Trumpet: Yaphet Jones

Yaphet Jones retired from the United States Marine Corps in May of 2011 after 22 years of active service, attaining the highest enlisted rank of Master Gunnery Sergeant.

During high school, Mr. Jones was an alternate member of the McDonald’s All-American High School Band, attended the Interlochen Center for the Arts National Music Camp in Interlochen MI and participated in the MERIT music program in Chicago, IL. Prior to enlisting in the Marine Corps, he was a music performance major at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, IL and served as the Principal Trumpet of the Chicago Symphonic Wind Ensemble.

During his career as a United States Marine musician, he has performed on thousands of occasions as a trumpet instrumentalist in various ensembles and as a featured soloist. Mr. Jones has also served three tours in combat with the 1st Marine Division Band in Camp Pendleton, CA. In 2001, he was awarded as the Marine Corps Staff Non-Commissioned Officer Marine Musician of the Year. His final assignment in the Marine Corps was as the Bandmaster of the Third Marine Aircraft Wing Band in San Diego, CA.

As a freelance musician, Mr. Jones has performed with the Pacific Symphony, San Diego Symphony, San Diego Chamber Orchestra, San Diego Chamber Brass, the Westwind Brass, the La Jolla Symphony, Palomar Symphony, the National Orchestra of Honduras and the Washington Metropolitan Philharmonic. In 2008, he performed and recorded the CD “American Rhapsody” as a member of the Brass of the Potomac with members of The “President’s Own” United States Marine Band and other members of the premier military bands in Washington DC.

Mr. Jones has studied privately with current and former members of the Boston Pops & Symphony, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Chicago Symphony, National Symphony, Philadelphia Orchestra, Pacific and San Diego Symphonies. He has been mentoring and instructing musicians of all ages for the past 20 years and maintains a private studio where he teaches trumpet students. Mr. Jones was the former Trumpet Instructor at Poway High School in San Diego, CA and is a member of the International Trumpet Guild. He was Principal Trumpet of the Inland Valley Symphony Orchestra and is a founding member of the i.e. Brass.

Mr Jones has recently relocated to Vancouver, WA and is active as a freelance musician, having recently performing with the Vancouver Symphony and the Southwest Washington Wind Symphony.