Based in the Baltimore-Washington area, Luke Spence is currently pursuing a Doctorate of Musical Arts at the University of Maryland School of Music where he also earned a Master of Music in trumpet performance. He studies with Professor of Trumpet, Chris Gekker and works as the Artistic Operations Graduate Assistant at the School of Music. Spence is also a graduate of the Oberlin Conservatory of Music, where he earned a Bachelor of Music in trumpet performance and a minor in musicology. At Oberlin he studied with Associate Professor of Trumpet, Roy Poper and was the recipient of the 2014 James Stamp Award.
As an orchestral musician, Spence currently serves as principal trumpet of Symphony of the Potomac and has performed with numerous regional ensembles including the Mid-Atlantic Symphony, the Fairfax Symphony Orchestra, The Washington Chamber Orchestra, Brass of the Potomac, Gourmet Symphony, the Washington Opera Society, The Gay Men's Chorus of Washington DC, The Georgetown Chorale, the Peacherine Ragtime Society Orchestra, and the Washington Metropolitan Philharmonic. He has performed for numerous cultural institutions in the D.C. area including The Embassy of France, The Embassy of South Korea, and the Mexican Cultural Institute. Spence also serves as principal trumpet of the NYC based International Chamber Orchestra of America (ICOA) which has performed in venues including Lincoln Center's David Geffen Hall and Bohemian National Hall. Recently, Spence traveled to Graz, Austria to perform with the esteemed American Institute of Musical Studies (AIMS) Festival Orchestra for the second year. In summer 2016, he served as principal trumpet of Opera in the Ozarks at Inspiration Point in Eureka Springs, AR. Additionally, Spence has performed extensively with the University of Maryland Symphony Orchestra and University of Maryland Wind Orchestra. During his time at Oberlin, Spence performed as principal trumpet in all of the major performing ensembles (Oberlin Orchestra, Contemporary Music Ensemble, Chamber Orchestra, and Sinfonietta). Notable performances with these ensembles include the world premiere of George Lewis' Flux with the Contemporary Music Ensemble, and a recording of Matthew Hindson's House Music with the Oberlin Orchestra, which is available on iTunes. He has also attended Le Domaine Forget festival in Quebec, and the Eastern Music Festival in Greensboro, NC where he played under the baton of Maestro Gerard Schwarz.
Equally at home in chamber music setting, Spence's brass quintet at the University of Maryland was featured on the School of Music's Chamber Honors Concert and on WBJC 91.5, Baltimore's Classical Music Radio Station. In 2017 he performed with University of Maryland faculty members in an innovative performance of Stravinsky's L'Histoire du Soldat for the finale of the Riversdale Chamber Music Society's 2016-17 Concert Series in Riverdale, MD. At Oberlin, Spence performed in several chamber groups including the Oberlin Faculty Brass Quintet, Oberlin Brass Ensemble, and perhaps most notably, the Oberlin Brass Quintet. During the summer of 2015, the Oberlin Brass Quintet traveled to China for an extensive tour of 18 cities performing sold-out concerts in many of the country's finest concert halls and theaters. Spence also premiered David Masklanka's chamber work Letter To Martin for brass quartet and piano featuring members of the Oberlin Brass Quintet at the 2015 Oberlin Baccalaureate Celebration.
Spence made his solo orchestral debut in 2017 performing the Haydn trumpet concerto with the Washington Sinfonietta under the baton of Joel Lazar in Falls Church, VA. Spence appeared in a solo performance for the 2016 Howard County Rising Star Competition as one of ten finalists, and was also selected to perform as a soloist for the 2014 Oberlin Orientation Recital. Spence regularly enjoys playing solo performances for church services and weddings, in addition to giving recitals.
After deciding to minor in musicology at Oberlin, Spence developed an interest in early music, which led him to begin studying the cornetto. He was fortunate enough to briefly study with and perform in a masterclass for renowned cornettist Bruce Dickey. He has performed with the Washington Cornett and Sackbutt Ensemble and recently with The Choral Arts Society of Washington in a performance of Monteverdi's groundbreaking Vespers of 1610 at The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. In reference to the latter performance, the Washington Classical Review stated, "the...three cornetto players were solid on the virtuosic solos of the final three pieces."
Throughout the years, Spence has had the privilege of playing for and studying with many notable musicians including Tine Thing Helseth (International Soloist), Eric Aubier (International Soloist), Michael Sachs (Principal Trumpet, The Cleveland Orchestra), Ray Mase (Principal Trumpet, New York City Ballet), Allan Dean (Prof. of Trumpet, Yale University), Steve Hendrickson (ret. Principal Trumpet, National Symphony Orchestra), Judith Saxton (Prof. of Trumpet, University of North Carolina School of the Arts), James DeSano (ret. Principal Trombone, The Cleveland Orchestra), and Carol Jantsch (Principal Tuba, Philadelphia Orchestra).
With a passion for teaching and a deep understanding of the importance of music education, Spence has and continues to dedicate much of his musical career to educating the next generation of young musicians. In addition to his private studio and giving masterclasses at local public schools, Spence currently coaches chamber music at the University of Maryland School of Music and serves as trumpet instructor and sectional coach at George Mason High School. He has served as a trumpet adjudicator for the Howard County Solo and Ensemble Festival and was an adjunct music teacher at the Sheridan School in Washington, DC from 2015-2017. In past years, Spence has been a trumpet counselor and music theory instructor at the Wyoming Seminary Performing Arts Institute in Kingston, PA, and a trumpet counselor for the Centennial Lane Elementary Band Camp. Spence was also part of the instrumental coaching staff for the Northern Ohio Youth Orchestra.
