Stuart Laughton has a restless energy that keeps him always on the move, whether he is performing classical music or the blues. Laughton has had an illustrious career as a trumpet soloist with his own, often organ-based projects, and with the likes of The Canadian Brass, Esprit Orchestra, Les Violons du Roy and the famous La Scala Orchestra of Milan.
Laughton grew up in a musical family in St. Catharines, Ontario. As a teenager, he joined the National Youth Orchestra of Canada and took trumpet lessons with Joseph Umbrico of the Toronto Symphony. After high school, Laughton became a founding member of the Canadian Brass, but left a year later for studies at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia. The great Claudio Abbado hired him right out of Curtis, as Principal Trumpet of La Scala Orchestra.
Returning to Canada, Laughton began his career, performing as a soloist, orchestral player and chamber musician. He commissioned pieces from J. Scott Irvine and Peter Tiefenbach, which led to the founding of Laughton’s company, Opening Day Recordings. He also had the experience of camping and playing music in the Haliburton wilderness with the great Canadian composer, R. Murray Schafer.
The Canadian Brass called again and Laughton toured the globe with them for two and a half years. Laughton then explored his love of the blues by taking up the harmonica and electric guitar and started a band called Porkbelly Futures with the novelist and musician, Paul Quarrington. After Paul’s passing in 2010, Laughton focused on other intriguing projects, especially his band, Stuart Laughton’s Radio Dial.
On this edition of This Is My Music, Laughton shares the music he loves and the stories behind his choices.
This Is My Music is heard Saturday mornings on Radio 2 at 10:00 am ET.
Stuart Laughton shares his favourite music on This Is My Music.