Christian Garner, trumpet

Meet Christian

Christian performs on Show 442.

Christian Garner (trumpet), 15, is from Minnetonka, Minnesota, and is a freshman at Minnetonka High School. He’s been studying trumpet for five years, is a student of Robert Dorer, and is in his third year as principal trumpet in Greater Twin Cities Youth Symphonies (GTCYS) top touring ensemble, Symphony.

Career highlights for Christian include playing principal on Bernstein’s On The Town with the National Youth Ensemble’s NYO2 at Carnegie Hall as well as in the Dominican Republic, playing Shostakovich Symphony No. 5 in a Greek amphitheater with GTCYS Symphony on their 2022 Southern Italy Tour, and playing piccolo trumpet on Handel’s Messiah in No Limits Brass Choir. Christian won first prize in the Junior Youth Division of the 2023 Ryan Anthony Memorial Trumpet Competition at the International Trumpet Guild conference and placed second in the 2023 National Trumpet Competition Junior Division. Christian also was a finalist in the Minnesota Orchestra’s YPSCA Concerto Competition and received the Katie Berg Award.

In addition to playing trumpet, Christian has been studying piano with Suzanne Greer since kindergarten and was a winner of the 2021 MacPhail Aria & Concerto Competition on piano. When not concentrating on music, Christian enjoys mountain biking in the summer on Minneapolis’ extensive singletrack trails and downhill skiing in the winter at local ski hills.