CSO trumpeter to guest star with Fox Valley Orchestra in Aurora

The Fox Valley Orchestra will perform “Sound the Trumpets & Strings” at 3 p.m. March 8 in the Crimi Auditorium at Aurora University.

The FVO, conducted by Maestro Stephen Squires, will feature soloist John Hagstrom of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, a news release stated. Hagstrom has been a member of the CSO’s trumpet section since 1996.

Hagstrom graduated from the Eastman School of Music before spending six years in “The President’s Own” U.S. Marine Band in Washington, where he spent three of those years as principal trumpet. He performed as a soloist on four of their national tours and for the Camp David wedding of Dorothy Bush, daughter of President George H.W. Bush, as well as other events of state. In September 1993, Hagstrom was present when President Bill Clinton presided over the historic handshake between PLO Chairman Yasser Arafat and Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin at the Israeli-PLO peace accord signing.

Hagstrom grew up in Elmhurst.

“Beginning in the fourth grade, every student was offered an opportunity to play a band or orchestra instrument,” he said in the release. “I chose the cornet because I had been so impressed by hearing Doc Severinsen play exciting trumpet solos on ‘The Tonight Show.’ I quickly realized that I sounded absolutely nothing like Doc Severinsen, and that this was going to be much harder than I imagined. Nonetheless, I really enjoyed playing in my school’s band.

“There were many people who encouraged me as a young person, including William Scarlett, the CSO’s assistant principal trumpet from 1966 until 1994,” Hagstrom said. “He gave me trumpet lessons during my last year of high school and helped me to prepare for college auditions. I am honored to have replaced him as second trumpet in the CSO after his retirement in 1997.”

The FVO concert program includes G.F. Handel’s Concerto, Opus 6, No .7, the Trumpet Concerto in E-flat by J.B.G. Neruda, “Air on the G String” by J.S. Bach, “Holberg Suite” by Edvard Grieg, and “Nightsongs for Trumpet and Strings” by Richard Peaslee.