Robert Cannon

Dr. Robert Cannon is currently an Associate Professor of Instruction at Texas
State University and has taught there since approximately 2008. He retired
from the Austin Symphony Orchestra in 2021 after having performed with
them for over 30 years, the last sixteen years as Principal Trumpet. He retired
from the Austin Opera Orchestra in May of 2026, having performed with them
for almost 40 years, the last twenty years as Principal Trumpet.

He has been a professional trumpet player since 1976, when he started
performing with the Louisville Orchestra. He has also performed with the San
Antonio Symphony, the Mid-Texas Symphony, the Laredo Philharmonic,
Conspirare, the Victoria Bach Festival, Chorus Austin, Texas Choral Consort,
Summer Stock Austin, the Zilker Musical, Magnolia Theater, the Pinnacle
Brass, Texas State University Faculty Brass, the University of Texas at Austin
Faculty Brass, the University of Southern Mississippi Faculty Brass, the
Louisville Brass Quintet, and many others. He has also been a freelance
professional trumpet player since 1976.

Dr. Cannon has also taught trumpet at the University of Texas at Austin,
Southwestern University, Texas Lutheran University, William Carey College,
and the University of Southern Mississippi. He has taught privately at many
Austin, Texas, area middle schools and high schools since 1984. He was
Assistant Director of Bands at Columbia High School, Columbia, MS, and an
Assistant Director at Henry Middle School in Cedar Park, Texas.

Dr. Cannon holds a DMA degree in Trumpet Performance from the University
of Texas at Austin, where he was a Graduate Teaching Assistant, a Master’s
in Trumpet Performance from the University of Southern Mississippi, where he
was a Graduate Teaching Assistant, and a BM in Trumpet Performance and a
BMED in Music Education from the University of Louisville. He attended the
National Music Camp in Interlochen, MI, for several summers and the Grand
Tetons Orchestral Institute.

He has studied privately with James Wilt of the Los Angeles Philharmonic,
Raymond Crisara of the NBC Symphony, Richard Giangiulio of the Dallas
Symphony, Michael Tunnell of the University of Louisville, Leon Rapier of the
Louisville Orchestra, and Delbert Hoon of the Louisville Orchestra. He has
performed in orchestras with such artists as Andrea Bocelli, Yo -Yo Ma,
Luciano Pavarotti, Itzhak Perlman, Midori, Hilary Hahn, Joshua Bell, James
Galway, Doc Severinsen, Alison Balsom, Elvis Costello, Charlie Daniels,
Olivia Newton-John, the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Manhattan Transfer,
and many others.