Remembering our dear friend and fellow musician, Michael Santorelli...

We remember our dear friend, MICHAEL SANTORELLI, former Principal Trumpet with the West Texas Symphony for 34 years. We were saddened to learn that he passed earlier this week. Michael was a friend and colleague to so many. As a member of the Lone Star Brass, he was core to the orchestra's identity and ushered in a standard of professionalism, kindness, and playful humor that the orchestra still maintains today.

Michael did so much for our community. His legacy with the West Texas Symphony orchestra was so great that his former Principal Trumpet chair was endowed in his honor by Karen & Spencer Beal. While it's tough to put his impact into words, we wanted to share his bio upon his retirement with the Orchestra. His family and loved ones are in our hearts:

At the age of eight (and in 4th grade) Michael J. Santorelli began playing the trumpet. He performed as a soloist for the first time at Lincoln Junior High in Syracuse, New York - “Return to Sorrento”. Following graduation from A. Henninger High School, he continued his studies at Onondaga Community College, Berklee College, Murray State University (BME), and the University of Louisville (MM). Before his arrival in Midland in 1984, Michael performed in Mexico for over nine years with the Chamber Orchestra of the Northwest, the Autonoma Orchestra, the Guadalajara Symphony, and the Band of the State of Jalisco. He also performed as a soloist for each of these orchestras. In Mexico, summers included performances with the Mineria Orchestra and the National Symphony Orchestra in Mexico City. He also taught at the University of Guadalajara and the University of Colima. In March of 1998, Michael was invited to tour Italy with the St. Ann’s Choir of Midland, performing in St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City, the Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi, Church of the Trinity in Florence, and performing as a soloist at the formal public concert for the City of Rome at St. Ignatius Church. Michael also performed at Carnegie Hall, Avery Fisher Hall, and Riverside Cathedral in New York City for the American Choral Directors Convention in 2004. In 2009, Michael was invited to perform at the University of Pennsylvania at West Chester’s Annual International Trumpet Festival as a featured soloist on numerous performances. He was invited back to the West Chester Festival in February 2016 to perform a solo recital with Shari Santorelli. Michael has been the director of Instrumental Music at Trinity School from 1999 until June 2016, was Adjunct Instructor of Trumpet at Midland College since 1984, and was the Adjunct Instructor of Trumpet at the University of Texas of the Permian Basin since 2011. Michael also performed as Principal Trumpet with the Big Spring Symphony and West Texas Symphony, and has been featured as a soloist with the West Texas Symphony, San Angelo Symphony, and Big Spring Symphony. He has also appeared as a soloist with the bands of Midland College and Odessa College.