Dr. Todd Walker

Dr. Todd Walker began working as a freelance trumpet player in New York City in the fall of 2001. His performance career spans Broadway, jazz, rock, television, and classical orchestral and chamber music. His credits include Broadway productions of Curtains, Grey Gardens, A Christmas Carol, and Miss Saigon (Germany), as well as performances and recordings with artists and ensembles including DeVotchKa, Quartet Raven-A-Ning featuring Ray Anderson, and the Manhattan Chamber Orchestra. He was also featured as a soloist on ABC’s Black Box (2014).

Before moving to New York City, Todd worked as a freelance trumpet player and educator in Chicago and southwest Germany. He has taught at both The Juilliard School and The Hartt School of Music. Since joining the Kutztown University music faculty in 2020, he has taught a variety of courses in the Commercial Music area, including Jazz Improvisation, Jazz & Commercial Arranging, Music Theory, Commercial Music Theory, Songwriting, Fundamentals of Music Business, and Teaching American Music (for Music Ed majors). At KU, he also directs several large jazz and rock ensembles, as well as jazz combos.

A native of Madison, Wisconsin, Todd holds degrees from the University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire, Indiana University (IN), Brooklyn College (NYC), and Stony Brook University (NY). His teachers include Robert Baca, John Rommel, David Baker, Dominic Spera, Dominic Derasse, Scott Wendholt, Ingrid Jensen, Gary Dial, Tito Carillo, and Kevin Cobb.

Todd continues to maintain an active and multifaceted career as a performer, educator, clinician, and recording artist in New York City and Berks County, PA.