James Francisco

James (Jamie) has served as principal trumpet for the WNY Chamber Orchestra since 2002.  An active performer in the WNY area, he performs regularly with the Niagara Frontier Brass and the Rockwell Brass and is active in pit orchestras for local Musical and Opera productions including Artpark, Musical Fare Theater, and the Historic Palace Theater. James has performed with members of the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra the International Baroque Soloists as well as the stage orchestras for Michael Feinstein, Dave Brubeck, Marvin Hamlisch, and Aretha Franklin.  His private teachers include Frank Cipolla of SUNY Buffalo, Chuck Lirrette of the Pittsburg Symphony Orchestra and David Kuehn of the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra and the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino in Florence Italy. One of James’ most prominent memories is the preparation and 3 performances of JS Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No. 2 with WNYCO.  This experience provided much in the way of ‘battle scar’ stories to share with the trumpet community.   He recalls that exactly 6 bars from the end of mvt III, he would lose consciousness until 1 beat before the next entrance on every occasion.  A few weeks after the Brandenburg performances, he was admitted for laparoscopic hernia surgery which was no coincidence.  James holds degrees from James Madison University and the S.U.N.Y at Buffalo.  Retired after 32 years in Banking and Finance, he currently teaches trumpet privately and adjudicates brass for NYSSMA solo festivals.