Dr. Michael Davison

Professor of Music

University of Richmond

mdavison@richmond.edu

Distinguished trumpeter Michael Davison is a legendary performer, respected professor, published composer, and ethnomusicologist. Davison's love of music has shaped his life and career. He is in demand across the country as a classical and jazz trumpet performer and educator. As a performer, he has given jazz and classical recitals all over the United States as well as in parts of France, the Netherlands, Spain, South Africa, China, Australia and Cuba. Davison has recorded four jazz CDs as both a leader and sideman. His classical CD, Fenster, received rave reviews from the International Trumpet Guild Journal.  Widely considered an expert in Cuban music, he performs and teaches Cuban music at the University of Richmond and worldwide. 

As a jazz musician, Davison has performed with the late tenor saxophonist and 11-time Grammy winner, Michael Brecker, popular jazz trombonist, Curtis Fuller and legendary Latin jazz saxophonist and composer, Justo Almario. He has also performed along side of some of Motown's most iconic singers and groups including Natalie Cole, Aretha Franklin, the Temptations and The Four Tops.

As a classical musician, Davison has performed with Rhythm and Brass, a group that plays everything from Bach to Pink Floyd. He has performed with the Wisconsin and Whitewater Brass Quintets, the Rochester Philharmonic, Wisconsin Symphony, Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra, and the Richmond Symphony. Davison has performed for Pope John II and George Leonard Carey, Archbishop of Canterbury.

A Wisconsin native, Davison has been playing the trumpet for as long as he can remember. Growing up with a father who played the trumpet every night, Davison learned to appreciate music at a very young age. Davison's love of the trumpet took him to the prestigious Eastman School of Music where he completed his undergraduate studies. Davison went on to receive his masters from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater and finished at the University of Wisconsin-Madison where he earned his doctorate.

Davison has published two transcription books on famed trumpeter Randy Brecker. "Randy Brecker: Artist Transcriptions/Trumpet" was published by Hal Leonard Publishing Company and "The Music of Randy Brecker: Solo Transcriptions and Performing Artist Master Class CD" was published by Warner Bros. Inc. In addition to transcribing, Davison has also published jazz compositions with Walrus Music.

Davison has written many articles for well-known music journals and magazines. Davison's "Jazz Educators to South Africa and China" was published in Down Beat Magazine. His article "Melodic Improvisation" appeared in the International Trumpet Guild Journal and "If Gabriel had Valves" was published in G.I.A. Quarterly. He recently published a series of articles in Fanfare on the psychology of performance, "The Life and Times of John Czlabotnik: A Musical Journey". 

In 1986, Davison accepted a job as head of the jazz and trumpet programs at the University of Richmond. A respected scholar on Cuban musical styles, Dr. Davison has taught many courses on jazz and Cuban music since arriving in Richmond and last year was awarded the prestigious Educator of the Year award.  Each year, he travels to Australia with the U of Richmond jazz combo to perform and give clinics on jazz and Cuban music.  Since the beginning of his career at the university, he has been an active, instrumental and influential part of the music faculty. His influence as an educator goes beyond the University of Richmond's campus.  Davison is on the Board of Directors of the National Trumpet Competition and has also serves as trumpet teacher and head of the brass area at the world-renowned Interlochen International Arts Camp in Interlochen, Michigan.   He is  Edwards trumpet performing artist.

Davison's latest project is a documentary on Cuban music.  He, along with Ed Tillett and students in his Cuban Music class, recently completed "Cuba: Rhythm in Motion" a film characterizing the culture, dance and the many genres of Cuban music.  The film premiered on the campus of the U of Richmond in 2007 and in Santiago de Cuba in March, 2008.  He has also shown the documentary and lectured at numerous colleges and universities, including Catholic University and the University of Valencia, in Valencia, Spain, in November, 2008.