Herb Smith

Herb Smith is 3rd trumpet and regular guest conductor with the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra.  He began playing in the RPO in 1991 upon graduating from The Eastman School of Music. Herb teaches classes throughout upstate NY,  the Rochester City School district, and the surrounding suburbs, a guest conductor for all county and all state bands of NY, and the director of the Eastman Youth Jazz Ensemble. Smith is leader of and composer for his jazz trio. He plays for traveling broadway shows, and is trumpet instructor for the Eastman Community Music School.  He has played with many notable artists, including Al Jarreau, Natalie Cole, Doc Severinsen,and The O’Jays. He is a member of the Gateways Brass collective, a brass quintet sponsored by Conn-Selmer composed of all African American musicians. In 2020 he organized an event where he conducted the RPO at a BLM rally, and he is the founder of Herb's City Trumpets, a program that teaches trumpet and mentors young black boys ages 8 - 16.