TROY — The Troy-Hayner Cultural Center has announced Eric Knorr will be the new host for its Drawing Room Chamber Concert series.

The series transforms Hayner’s east room into an intimate listening room where musicians can talk to the audience about why they are inspired by the music and what it means to them, said a Hayner press release. As host, Knorr will curate the chamber concert series, drawing from his vast connections with our finest regional musicians.

The first concert of the new season will take place on Tuesday, Oct. 29, at 7:30 p.m. and will feature Knorr and his trumpet. Andrea Arese-Elias will perform as a pianist, and Carlos Elias will accompany him on violin.

Knorr is an accomplished soloist, a collaborative musician and an educator. He is known in the area as a regular performer with the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra and serves as third trumpet (interim.) He is a regular substitute with the Cincinnati Symphony and Pops Orchestras. He has also played professionally with the Cleveland Pops, Omaha Symphony, Akron Symphony, Cincinnati Ballet Orchestra, Lexington Philharmonic, Springfield Symphony, Lima Symphony, Butler Philharmonic and Ohio Light Opera Orchestra to name a few.

He has played trumpet with many national touring companies of Broadway musicals as well as popular musicians such as Sheena Easton, Melissa Manchester, Tom “Bones” Malone, J.J. Johnson, The Miracles, Natalie Cole, Pink Martini, Marvin Hamlisch, Mnozil Brass, Rhythm in Shoes, The Beach Boys, Crystal Gayle, and Sarah McLachlan. He has played jazz with the Dayton Jazz Orchestra and Jazz Central Big Band as well as rock and roll with Trey Stone and the Ringers and The Last Waltz group in Dayton. He has been with the Wright State Faculty Brass Quintet for over 10 years and is well known in the area as the founder of the outstanding Oakwood Brass. The group has played at the Hayner in the past, as well as at the Troy Mayor’s Concert, the Bach Society of Dayton, and many other places throughout Southwest Ohio.

Knorr and his trumpet have impressively served the country as principal trumpet of the United States Air Force Band of Flight at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, and served in the same role with the USAF Heartland of America Band at Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska. While stationed at Wright-Patterson AFB, he founded and led the 17-member Prism Brass. Additionally, he led the Wright Brass Quintet for over 10 years, including the first-ever USAF brass quintet deployment to support Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. While he was with Operation Enduring Freedom he performed across the Middle East in Qatar, Djibouti, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Afghanistan, and Iraq.

As an educator, Knorr is currently the senior lecturer in trumpet in the Department of Music at the University of Dayton. He teaches a variety of music classes including studio trumpet. He directs the trumpet ensemble and performs with the UD Faculty Brass Quintet. He has also been an educator at Central State University, Wilberforce University, and Sinclair College.

Terrilynn Meece, who manages the Drawing Room Concert Series for the Cultural Center, said, “We are so proud to have Eric with us for the new season. He has some exciting ideas already and I look forward to working with him to continue this special series at the Hayner.”

The Drawing Room Chamber Concerts take place on the last Tuesday of each month in the school year except December. The series is free to the public and does not require reservations. Music students are encouraged to attend for the opportunity to hear their instruments in this unique concert setting.

This event and others are presented free to the public through the generosity of the citizens of Troy, loyal sponsors and the Friends of Hayner members. Learn more about Hayner’s cultural events and the good folks who support them at www.TroyHayner.org