CHARLES GORHAM: TEACHER, MENTOR AND FRIEND

Charles Gorham is Dave Monette's teacher, mentor and friend. With the encouragement of many great players, Dave moved to Bloomington Indiana in 1981 to be able to work with Charlie regularly as he developed and completed the first Monette instruments. Charlie took delivery of the first two Monette trumpets, serial numbers #001 and #002 in May of 1983. Since then he has regularly updated his arsenal of Monette horns, with his most recent acquisition being a gold plated PRANA 1 C trumpet with a custom C2G (for Gorham) S3 mouthpiece.

Charlie started his teaching career in Cleveland at Baldwin Wallace College Conservatory, where he was chairman of the wind department. He also played extra in the Cleveland Orchestra. At one point Charlie auditioned for George Szell and won a contract position in the trumpet section of the orchestra. At that time, however, Charlie was confronted with the choice of being drafted or enlisting, and he choose the latter - which precluded his becoming a member of the orchestra. The orchestra's loss was his future student's gain.

In 1969, Charlie accepted a position as Professor of Trumpet at Indiana University, and he and his wife Ellen moved to Bloomington, Indiana. Before long he was named Chairman of the Brass Department, where he remained until his retirement in 1994. In the early 70's Charlie along with Bob Nagel co-founded the International Trumpet Guild. In 1984 he organized and ran the International Brass Congress, an amazing, truly international meeting of great brass players from all over the world. It was at this meeting that he and Ellen became good friends with Doc Severinsen, legendary leader of the Tonight Show band.

Charlie's students can be found in top performance and teaching positions all over the world. His wit, charm, intelligence and abundant sense of humor are know to his students and co-workers everywhere.

At the 25th anniversary party at our shop, Charlie performed Dave's favorite solo trumpet piece - and a piece Charlie owns - the Honegger Intrada.

Thank you Charlie for all that you have done over the years to help us make Monette instruments a reality!