MacPhail's Vision:  To be the best center for community music education in the United States and a valued resource worldwide.

MacPhail's Mission:  To transform lives and enrich our community through music education.

Upcoming Winds/Brass/Percussion Workshops
Open to the Public, no admission fee.

Robert Dorer joined the Minnesota Orchestra in 1997 as second trumpet, after performing six seasons as principal trumpet with the New Mexico Symphony. He was previously a member of the Sante Fe Opera Orchestra, Santa Fe Pro Musica, Florida West Coast Symphony, and performed as guest principal with the New Zealand Symphony .

Dorer received a Bachelor of Music degree from Northwestern University, where he studied with Vincent Cichowicz, former second trumpet of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. After graduating from Northwestern, Dorer studied with Arnold Jacobs, former tubist with the Chicago Symphony and renowned teacher of wind instrument breathing techniques.

An avid chamber musician, Dorer performed and recorded for five years as a member of the Florida Brass Quintet. He has also performed chamber music at several Sommerfest chamber performances and in the Minnesota Orchestra's chamber series at MacPhail School of Music, and has appeared as a soloist with orchestras in Florida, North Carolina, New Mexico, and Minnesota .
Dorer enjoys teaching, and he spent seven summers on the faculty of the Brevard Music Center in North Carolina. At Vincent Cichowicz' recommendation, Dorer was interviewed for the book Back to Basics , an analysis of Cichowicz' teaching method. Dorer is a Sonare Trumpet Artist and has taught Master classes at high schools and colleges throughout Minnesota .

Look for the Dakota Combo performance, coached by trumpet faculty Kelly Rossum

The Winds, Brass and Percussion Department at MacPhail consists of 24 teaching artists, whose combined experiences include: taking student groups on tour in France, giving pedagogical presentations at symposiums in the US and around the world, performing with the Minnesota Orchestra, St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, and the Minnesota Opera Orchestra, as well as at the Artists' Quarter, the Dakota and First Avenue.  Click here for a complete roster of the department faculty.

MacPhail students are actively involved in music around the Twin Cities.  They are leaders in their school music programs, and are often found performing with the Greater Twin Cities Youth Symphonies, Minnesota Youth Symphonies and All-State ensembles.  Students from our department range in age from 5 to 75.  Click here for a look at the recent musical achievements of our students.

Studying at MacPhail provides benefits to the student beyond weekly instruction. These include: opportunities for performance in a variety of recitals and competitions, master classes and workshops, and reduced tuition for classes and ensembles .  There are also scholarship opportunities and financial aid.  Your MacPhail instructor belongs to a community of teachers who support each other and create excellence through shared ideas and experiences. 

Former WBP students from MacPhail can be found teaching band in public schools, working in arts administration, biking across the US to raise money for the American Lung Association, performing in orchestras and rock bands...Click here to read about our alumni.

2008-09 Woodwind/Brass/Percussion Department Performance Opportunities

Click here to read about more alums.

Click on the names of faculty below to be directed to their individual pages.

MacPhail Alumni:

Lindsay Lewis graduated from Henry Sibley HS in 2000, after spending 13 years in public school and 15 years at MacPhail.  She began piano instruction with Nancy Carson at the age of three, but by the time she graduated her focus had been percussion for many years.  Lindsay was a founding member of Rimshots, and travelled with them to France. While attending college at Wellesley, Lindsay took lessons for one year at Berklee, and played recreationally.  Her focus was a double degree in cognitive science and studio art.  After a few years spent working in and directing laboratories which studied early memory development, Lindsay returned to the Twin Cities to find a career in the arts.  Today we find Lindsay sitting in her office on the third floor of MacPhail, where she is the assistant to Presidents Paul Babcock and Brian Braden.  Lindsay began working for MacPhail during the transition from old building to new, and made herself so invaluable that she was asked to stay.  She has returned to her roots in more ways than one, performing in Rimshots several times since she's returned.

Other percussionists:

Marcus Rhoten -Principal Timpani NY Philharmonic

David Shively -Ethos Percussion Ensemble

Jason Haaheim - Principal Timpani Chicago Civic

Erik Barsness -Janus Percussion

Kevin Burk - freelancing, subbing Cleveland Orchestra