Frank Kaderabek Orchestral
Principal Trumpet Player

Frank Kaderabek (1929 – 2023)  Frank Kaderabek was a brilliant classical, orchestral American trumpet player.

Born in Cicero, Illinois, to Czech immigrants, Frank Kaderabek studied with Edward Masacek who joined the trumpet section of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra in 1921. And, Adolph “Bud” Herseth who played
principal trumpet with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra from 1948-2001. and moved to New York to study with Harry Glantz and Nathan Prager.

In 1950 Kaderabek joined the West Point Band, serving for three years during U.S. involvement in the Korean War. Following military service, he became principal trumpet of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra in 1953, a position he would hold for five years.

Frank Kaderabek was principal trumpet of the Dallas Symphony (1953–1958), assistant principal/third trumpet with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra (1958–1967) and principal trumpet with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra (1967–1975). Frank Kaderabek joined the Philadelphia Orchestra as principal trumpet player under chief conductor Eugene Ormandy in 1975 until his retirement in 1995 . Many of his private students and students from Curtis Music Conservatory in Philadelphia now play in major orchestras.

Frank Kaderabek was widely regarded as one of the world’s finest classical orchestral trumpet players and teachers.

In the Fall of 1974, I was residing in an apartment in downtown, North Hampton, Massachusetts and rehearsing and performing with the Berkshire Brass Quintet.

In that same time frame, the Detroit Symphony announced an orchestral tour performance in my home, Berkshire County area. The Berkshire County Detroit Symphony
performance would be preceded by a recital that featured the Detroit Symphony Brass Quintet which featured Frank Kaderabek playing first trumpet. The location of the brass quintet performance was at the Adams Memorial Musical Theatre at Williams College located in Williamstown, Massachusetts. This location was less than a fifteen minute drive from my parents home in Adams, Massachusetts.

From 1968-1974, I was the lead trumpet player in the Adams Memorial Musical Theatre pit orchestra which featured top drawer summer stock theatrical productions.

I contacted my former trumpet teacher at nearby UMASS/Amherst, Walter ‘Wally’ Chesnut. In the fall, 1968 semester, Wally Chesnut encouraged me to purchase a used, Schilke D/Eb trumpet that was recently traded to Schilke for a new model by Frank Kaderabek himself. I acquired this horn. Although the valve casings were badly corroded, the horn played fantastic. Wally wrote a letter to Frank Kaderabek c/o of the Detroit Symphony before the start of symphony’s East Coast tour. Wally mentioned that I was in possession of Frank Kaderabek’s former Schilke D/Eb trumpet. Wally Chesnut asked Frank if Frank would provide to me a private lesson immediately after the brass quintet recital was concluded. Wally provided to Frank my Northampton apartment address. And, I got a positive response from Frank in a very timely manner by return mail.

The Detroit Symphony Brass Quintet performance was Quintet. The only composition that I still remember that was performed was the ‘Malcolm Arnold Brass Quintet’ which I had personally performed in public on quite a few occasions.

When I arrived at the Brass Quintet performance, I gave an usher a note to deliver to Frank back stage. And, after the concert was over, the same usher escorted me backstage where I met Frank Kaderabek for the first time.

Frank and I hit it off right away. I brought my four trumpet Schilke trumpet case that included my Bach Bb, Schilke C, Schilke D/Eb, and Selmer 4 valve piccolo trumpet to this meeting. Frank had a gregarious, self-assured personality and was particularly amused when he saw his former Schilke D/Eb trumpet in my possession.

Frank asked me about my musical background and who I studied with. Frank was impressed when I told him about my 9 months of weekly private lessons in Baltimore with Don Tison. Frank had very high regards for Don Tison’s skills as a top drawer orchestral trumpet player.

I told Frank that Don Tison, over a nine month period of weekly private lessons, directed me to memorize the most important first trumpet orchestral excerpts for over 150 compositions. I also told Frank that in late July or August of 1974, I auditioned for the principal trumpet chair of the Springfield, Massachusetts Symphony Orchestra. CLICK HERE to learn more about this audition in particular.

Frank asked me to play for him some of the excerpts from both trumpet solo’s as well as orchestral trumpet excerpts that I was directed to perform at the Springfield, Massachusetts Symphony Orchestra that I was invited to attend several months earlier.

From time to time, Frank would play an orchestral trumpet excerpt after I played it to offer a suggestion in interpretation.  This was the same approach that that Don Tison also utilized for my benefit.

During the course of this lesson, Frank told me that in his younger, pre-orchestral years he had quite a bit of experience playing lead trumpet with various big bands as well as musical theatre pit orchestras.  Frank encouraged me to pursue these opportunities when they presented themselves.

Frank told me that he thought I made a mistake about not accepting the principal trumpet position with the Baltimore Symphony ‘Pops’ Orchestra 1974 summer season.  Frank also told me that he thought I made a mistake about not expressing interest in becoming a ‘co-acting’ principal trumpet player with the Springfield Symphony.  Frank said that the world of orchestral musical directors is riddled with egotistical jerks.

My single lesson with Frank Kaderabek lasted over an hour and Frank did not charge me for this lesson.

Frank Kaderabek was a very strong player with a perfectly centered, vibrant ‘ballsy’ sound. After hearing Frank play ‘up close and personal’, I came to the conclusion that Frank would have made a terrific lead trumpet player in a commercial, jazz big band setting.

On YouTube, at the age of 94, Frank Kaderabek talks about trumpet and his career. Frank was Principal trumpet with four major orchestras over a span of 42 years. Frank discusses how he started and also the connection with Claude Gordon.