James Peyden Shelton
James Peyden Shelton has gained a rapidly growing reputation as an active clinician and performer throughout the United States and Canada. While pursuing his Doctor of Musical Arts in Trumpet Performance and Literature at the Eastman School of Music, Peyden not only served as one of the trumpet instructors at the University of Rochester, but also as the studio teaching assistant for the Eastman School’s trumpet studio under Professors James Thompson and Douglas Prosser. Along with his teaching responsibilities in the Rochester area, Peyden also served as the Lecturer of Trumpet at Cornell University in Ithaca, NY.
Before coming to the Eastman School of Music, Peyden attended the University of Miami’s Frost School of Music as a Mancini Fellow and teaching assistant for Craig Morris. While working toward his Masters in Music, Peyden served as the principal classical trumpet for the Henry Mancini Orchestra. During his time in the Mancini Orchestra, Peyden has recorded and played for many musicians including The Beach Boys, Lou Gramm of The Foreigners, and Gloria Gaynor. Peyden is also featured on Pharrell Williams’ track entitled,”I Am Other.” Peyden served as a substitute and utility trumpet at the New World Symphony. There, he played under the guidance of maestros Michael Tilson Thomas and Esa-Pekka Salonen.
In March of 2014, Peyden was awarded 1st place in the Graduate Solo Division at the National Trumpet Competition in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Since that time, Peyden has been featured as a soloist with several chamber and large wind bands throughout the East Coast. His most recent performances include Duke Ellington’s Concerto for Cootie, Bruce Broughton’s Excursions for Trumpet and Band, as well as Donald Hunsberger’s famous arrangement for Wynton Marsalis of J.B. Arban’s Fantasie Brillante. Peyden has performed as a soloist with a wide variety of ensembles including The Winds of the Blue Ridge, Southwest Virginia’s premiere wind band, and Cornell University’s Symphonic Wind Ensemble. He has been featured as soloist in chamber music setting as well, including the Eastman School’s Tuba Miram, and the Eastman Brass Guild.
Along with having an extensive performance background, Peyden also holds a Bachelors of the Arts with a focus in Music Education from Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Virginia. He provides a consistent focus on the education of young trumpet players and brass students. He has given numerous clinics and masterclass for both middle and high school students, as well as several collegiate masterclasses throughout the east coast. His clinics focus on strengthening basic fundamentals while finding ways to develop a greater sense of each player’s own sound.
In his current positions with both Symphony Number One and The Washington Chamber Orchestra, Peyden helps to promote both traditional performance repertoire, as well as new works for both solo and chamber ensembles. He is also strongly committed to furthering the growth of his own instrument’s repertoire and is currently commissioning works that showcase the trumpet in a solo setting that may function not only as art music, but also serve to provide key pedagogical elements to younger performers.
“Without the use of my Torpedo Bags, I would not feel comfortable transporting my instruments to and from performances. They protect my trumpets better than any other brand, but also provide me with the peace of mind that I need to keep focused for each performance.” — James Peyden Shelton.
James Peyden’s trumpet travels safe in a Classic.