An avid educator since 2009, Spence approaches teaching and performing in the same way – aiming to create music, first and foremost. His teaching philosophy is firmly grounded on the principles of sound technique and proper historical and theoretical context functioning as the building blocks necessary for musical expression.
As an orchestral musician, Spence currently serves as principal trumpet of Symphony of the Potomac and has performed with numerous regional ensembles including the Mid-Atlantic Symphony, the Fairfax Symphony Orchestra, The Washington Chamber Orchestra, Brass of the Potomac, Gourmet Symphony, the Washington Opera Society, The Gay Men's Chorus of Washington DC, The Georgetown Chorale, the Peacherine Ragtime Society Orchestra, and the Washington Metropolitan Philharmonic. He has performed for numerous cultural institutions in the D.C. area including The Embassy of France, The Embassy of South Korea, and the Mexican Cultural Institute. Spence also serves as principal trumpet of the NYC based International Chamber Orchestra of America (ICOA) which has performed in venues including Lincoln Center's David Geffen Hall and Bohemian National Hall. Recently, Spence traveled to Graz, Austria to perform with the esteemed American Institute of Musical Studies (AIMS) Festival Orchestra for the second year. In summer 2016, he served as principal trumpet of Opera in the Ozarks at Inspiration Point in Eureka Springs, AR. Additionally, Spence has performed extensively with the University of Maryland Symphony Orchestra and University of Maryland Wind Orchestra. During his time at Oberlin, Spence performed as principal trumpet in all of the major performing ensembles (Oberlin Orchestra, Contemporary Music Ensemble, Chamber Orchestra, and Sinfonietta). Notable performances with these ensembles include the world premiere of George Lewis' Flux with the Contemporary Music Ensemble, and a recording of Matthew Hindson's House Music with the Oberlin Orchestra, which is available on iTunes. He has also attended Le Domaine Forget festival in Quebec, and the Eastern Music Festival in Greensboro, NC where he played under the baton of Maestro Gerard Schwarz.
Equally at home in chamber music setting, Spence's brass quintet at the University of Maryland was featured on the School of Music's Chamber Honors Concert and on WBJC 91.5, Baltimore's Classical Music Radio Station. In 2017 he performed with University of Maryland faculty members in an innovative performance of Stravinsky's L'Histoire du Soldat for the finale of the Riversdale Chamber Music Society's 2016-17 Concert Series in Riverdale, MD. At Oberlin, Spence performed in several chamber groups including the Oberlin Faculty Brass Quintet, Oberlin Brass Ensemble, and perhaps most notably, the Oberlin Brass Quintet. During the summer of 2015, the Oberlin Brass Quintet traveled to China for an extensive tour of 18 cities performing sold-out concerts in many of the country's finest concert halls and theaters. Spence also premiered David Masklanka's chamber work Letter To Martin for brass quartet and piano featuring members of the Oberlin Brass Quintet at the 2015 Oberlin Baccalaureate Celebration.
Spence made his solo orchestral debut in 2017 performing the Haydn trumpet concerto with the Washington Sinfonietta under the baton of Joel Lazar in Falls Church, VA. Spence appeared in a solo performance for the 2016 Howard County Rising Star Competition as one of ten finalists, and was also selected to perform as a soloist for the 2014 Oberlin Orientation Recital. Spence regularly enjoys playing solo performances for church services and weddings, in addition to giving recitals.
After deciding to minor in musicology at Oberlin, Spence developed an interest in early music, which led him to begin studying the cornetto. He was fortunate enough to briefly study with and perform in a masterclass for renowned cornettist Bruce Dickey. He has performed with the Washington Cornett and Sackbutt Ensemble and recently with The Choral Arts Society of Washington in a performance of Monteverdi's groundbreaking Vespers of 1610 at The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. In reference to the latter performance, the Washington Classical Review stated, "the...three cornetto players were solid on the virtuosic solos of the final three pieces."
Throughout the years, Spence has had the privilege of playing for and studying with many notable musicians including Tine Thing Helseth (International Soloist), Eric Aubier (International Soloist), Michael Sachs (Principal Trumpet, The Cleveland Orchestra), Ray Mase (Principal Trumpet, New York City Ballet), Allan Dean (Prof. of Trumpet, Yale University), Steve Hendrickson (ret. Principal Trumpet, National Symphony Orchestra), Judith Saxton (Prof. of Trumpet, University of North Carolina School of the Arts), James DeSano (ret. Principal Trombone, The Cleveland Orchestra), and Carol Jantsch (Principal Tuba, Philadelphia Orchestra).
With a passion for teaching and a deep understanding of the importance of music education, Spence has and continues to dedicate much of his musical career to educating the next generation of young musicians. In addition to his private studio and giving masterclasses at local public schools, Spence currently coaches chamber music at the University of Maryland School of Music and serves as trumpet instructor and sectional coach at George Mason High School. He has served as a trumpet adjudicator for the Howard County Solo and Ensemble Festival and was an adjunct music teacher at the Sheridan School in Washington, DC from 2015-2017. In past years, Spence has been a trumpet counselor and music theory instructor at the Wyoming Seminary Performing Arts Institute in Kingston, PA, and a trumpet counselor for the Centennial Lane Elementary Band Camp. Spence was also part of the instrumental coaching staff for the Northern Ohio Youth Orchestra.
An avid educator since 2009, Spence approaches teaching and performing in the same way – aiming to create music, first and foremost. His teaching philosophy is firmly grounded on the principles of sound technique and proper historical and theoretical context functioning as the building blocks necessary for musical expression.