Trumpet from the University of Miami, a Master of Music from NYU, and a unique Bachelor of Arts from UCLA in Ethnomusicology and Computational Science.
 

Technology & Innovation
Dr. Ganong is a scholar-practitioner at the intersection of music and technology. With expertise in audio/video production, programming, and hardware, he created and oversees the Music Production area at Boise State. He is committed to equipping the next generation of artists with the technical literacy required to thrive in a digital-first industry.