Podcast - Morris Northcutt
David Fogel Interviews Trumpet Player Morris Northcutt
Morris Northcutt is a trumpet soloist and recording artist known for his warm, expressive sound and deeply lyrical approach to the instrument. The son of a Korean immigrant, he began playing the trumpet at age eleven. Often described as making the trumpet “sing,” Northcutt has built a multifaceted career as a performer, educator, and arts leader. He is a Schilke Performing Artist and Clinician and a Voting Member of the Recording Academy.
Northcutt’s albums Tonada and Moliendo Café explore Venezuelan folk music through
collaborations with GRAMMY®-winning and nominated artists. His discography also includes the singles Melancholy Rhapsody, Snowflake Waltz, A Fistful of Dollars, and his newest release, Secret Garden. His work brings the trumpet into intimate, songful settings influenced by classical, Latin American, cinematic, and popular traditions. His broader recording experience includes contributions to film and video-game scores, as well as collaborations with lo-fi artist Davide Perico. Northcutt has performed across North America, South America, and Europe, including as a guest soloist with the Miami Symphony Orchestra.
His latest single, Secret Garden, is an intimate chamber interpretation arranged and produced by longtime collaborator Justo Morao. Featuring trumpet, viola, cello, double bass, and piano, the recording places Northcutt’s lyrical voice at the center of a musical journey through tenderness, reflection, and hope. He has presented clinics and educational sessions for the International Trumpet Guild, Rafael Méndez International Brass Festival, and Washington Music Educators Association. Northcutt also serves as Executive Director of the nationally recognized Tacoma Concert Band and Director of Tacoma Youth Symphony Brass, and remains deeply committed to helping young musicians discover an honest, expressive voice of their own.
Please enjoy this long-format conversation between David Fogel (CEO, The Symphonina Foundation) and Morris.