This episode of The Other Side of the Bell, featuring rising trumpet star Will Leathers, is brought to you by Bob Reeves Brass. This episode also appears as a video episode on our YouTube channel, you can find it here: "Will Leathers trumpet interview"

About Will Leathers:

Will Leathers earned Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from The Juilliard School in 2022 and 2023 and was the first undergraduate classical trumpeter to receive the prestigious Kovner Fellowship.

In 2022, while still completing his studies, Will secured the highly sought-after position of Principal Trumpet for both the Nashville Symphony Orchestra and the Santa Fe Opera, an extraordinary accomplishment for a musician at his stage of career.

He continued to break barriers, being recognized by CBC Music as one of Canada’s “30 Hot Classical Musicians Under 30,” solidifying his place as one of his generation's most promising classical musicians.

He has performed with world-renowned ensembles, including New York Philharmonic Brass, Cleveland Orchestra, St. Louis Symphony Orchestra (Guest Principal Trumpet), Toronto Symphony Orchestra (Guest Principal Trumpet), and Philadelphia Orchestra (Guest Associate Principal Trumpet).

He also performs as a concerto soloist, both on piano and trumpet.

Will’s artistry has also led him to collaborations with elite chamber ensembles, including The National Brass Ensemble, where he was invited to perform and record with some of the finest brass musicians from major American orchestras, American Brass Quintet, Rodney Marsalis Philadelphia Big Brass, and Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival Orchestra. He has been a part of a number of recordings such as "Deified", an album by the National Brass Ensemble, and Soundtrack for the film Rustin Produced by Barack and Michelle Obama's production company Higher Ground.

Will released his debut album, "Blue Sky Purple Clouds," in 2025, a collaboration with Michael Gaspari. It is now available on all major streaming services.

 

Episode Links:  

• Website: willleathers.com
• Instagram: @leathersboy
• Bandcamp: willleathers.bandcamp.com
• Buy the album: Blue Sky, Purple Clouds

 

Podcast Credits:

• “A Room with a View“ - composed and performed by Howie Shear
• Podcast Host - John Snell
• Selected Artist Photographs - Sophia Szokolay 
• Audio Engineer - Ted Cragg