Profile:Scott Gerweck

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Bio

Scott Gerweck is a 25-year-old composer, trumpeter, and arranger currently residing in Salem, Oregon. Scott's music career began at an atypically late age, when he began taking guitar lessons at the age of 20. Jazz guitar lessons led him to the unaccompanied violin music of Johann Sebastian Bach (as transcribed by Andres Segovia), and it was this music which led Scott towards the beginnings of a career in music and a renewed interest in the trumpet.

Gerweck attended Lane Community College in Eugene, Oregon, before transferring to Willamette University, where he recently earned a Bachelor of Music Degree in Composition. Scott has studied composition with Jim Greenwood, Mary Wright, and John Peel, and has studied the art of trumpet playing with David Bender and Jay Chen. Some career highlights include: Back-to-back victories in the Willamette University Concerto/Aria competition, a solo performance of the Hummel Turmpet concerto with the Salem Chamber Orchestra, and a solo performance/premiere of his 2007 self-composed "Concerto for Trumpet and Orchestra" by the Salem Chamber Orchestra under the direction of renowned conductor Benjamin Simon of San Francisco. Scott has also appeared as principal trumpet of the Newport Symphony, and served as principal trumpet of all classical instrumental ensembles at Willamette University during his two years at that institution.

Significant compositions include: a set of movements for three trumpets and piano, a violin sonata, two string quartets (the later entitled the "Willamette Variations," a lengthy set of variations), the aforementioned "Concerto for Trumpet and Orchestra", "Statements" for Unaccompanied Violin, a big-band chart entitled "Coffee at Midnight", and a piece entitled "Conversation" for Flute, Trumpet, Piano, and Snare Drum. As an arranger, Scott recently re-orchestrated Johann Strauss, Jr.'s "Die Fledermaus", arranging the massive orchestral score for performance by a reduced ensemble consisting of a string quintet (with doubled Violin I and II), a woodwind quintet, trumpet, and percussion.

Current projects include a commission from Randy Kem and the Willamette Valley Sax Quartet, for a Saxophone Quartet on themes from Gershwin's "Porgy and Bess." Additionally, Gerweck is currently conducting a broad search of graduate composition programs and intends to enroll in Fall, '09.

Contact Information

Scott is actively seeking commissions and other opportunities to compose, arrange, or perform. Please feel free to contact him via email at scottgerweck@gmail.com, or via phone at 541.510.8076.