Kyle Millsap is an international award-winning artist and Assistant Professor of Trumpet & Jazz at Texas A&M University-Kingsville. Along with overseeing the trumpet program, Dr. Millsap directs Jazz Band II, the TAMUK Trumpet Ensemble, the Jazz Trumpet Ensembles, and performs with the Kingsville Brass Quintet. Prior to his appointment to TAMUK, he held faculty positions at The University of Memphis and Murray State University.
His orchestral credits include the Memphis Symphony Orchestra (TN), Orquesta Sinfonica UANL (Monterrey, MX), Wichita Symphony Orchestra (KS), Corpus Christi Symphony Orchestra (TX), Victoria Symphony Orchestra (TX), Eroica Ensemble (TN), Memphis Repertory Orchestra (TN), Corinth Symphony Orchestra (MS), and Ballet Memphis (TN). He has been a featured soloist with the Corpus Christi Wind Symphony, TAMUK Wind Symphony, Jazz Band I, and Chamber Orchestra, and Texas ATSSB Region 14 Wind Ensemble.
He has performed as lead trumpet for shows/concerts with The Temptations, Mannheim Steamroller, Johnny Mathis, the Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra, Al Kapone, Jon Mayer, Rufus Reid, Roy McCurdy, Kirk Whalum, Kathy Kosins, the Jazz Orchestra of the Delta, the Memphis Jazz Orchestra, and the Sparkling City Jazz Orchestra, the host band for the Texas Jazz Festival. He has performed with Doc Severinsen, at halftime for the NBA’s Memphis Grizzlies, and multiple events for Elvis Presley Enterprises, including the Elvis Presley 35th Anniversary concert. He has been seen on WKNO and BET television, and heard on WKNO-FM, and KEDT radio. Theater credits include performances for numerous national touring companies, including The Addams Family, Anything Goes, Chicago, Dreamgirls, High School Musical, South Pacific, and Young Frankenstein, and regional theater premieres and productions.
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Presentations at the International Trumpet Guild Conference, International Horn Symposium, College Music Society National Conference, National Association of College Wind and Percussion Instructors National Conference, the Texas and Tennessee Music Educators Association conventions. He has given masterclasses and recitals at colleges and universities throughout the United States. His articles and reviews are published in the ITG Journal and NACWPI Journal.
As an advocate for new music, he has commissioned and premiered several new works for trumpet:
- Shalom, Salaam, Peace… (2010) written for two trumpets and organ.
- Scatter the Darkness (2011) for trumpet and organ.
- A Whisper of Angels (2012) for trumpet quartet and narrator.
- 2×4: Domestic Tranquility (2013) for trumpet and flugelhorn duet.
- Cuando las ranas crien pelo (2014) for trumpet sextet.
- Murmurations (2015) for trumpet duet and electronics.
- Divertimento in Blue (2017).
- The Secret Menu of El Tapatio (2018) both for jazz trumpet quintet.
In 2018, he released, along with his wife, the album titled Scatter the Darkness: New Music of Stanley Friedman receiving several awards:
- Silver medal in the Global Music Awards.
- Compositions and arrangements published through:
- Brass Arts Unlimited
- Cimarron Music Press
- Triplo Press.
- Additional album credits:
- Principal trumpet with the Memphis Repertory Orchestra on their recordings Dvorak & Tchaikovsky and Voyagers.
- Lead trumpet on the Southern Comfort Jazz Orchestra recording Voices.
Dr. Millsap holds the Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Memphis, Master of Music degree from the University of North Texas, and Bachelor of Music degree from Wichita State University. He is a member of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, International Trumpet Guild, College Music Society, National Association of College Wind and Percussion Instructors, Texas Music Educators Association, Texas Jazz Educators Association, and Pi Kappa Lamba.