Derek Ganong

professor of trumpet

Email: derekganong@usf.edu 
Phone: (813) 974-2311 
Office: MUS 341

Dr. Derek Ganong joined the USF School of Music in 2026 as Assistant Professor of Jazz & Classical Trumpet. He leads both the Jazz and Classical Trumpet areas in all capacities. He previously served as Associate Professor of Trumpet and Director of Jazz at Boise State University, where he spent nearly a decade as Executive Director of the Gene Harris Jazz Festival and founded the university’s Music Production program. A "dual-fluency" artist, his career is defined by his ability to navigate the liminal space between classical, jazz, and commercial music.

Dr. Ganong holds a D.M.A. in Jazz and Classical Trumpet from the University of Miami, an M.M. from NYU, and a B.A. from UCLA. While at the University of Miami, he was heavily involved with the Henry Mancini Institute (HMI), performing alongside world-class artists such as Arturo Sandoval, Maria Schneider, Dawn Upshaw, Danilo Pérez, Barry Manilow, and Kevin Spacey. His performance credits span the stylistic spectrum, including principal positions with Opera Idaho, the Boise Baroque Orchestra, and NewStream Brass. He is a sought-after commercial recording artist and serves as soprano cornet in the Brass Band of the Treasure Valley.

Beyond the stage, Dr. Ganong is an experienced audio engineer and a leading authority on the Laurie Frink trumpet method. His dissertation on Laurie Frink has received international acclaim with more than 20,000 downloads. His research focuses on audiation-based pedagogy and integrating music technology as a core competency for modern musicians. He is a Bach Trumpet Artist and remains active in the Jazz Education Network (JEN), the College Music Society (CMS), and the International Trumpet Guild (ITG).