STYLE

In recent years Richard Dobkowski has increasingly devoted himself to jazz. Among other things, Richard Dobkowski also worked as a teacher at the Musikhochschule in Basel (jazz department). During this time he began to compose even more intensively. In his works he combines a variety of musical styles, such as jazz, church music or music for a classical orchestra and finds his own language.

BACKGROUND

Richard Dobkowski (born 1952 Detroit, Michigan, USA), performed as a trumpet player with various orchestras, ensembles, big bands and combos in the Detroit area during his school years at East Detroit High School. This sparked his interest in various styles of music. Since the beginning of his musical career, Richard Dobkowski has always moved in the jazz and classical worlds. In 1970 he won first prize in the Michigan State Soloist Competition. After leaving school he embarked on a European tour as principal trumpeter with the "Discovery Youth Ensemble". This ensemble was made up of young musicians selected at national music competitions. Richard Dobkowski won a scholarship to study composition at the University of Oregon in 1970. During his studies at the University of Oregon he served as principal trumpet in the Eugene Symphony Orchestra. In 1974 he completed his "Bachelor of Music" in theory and composition. In the years that followed, Richard Dobkowski lived in Chicago, where he played for several years in "Club 5o5" in South Chicago. The continuing success, which included his "Master of Music" for solo trumpet (DePaul University Chicago, Illinois), led Richard Dobkowski to Basel in 1982, where he studied baroque music intensively at the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis. As a classical trumpeter, he has played the entire literature from early music on original instruments (trumpet ensemble Friedemann Immer and Edward Tarr) to larger orchestral ensembles (Basel Radio Orchestra, Zurich Opera House, and others).