Phillip DeFranco has thirty years of trumpet performance experience as a freelance trumpet artist. He is an alumnus of Manhattan School of Music where he studied with two legends of the trumpet business: William Vacchiano, Principal Trumpet of The New York Philharmonic and Mel Broiles, Principal Trumpet of The Metropolitan Opera.  This opportunity became possible after being awarded an NEA Fellowship.  Other trumpet mentors include Robert Levy, Bryan Goff, David Berger, Jimmy Maxwell, Laurie Frink, Robert Livingood, Dominic Derasse, Robert Civilletti, and Jerome Callet. Phillip has performed with Nashville recording legend Lenny Dee while working as a club musician at Lenny Dee's Den and Lenny Dee's Kings Inn, dinner clubs in the St. Petersburg Florida area. While serving the United States Navy as a civil service employee, Phil played trumpet in various ensembles in Great Lakes Naval Training Center in Illinois, and at Naval Air Station Coronado in California while touring internationally with Naval Musical Ensembles as a soloist. Recent work includes freelance trumpet work in the New York Metro area.  He is currently playing solo cornet with the Princeton Brass Band, has performed with the Hanover Wind Symphony and Garden State Concert Band, and does solo performances with the "Brothers 2" trumpet and piano duo. Phillip currently holds a BS in Economics from New York University, and is an endorsing artist for NYTC by Possegger Bb Trumpets and Eclipse Cornets.  Phil is also a member of Local 802 American Federation of Musicians (AFM), The International Trumpet Guild (ITG), and North American Brass Band Association (NABBA).  Recent musical projects include working with Jazz Great Mac Gollehon in New York City.

Above photo is Phil enjoying a little Wowee in Maui, on a recent trip to Hawaii.

New York Trumpet Company Artists

Eclipse Trumpet Artists